Dannii Minogue transfers to hospital...

[Schmickers]

Arguably Australia's most famous homebirther, Dannii Minogue has transferred to hospital prior to the birth of her son. And already, the media circus has begun...

Celebrity or not, home birth fad is pretty silly | Daily Telegraph Sarrah Le Marquand Blog

[Footsteps]

she has given birth to a little boy Ethan!!!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...-baby-boy.html

[HotI]

I must have been living in a bubble because i didn't know that Dannii was planning a homebirth. That article just sucks.

The first thing i said when i saw the news report last night that Dannii had had a baby, and it showed the hospital was 'I wonder if they assaulted her too?'

urgh, angry again

[Artechim]

Why on earth are Australians so anti homebirth? Here in NZ it is just an accepted, every day (govt funded) option. I just don't get it.

[Cherished]

Artechim, I don't really know either but I imagine it's just another way for he government to control everyone. It doesn't make sense when hospitals are over crowed and medical professionals are over worked. Sure if there were babies and mothers dying all over the country from homebirthing than the public would be screaming out for regulation, that isn't happening so I don't know?

[Mad Scientist]

I think that article is disgusting.

[Schmickers]

It's mainly pushed by the Australian Medical Association and the RANZCOG. I'm not sure why NZ has diverged so much, but I can only assume that there must have been some strong midwives back in the day who managed to make it (or keep it) mainstream so that the comparable NZ bodies couldn't marginalise it with fear uncertainty and doubt like they do here.

[Jaycee]

On my way to work this morning on the radio there was a segment of the news which was basically using Danni Minogue's failed homebirth attempt as a scare tactic saying that first time mothers should be warned of the dangers of homebirth and went on to say that she had to be "rushed" to hospital for an emergency c section and how extremely dangerous this was.

I am so very annoyed to have heard this, just goes to show they'll use anything they can to make homebirth out to be this dangerous act that should not be considered, especially by first time mums.

Not happy!

[sconeonamission]

Hopefully it wont put the determined off having a homebirth!

[meow]

Hopefully it wont put the determined off having a homebirth!

I don't think it will... but it may put off the "unsure". And that's such a shame because women would be so much better off with more HBs. Australia's perception of HB is so warped and incorrect.

[~Raven~]

One would hope that instead of scaring people off, it might serve to show as an example of how deal with a problem should it arise, and when to up and transfer if it's needed

[Jaycee]

One would hope that instead of scaring people off, it might serve to show as an example of how deal with a problem should it arise, and when to up and transfer if it's needed

Raven, I would hope so too, but unfortunately the way the media deliver the news is directly related to how the news will be taken by the public, and it was certainly not delivered as a positive story.

[Jaycee]

That's exactly right meow, it won't put off those who are already informed, but those who are not are going to think homebirth is this awful thing that shouldn't be done.

Just another case of the media taking things out of proportion!

[Jennifer13]

Nothing like talking to an ob, who by the very definition of the role has a conflict of interest, for a segment on HB. Kinda like going to an arms dealer to ask about the peace process, really.

[PumpkinZulu]

Hopefully it wont put the determined off having a homebirth!

Or the educated

[TeniBear]

I really really hope she comes out and sets the record straight - we don't need any more people turned off the idea! PZ, you said on FB that it serves to show that she had a great IM (or group of them) because she was able to make it to hospital (and think how much harder it would have been, getting her in there without anyone noticing!)... You're so right.

[Jennifer13]

It probably won't change HBers minds, but it certainly affects them because of all of the other less informed people out there who will unfortunately have coloured judgement that they won't mind sharing. It wouldn't help my DP for eg, if someone blabbed on about how dangerous it was.

Of course, the point is if she was in a hospital in the first place and ended up with an emergency c/s (which would have been even more likely) would anyone have noticed? Same outcome - different perception! Would anyone be walking around saying, "silly woman, if she'd have gone for a homebirth she probably wouldn't have had all of that intervention and ended up with a c/s"? I think not!

[~Kaz~]

:yeahthat:

Couldn't agree more Jennifer. It's disappointing they're focusing on the HB aspect rather than the fact that things obviously didn't go well. I hope she has a speedy recovery and is ok (in time) with the fact that her babies birth didn't go to plan.