People power or political blindside?

Driving home from a long day of antenatal visits yesterday afternoon, I was listening to ABC News Radio when I hear that our friend Nicola had done a “back down” on the “making homebirth illegal issue”. The volume was instantly turned up as I listened to her say that she didn’t want to “make illegal” a current practice that was at present legal, and so had agreed with the State Health Ministers to give a 2 year exemption from the law to home birth Midwives.
“Wow” I thought.

YEH FOR PEOPLE POWER - OUR LETTERS AND PROTESTS HAVE BEEN HEARD. Or had they?

And then I thought “How come I am not excited by this news? Am I so totally cynical and jaded that I am disappointed the fight is over?”

And then I heard her say something along the lines that midwives would be able to continue to practice in jurisdictions where it was allowed. Hmmm. What did that mean? What other hidden catches were there? I couldn’t wait to get home to get onto the net and discover the goss.

“Additional requirements to access the exemption will include;- A requirement to provide full disclosure and informed consent thatthey do not have professional indemnity insurance.- Reporting each homebirth- Participating in a quality and safety framework which will bedeveloped after consultation led by Victoria through the finalisation of the registration and accreditation process.These provisions will only apply to midwives working in jurisdictions which do not prohibit such practice as at the date of the implementation of the scheme.”

I’m sorry, Nicola, but most of the women I work with towards an empowering birth at home do so because they are avoiding a medically controlled birth. It is their INFORMED CHOICE – after looking into things diligently – and with the biggest stakehold of all (the health and well being of mother and baby) – to forgo a medical birth. I have serious issues with the requirement to participate in a “quality and safety framework” that will be dictated no doubt by medical policy and a woman’s choice and right to autonomy over her own body (and her own birth) will be ignored. I also have serious concerns as to the practicality of the currently practicing midwives to be able to comply with all the requirements.

And why will it be led by Victoria? I’d like to quote from Home Birth Australia - - -

"We have been told by Nicola Roxon's office that this is due to Victoria leading the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. However, we have concerns that Victoria may also lead the development of a framework within which private practice midwives will have to work, in order to be eligible for an exemption. Some members of Maternity Coalition and Australian Private Midwives Association recently attended a meeting with the Victorian Health Minister Daniel Andrews and they reported back that "The Minister summarized the implications that the current Bills before parliament will have for women and midwives. He stated that midwives cannot continue uninsured as they are and that if they wanted to work it would need to be as part of a team at a public hospital providing homebirth". He was asked whether he recognized the right of women to choose place of birth and what they would do in the instance of July 2010 if the issue is not resolved, "Well they will be faced with the difficult choice of choosing from what is available". We have grave concerns that this will be the beginning of the end for private practice homebirth midwifery.” http://www.homebirthaustralia.org/

So in reality, the fan fare that Nicola has made on Friday is all show and no substance – a political blind side designed and timed specifically to take momentum out of the rally at Canberra on Monday.

DON’T BE FOOLED BY SUCH POLITICAL TRICKS.

Political agendas should have NO SAY over a woman’s body and birthing decisions and I urge you to support the rally in Canberra with an even louder voice. If you can’t attend, it is too late to purchase a virtual rally ticket (this has taken a huge amount of work and co-ordination and I thank the organisers for this possibility) – you can still make your opinion count. Tell your relatives and friends to watch for it on the news. Tell them to write letters to the paper and Federal Labour MP’s as a result. We do not want to descend back into the dark ages and we do not want women’s rights violated, and we do NOT want to have to go through all this again in 2 years when the medical lobby will have enough time to spearhead an even more detailed and deadly attack.

I also urge you to remember this is not about homebirth verses hospital birth.
This is not about midwife versus doctor.
This is about women and their right to make their own decisions regarding their own births and what happens to their bodies.
This is about how your daughter will birth –please fight for her autonomy and freedom.