Does anyone have a DL brochure about midwifery care with all the facts to have mailed out, with an introduction letter, as an education/PR campaign targeted for GP's around Australia? They are first in line with pregnant women, that's where opportunity lies... It's a great idea to build relationships and familiarity with them, on an ongoing basis, not a 'drop & forget' campaign. Even follow up with phone calls asking if they received it and if they have any questions!
You could also give them some brochures/info book to hand out to pregnant women which is targeted at women - a different flyer which speaks to women in their language and addresses their concerns. The flyer for GP's needs to speak directly to GP's and address their concerns, encouraging them to offer their 'patients' options and make them feel good for helping. All you need to do is ask, my local GP stocks my brochures and also Choices brochures when I was helping there - goes through more than the local birth centre. Obviously this is a huge task, but as an example, they have a Doula Register who did this for Doulas and they had great success in QLD and NSW, but I think it was with Obs not GP's. Others wrote letters to Obs about what they do, and then they started getting referrals from Obs, so the Doulas would write back and thank the Obs. The Doula Register seems to be based in and focused on those two states, we are now wanting to speak to them about doing it in other states too. So is there a capacity somewhere or somehow (or perhaps already has done and can advise the success) to do a massive drive? There won't be enough midwives to service the population if it does work but I guess but you could even choose a few test pilot suburbs across Australia or a controlled trial, in areas of varying economic levels(?). -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 3:58 PM To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] How do you deal with your fustrations? To me the way women (society) veiws pregnancy reflects the current trend to rush for medical assistance in any situation. Common colds, neck pain, constipation, insomnia, depression, obesity, you name it. Instead of looking within at underlying emotional issues, considering diet, toxins such as refined foodstuffs, stress, chemicals.....whatever, you get my drift, the list is long. Any way instead of resolving the underlying causes or problems there is an increasing tendance to run for a fix-up, a suppression of symptoms. I see too often pregnancy considered by women as a medical problem to be managed. What do some do the minute they think they are pregnant....make an appointment with a doctor for confirmation...and so it begins. Do the doctors tell them that evidence concludes midwives to be the specialists in nornmal maternity care? Yeah right! In society the common assumption is the highest scientifically "qualifed" person must be the best one for the job. Interesting what you say about having already paid up front and not wanting to loose out financially having already paid an Obs...THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS! I am personally in favour of women changing streams of care whatever their gestation. Just my ramblings.... Wendy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julie Clarke" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au> Sent: Monday, January 08, 2007 1:11 PM Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] How do you deal with your fustrations? > Hi Rachael, > I sometimes share your frustrations in wondering why on earth women choose > OB's to care for them - particularly when they whinge about them so much! > However what women are after is continuity of care because they want some > feeling of certainty over who is going to be with them when they birth in > short it gives them a feeling of security and the other main reason is the > perceived "quality" of the care because an OB is regarded in Australia as > the highest qualified of anyone to deal with pregnancy and birth. > The other astonishing fact is that OB's don't even need to lift a finger to > "market" themselves... it's all done for them by our medically supportive > system. > > Yesterday I had a reunion with a group who had received mixed care; some by > midwives some by private OB's and when they shared their stories and > discovered such big differences in the way they had been cared for; the > proof is in the pudding after all isn't it? A couple of them were saying > "I'm definitely going to a birth centre or have midwifery care next time!" > > You might ask well why didn't they learn about this in the preparation > classes, well they did, but they often say they are not able to change late > in the pregnancy because they have already paid completely up front well in > advance to the OB and they worry about getting their money back, they assume > they can't, or they cannot get into a midwifery program or a birth centre at > a very late stage of pregnancy. > > The reunion confirms a lot for them as they share their stories, one of the > lovely couples yesterday had had a wonderful homebirth with the terrific > midwives at St George hospital and the rest of the group were thrilled for > them and listened to all the details "It was a wonderful 6 hour labour, > relaxing in a pool in the lounge room and the midwife just stayed quietly > next to me and it was very peaceful..." > > Warm hug > Julie > > > Julie Clarke > Childbirth and Parenting Educator > ACE Grad-Dip Supervisor > NACE Advanced Educator and Trainer > > Transition into Parenthood > 9 Withybrook Pl > Sylvania NSW 2224. > T. (02) 9544 6441 > F. (02) 9544 9257 > Mobile 0401 2655 30 > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > www.julieclarke.com.au > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dan & Rachael > Austin > Sent: Monday, 8 January 2007 10:19 AM > To: ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au > Subject: [ozmidwifery] How do you deal with your fustrations? > > I get so fustrated when I know people who choose subordinate (in my opinion) > > levels of care. What I mean is, healthy women who choose care under an > obstetrician. They get roped into the high tech repeated u/s, monitoring, > for the "just in case" ignorant way of thinking. They end up having highly > intervened vaginal births (but they see as 'natural birth' because it is > vaginal) or worse a necessary unnecessary cs. Does this make sense? > > I have been up most of the night stewing over this, because a 4 of my > rellies have recently choosen this type of care to end up with the same > results... and they think I'm weird because I choose to birth at home! OK > so I'm a midwife (new at the game, but still), so maybe the extra knowledge > helped me to make 'good' or appropriate choices for me, but what stops women > > from investigating choices for themselves? Why do they so blindly give > themselves to medical men in every sense of the word? Do women really > believe that they don't have the power to birth themselves and that they > really need help? Do they really think nature got it that wrong? AHH!! > > How do you get 'over it'? How do you talk with these women about birth in > social conversatin without lecturing them? > > Hope this makes sense.. i'm tired! > > -- > 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. > Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.410 / Virus Database: 268.16.7/619 - Release Date: 1/7/2007 > > -- 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. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
