[ozmidwifery] Re: Midwifery Educators

[Barbara Stokes]

Dear Midwives, I have just returned from our small hospital “midwives and doctors breakfast meeting”.  This is to encourage communication.  We have 4 GP/Obs and 9 midwivies. On discussion was a new policy for epidural-top ups: both pethidine only and marcain/fenytal . Policy is now insistent on bp obs 5minutely for 30 minutes for both top-ups. Other hospitals have had the pethidine only top-ups:  prior giving top-up bp, in 5 minutes and then in 15 minutes.   Does anyone have an email address for me to contact?   Also does anyone have policy or guidelines re allowing dads to cut cord?  This meeting has decided that no cord clamps (plastic) will be put on set up so the forceps are used, Dad can do a token cutting later (?how later) when cord clamp (plastic) is to be put on. I was hailed down when I suggested that a well baby could be put onto mum and continue with the cord clamp/ dad cutting cord when ready.  If the baby needed active resuscitation then quick transfer to resus. trolley would be normal procedure.   As you will have noticed our GP’s only do active 3rd stage, mothers have never heard of physiological 3rd stage even though same discussed at ante-natal classes.   Thanks from a disappointed midwife, Barbara