Has anyone done this yet?

[BellyBelly]

Please see the link below and double please take the short amount of time to print out the letters to post to our health ministers or you can email them if you prefer - we need power in numbers for this one. If printing and posting is not possible, then you can use email, if you include your full name, street address, contact numbers etc.

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Nicola.Roxon.MP@aph.gov.au

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP
Tanya.Plibersek.MP@aph.gov.au

Letter to print & send for midwifery

Or the full letter is at the bottom of this post.

Even if its not the choice you would made, choice is what this is all about. We need this, women need this and midwives need this. Please help us and help women have REAL choice - not to have a c/s or vaginal birth - but a huge choice in their care providers.

<insert your name and address>

The Hon Nicola Roxon
Minister for Health and Ageing
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
<remember to change this address for each letter and to delete everything in italics!>

<insert the date>



Dear Minister <when writing to your local member, if they’re not a minister, substitute their name: Dear Mr/Ms Surname>

I am writing to you to ask you to provide Federal Government support to women who choose to give birth at home with the assistance of an independent midwife.

<Add a paragraph of personal information if you wish – why you support homebirth, your own experience and why you think this action is important.>

I am aware that support for expanding midwifery care was part of the ALP’s pre-election platform on Maternal and Child Health Services, in particular:

• Reviewing the Medicare schedule to include midwives in the provision of maternity care and to facilitate the expansion of midwife-led care; and
• Considering models of indemnification to facilitate the practice of midwives as experts and primary care givers in normal birth.

I look forward to the Rudd Labor Government implementing these policies as soon as possible as a way of providing better, safer birth choices for Australian mothers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises midwives as “the most appropriate and cost effective type of health care provider to be assigned to the care of women in normal pregnancy and birth,” and the safety of planned homebirth is now well established in both Australian and international research.

Midwifery care is a preventative health measure which not only assists in keeping well women and their babies out of hospital beds but represents a significant cost saving to Government. A birth at home costs significantly less than even the most straight-forward hospital birth and women who birth at home are less likely to have interventions including assisted delivery and caesarean section, or distressed babies. Women’s and their partners’ satisfaction with birth is also increased and women are more likely to breastfeed. .

I also feel strongly that this is an issue of choice - supporting all women to choose the place and the practitioner that they feel most comfortable when giving birth.

I would really appreciate your support for this issue in the lead up to the May 2008 budget.

I look forward to your response.

Kind regards

<insert your name>

[maz]

my printers broken dame it!!!!

[Karina]

Ohh I'm totally going to send the letter too!

[Julie Doula]

Me too. Thanks for the heads up Kelly.

[Mum0809]

Me too.

[Tobily]

Yep did this a few weeks ago

Did anyone see today that the Health Minister has announced the government review of Maternity services? Wonderful to see all this stuff back on the agenda after toooo long!

THE HON NICOLA ROXON MP
Minister for Health and Ageing

MEDIA RELEASE
9 May 2008

MATERNITY SERVICES REVIEW

Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon last week began consultations for the Rudd Government?s Maternity Services review.

The Rudd Government announced last year that it would conduct a comprehensive review of maternity services across the country. The review is the first step in developing a comprehensive plan for maternity services into the future.

In addition to meeting with midwives, obstetricians, nurses, GPs and consumers Ms Roxon also met with beyondblue, Bonnie Babes, Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Support (SANDS) and Post and Ante Natal Depression Association (PANDA) to initiate the review, and discuss the range of services and supports available in the community.

?They were productive meetings, at which we discussed the scope and parameters of the review?, Ms Roxon said.
The Government?s review will canvass a wide range of issues relevant to maternity services, including pregnancy, birthing, postnatal care, as well as care for parents who have lost babies.

The review will play a significant role in ensuring Government funding can be most effectively targeted and comprehensive services provided. The review is due to conclude later this year.

The Government is focused on providing high quality care for mothers and newborns, recognising that early care is the key to giving children the best start in life.

Prior to the election last year the previous Government was approached by many organisations for funding assistance ? including Bonnie Babes and SANDS. It also asked PANDA to develop a national proposal ? but it never funded these services.

It is disappointing that recent comments by the Opposition have now sought to politicise maternity services. In going on the attack, the Opposition have failed to explain why it took them 12 years to take any action on maternity services.

Talking about Bonnie Babes yesterday, Joe Hockey said: ?We should have done this earlier, and we should have done it years ago.?

The Rudd Government is consulting and constructing a long-term plan for improved, and comprehensive, maternity services. This process will continue in the months ahead, with a plan to be developed after the review process is complete.

Media inquiries only: Sean Kelly - 0417 108 362
For all other inquiries please contact the Minister's office - 02 6277 7220

[Schmickers]

I've done it...

[Loqua]

Wonder if they'll mind that I'm sending letters from the UK?

Have forwarded it on to all the women I know.

[norquesta]

If printing and posting is not possible, then you can use email, if you include your full name, street address, contact numbers etc.

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Nicola.Roxon.MP@aph.gov.au

The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP
Tanya.Plibersek.MP@aph.gov.au

[BellyBelly]

OooOh emailing is soooo much easier for me at the moment - will email my copy I think... havent had printer access all week due to moving office - so this sounds perfect - off to do it now!!!!

[BellyBelly]

Okay here's what I sent, only a quickie as I have to dash out and keep working on the centre!!!

Dear the Hon Nicola Roxton MP and Tanya Plibersek MP:

I am writing to you to ask you to provide Federal Government support to women who choose to give birth at home with the assistance of an independent midwife.

I have been a birth attendant (aka doula) since 2005 and have seen women give birth in traumatic circumstances so many times – not because of the birth being an emergency – but because of the way they have been treated and manipulated. Women being told, ‘Are you working tomorrow? Because the consultant on duty is, and he’s not going to be happy if he has to come in and rescue your baby because you didn’t have your induction now.’ This was said to a mother with no medical complications, she was asking for her waters broken only and her body was showing good signs that it would go into labour very soon. This went on and on – the doctor brought up mortality and everything her could throw at her – resulting in the mother being reduced to tears and all of us in shock at the tactics. Ironically, after this woman’s waters were broken, the baby was born only a few hours later, no complications. Sadly, I see things like this often – we have lost the human part of birth and women are experiencing more PND than ever, and we’re even now hearing about post traumatic stress disorder from birth! This is not on.

We constantly hear about how hospitals and doctors are overloaded, yet no-one has said anything about independent midwifery being supported to help relieve this pressure. Why? It’s a proven, safe formula and while we so proudly tout that women have choice in birth, well sorry, no they don’t. They can choose a caesarean or vaginal birth but they can’t even have a fair choice on carer. The government put in a rescue package for Obstetric insurance, but how about the midwives who now operate without it? That’s not choice. And it’s not fair to women and the midwives, many of whom have unhappily gone back to hospital practice and burn out because it’s completely against their philosophies of birth. We all know that our caesarean rate is unacceptably high, higher than the USA, as well as our induction rate.

I am aware that support for expanding midwifery care was part of the ALP’s pre-election platform on Maternal and Child Health Services, in particular:

Reviewing the Medicare schedule to include midwives in the provision of maternity care and to facilitate the expansion of midwife-led care; and
Considering models of indemnification to facilitate the practice of midwives as experts and primary care givers in normal birth.

I look forward to the Rudd Labor Government implementing these policies as soon as possible as a way of providing better, safer birth choices for Australian mothers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognises midwives as “the most appropriate and cost effective type of health care provider to be assigned to the care of women in normal pregnancy and birth,” and the safety of planned homebirth is now well established in both Australian and international research.

Midwifery care is a preventative health measure which not only assists in keeping well women and their babies out of hospital beds but represents a significant cost saving to Government. A birth at home costs significantly less than even the most straight-forward hospital birth and women who birth at home are less likely to have interventions including assisted delivery and caesarean section, or distressed babies. Women’s and their partners’ satisfaction with birth is also increased and women are more likely to breastfeed. .

I also feel very strongly that this is an issue of choice - supporting all women to choose the place and the practitioner that they feel most comfortable when giving birth.

I would really appreciate your support for this issue in the lead up to the May 2008 budget.

I look forward to your response.

Kind regards,

Kelly Zantey
Creator, BellyBelly
https://www.bellybelly.com.au

[meow]

Yay for email! I will get mine off very soon