Don't know of any research and we've all been aware of catching each other's babies in hospital for yonks as you say.
I just want to say it is fairly common event in independent midwifery practice to be approached by midwives or midwifery students to provide pregnancy,birth and puerperal care at home.
In fact one of my September clients is a midwife. She has just flown all the way home from o/s to have her first baby here in Sydney (the only 'choice' for o/s women in the country where her husband works is an obstetrician)
She will be returning o/s about one month after the birth. There was some research done by Hilda Bastian when she was president of Homebirth Australia that produced a social profile of clients of independently practicing midwives.
She used the results of this research very effectively to debate the home birth cause on a televised national debate (ABC Melbourne event) I think way back in the 1980s. When challenged by an obstetrician that the majority of home birth clients were 'alternative-type hippies' she was very quick to put him in his place by quoting the results of her national survey.... in fact the majority of home birth clients were HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. I still find that is the case with my practice today.
For any budding PhD student it would be a great research topic to revive again.... you would need to find Hilda to get a copy of her paper ... I used to have it but now sure where it is buried in the piles of papers in my garage these days.
The television debate would still be available from the ABC I would think. It would be worthwhile showing to students.
While there is evidence that "midwives eat their young" and "horizontal violence" rules ... I believe there is also ample evidence in private practice that "midwives midwife their own" too.
Does someone want to give it a go?
Jan
Jan Robinson Independent Midwife Practitioner
National Coordinator Australian Society of Independent Midwives
8 Robin Crescent South Hurstville NSW 2221 Phone/Fax: 02 9546 4350
e-mail address: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> website: www.midwiferyeducation.com.au
Hi,
Does anyone know of any research that has been conducted on midwives birthing midwives?
We've all caught our colleagues babies - but I'm trying to find some research for one of our students and I'm drawing a complete blank.
Any ideas wise women??
Cheers,
Sadie
