Hello, I missed the doula article but get the gist, I think. I've been a midwife for 30 years and have never seen a doula.
Research from Hodnett ED. et al, "Continuous support for women during childbirth (Cochrane Review) In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 3, 2004, Chichester, UK: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. "In general, labour support was more effective when it was provided by women who were not part of the hospital staff" I believe this to be true, and you probably all know that. Hospitals are not reflective, nor conducive, to real midwifery care. regards, Elizabeth McAlpine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Callum & Kirsten" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 12:53 AM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] doula article > I apologise i left NZ in 2002, as of then i should state i knew of no > doulas, although there could have been. > I find the whole thing rather confusing, can i ask why you choose to be a > doula and not a midwife? > (I'm seriously asking, not being sarcastic either.) > > Kirsten > > > ~~~start life with a midwife~~~ > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Vida Rye" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2004 2:11 PM > Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] doula article > > > > Kirsten wrote: > >>>>>>>>I think i have to agree with you Denise. In NZ where the maternity > > system is different to here in Australia, and there is more woman centered > > midwifery care there are no doulas that i know of. In fact one of my > > lecturers at Auckland University of Technology, told us one day that > > Doulas > > were a threat to midwives and their role. To me (and i may be naive) > > that's > > what care/support i expect to give as a midwife....<snip>Certainly also > > why > > australia needs them when NZ a different maternity system doesn't. Maybe > > it > > does say something about the current system?<<<<<<<<<<<<<< > > > > Well just wanted to say "Hi" from a Doula based in NZ..... I disagree > > about there not being a need for Doulas in NZ and I find it sad that this > > is > > the attitude of that lecturer of a Midwifery degree in NZ (although it > > does > > not surprise me from some of the anti-Doula stuff I have come across from > > some sectors of midwifery here). I have lived here since 2002 and I came > > to > > NZ with the naive and idealistic viewpoint that my Birth Doula role would > > not be needed because I had heard such wonderful things about the NZ > > midwifery system. This made me happy although I knew I would miss my > > birth > > work.... So I have been concentrating on postnatal Doula work and > > promoting > > infant massage in the community. However, whilst the NZ midwifery system > > is > > different to the UK and in many aspects more woman-centred, I still soon > > started receiving enquiries from women saying that they needed a birth > > doula. > > > > On many occasions I have been contacted because women say they need extra > > support because they feel that their birth journey is being too > > medicalised > > and, upon talking to them, it transpires that in an ideal world they > > wanted > > a home, water birth or something similar and yet they are ending up in > > hospital because their midwife "doesn't do" water births and has no > > back-up > > for "homebirths"...???? These womens' choices are being limited by their > > LMC (Lead Materity Carer). On these occasions what I have thankfully been > > able to do is put these women in touch with more woman-centred midwives > > who > > I *know* will be able to offer them the options that they are wanting "in > > an > > ideal world". > > > > I strongly believe in and support independent midwifery, and women and > > their > > partners rights to be fully informed and have access to all the options. > > I > > know of possibly one other doula who is/was practising in Palmerston > > North, > > but other than that I seem to be on my tod although I'm trying to get the > > word "out there" to see if there are any other women passionate about > > birth > > who want to offer encouragement and support to parents-to-be and new > > parents. I have had to turn down 4 birth doula roles in the last 2 months > > because there is only 1 of me and no back-up doula support in the area > > (although a doula in training with DONA has just arrived from Canada > > recently). > > > > I agree too with Sally Westbury that it would be great if more emphasis > > was > > placed on the Postnatal Doula role. This is what I have been > > concentrating > > on in Wellington whilst I build up relationships built on *trust of the > > Doula role* within the local birthing community and, very similar to > > Honey's > > story, I am part of a group of "consumers" who, along with local midwives, > > are trying to promote the idea of a birthing centre which we hope will > > encourage, in the long term, more homebirths here. > > > > And "Hurrah" for Kylie, for being determined to concentrate on the > > *positives* in your article.... if we all saw the positives not the > > negatives and worked together, passing on our common knowledge and > > experience of natural birth through generations and from culture to > > culture, > > what a fantastic worldwide community spirit there would be. :o) > > > > Vida Rye > > Wellington, NZ > > www.kiwidoula.com > > www.nurturenz.com > > > > -- > > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > > > __________ NOD32 1.860 (20040903) Information __________ > > > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > > http://www.nod32.com > > > > > > -- > This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. 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