Do you think birth choice is important?
Are you aware that Victoria has lost the majority of our birth centres?
Did you know that maternity service providers think that birth centres are not important?
We are a group of passionate people who are concerned about the continual closures of birth centres and positive maternity programs across Victoria.
We want Birth Centres in every town and suburb across our state.
We need more, not fewer birthing options for women.
What Is a Birth Centre?
A Birth Centre is a place where pregnancy and birth are looked on as normal events in a woman's life, not a medical condition that needs to be managed.
A Birth Centre is ran by midwives. Care options vary but can include,
- one to one care (sometimes called case load or Know Your own Midwife)
- team midwifery (three to five midwives sharing the care of women).
- midwives clinic (midwives who believe in normal birth share shifts)
The Recent Past.
Some people have claimed that birth centres have no place in today's maternity system, that birth centres have failed women and that they should be replaced with other models of care such as general maternity ward, case load midwifery.
This is a flawed claim. Why?
Birth Centres have not been operated properly. It's not the centres that are at fault but the systems that are running them. Birth Centres need to operated by the community, by the women who birth and the midwives that share their skill and knowledge, not some administrator who doesn't understand anything other then a bottom line.
Other models of care are important but we shouldn't be throwing away positive care options. Not all midwives can work within a one to one midwifery program. Working on call is not suitable for all midwives. There are many midwives who would love to work in community based birth centres where care is centred around the women not around an inflexible system. Some midwives can only work part time due to family commitments.
It is important to provide practical ways for our maternity workforce to function. Forcing dedicated midwives to work in a medical model system and restricting them from women- centered care options just because they need to work part time or can not be on call is discrimination.
And we wonder why there is a maternity staffing crisis?
What can you do?
Speak up! Everyone's voice is important. If we don't stand up for our Victorian Birth Centres, who will? It is vital that we protect this birthing option.
Sign a petition! A petition will be circulated soon demanding that Birth Centres that have been closed in the past be reopened and that future sites be created.
Write a letter! Tell the health service what you think. You never know your letter might be the one the changes our system.
Visit your local MP! Go in and asked to see your local representative, your view counts. Tell them that having a community based Birth Centre is important to you. Let them know about our overflowing maternity hospitals, the lack of good care for Victorian mothers and babies, that our maternity system is in crisis and that we desperately need more birthing options.
Tell others your Birth Centre story! Sharing stories is the way women have provided information to others from the beginning of time. Send your stories in here, tell your family, friends and neighbours about the importance of community based maternity care.
Write to the editor! Get busy with letting the wider community know about birth choices like Birth Centres. Papers, newsletters, magazines, so many places to get heard.
Share this blog! There are many out there who have been concerned about the closure and lack of support for Birth Centres in Victoria. Let them know that there are other passionate, caring people here, ready to join forces and get change.
Join in a National Day of Unity, Action and Reform for Birth! Keep watching this space, news will be coming soon regarding a National Day focusing on improving birth choices.
Looking forward to you joining with us.
Birth Centres Victoria Team.
Birth Centres, just one of the many options in Maternity Care.
