I am pleased to report that the Southwest Midwives have responded promtly to this article.
It would be most benifical if we as midwives responded to the editor regarding this artile with our point of view: 'editor.bunburymail@ruralpress.com'
To the editor,
What a biased view on home birthing this article is.
However, have you considered that when problems occur in more rural hospitals such as Margaret River or Manjimup what it must be like to have to be transferred by ambulance to Bunbury with a hospital midwife as your escort? This is no different to an independent midwife needing to transfer a homebirth, if necessary, into hospital. The risks are no different; they are in fact they are same as rural hospital, which of course we know are safe for women with low risk factors during their pregnancy.
Do you really think women who plan a home birth choose to put their lives or the lives or their baby at risk?
These women should be respected and supported with their choices, they don’t go into home birthing blindly. These women are usually well educated and well researched. In WA there is a free home birth service provided by the Community Midwifery Program, which is metropolitan based service and endorsed by the Health Department.
Most of the medical people who state home births are unsafe are because they have been on the receiving end of a private midwife hospital transfer. Do they pass the same judgement calls when a hospital to hospital transfer occurs, I very much doubt it.
However, many more women have an amazing birth at home trouble free.
What the South West needs is BETTER birthing options and choices for women, such as a known Midwife and a Birth Centre, which the last Government offered to provide. However with the change in government this no longer occurring, the South West should have the provision of a Community Midwifery Program so that women in the SW can access the same choices as the women of Perth.
Most people who are scathing of home births have never had the privilege to be present at a home with a woman and her family during labour and birth. I am sad to say they will never get it because they have to open their eyes and their heart to see. They have to believe woman can do this unassisted.
Angela Jordan
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