2007 off to a busy start
The year has begun with a rush. After the hard work of putting the 2007 Birth International catalogue together (click here if you would like a copy posted to you), we quickly geared up for the first workshops.
The first program was an Active Birth workshop in Darwin. The “Top End” is a fascinating part of Australia, firmly within the tropics and at this time of the year, a wondrous mix of storms, heavy rain squalls and ever present heat and humidity. The gardens are lush and green, growing rapidly while you watch!
Because of its isolation, the people in Darwin fall into one of two main groups: those who are visiting on extended travels (often work related) and those who have made it their home. The population is young, with lots of children and young families, and the birth rate is quite high by national standards. A number of midwives in the group were in Darwin for a short period, working and chilling out whilst deciding where to move to next.
One thing that is very noticeable in the Northern Territory is that there seems to be plenty of Government money available to support a variety of community groups and programs. There were people from both the YWCA and Anglicare in this group, who are working with the young and pregnant as part of funded initiatives. They were not midwives, but experienced youth workers and they were looking for specific detail to include in their groups for expectant mums.
I also had midwives who worked with the Aboriginal population. Pregnant Aboriginal women are routinely sent in from outlying stations and towns to give birth (a dreadfully disruptive plan, that has major social ramifications for their families) and they congregate in various hostels awaiting the birth of their babies. Many have health problems brought on by inappropriate lifestyles (often the result of intrusion by the white population) and the perinatal mortality and morbidity in this group is disgraceful - real third world standards. Many efforts are being made to address this problem and the training of Aboriginal health works has been a practical solution that is improving results. It is hard to escape the fact that a lack of midwifery care, including birth services, in their own communities must be a major contributing factor.
On my final day in Darwin, the Childbirth Education Association sponsored an opportunity for me to present an Essential Educator showcase for a group of women who are providing prenatal programs in Darwin. CEA Darwin has been very active over many years, and has received finding to set a variety of parent support groups in the city and nearby satellite towns. Their energy and commitment are outstanding!
There was a lot of interest in the extensive contents of this kit, and many agreed that the quality and scope of the activities and resources included would be very useful for their work. Many educators don’t have access to specific CBE training, however using this kit will enable them to offer appropriate and effective group activities that enhance learning for participants.
We had quite a bit of fun trying out some of the activities, especially the Epidural Role Play and the Cascade of Intervention. Everyone felt that these were brilliant for making sure that women were fully informed about these options and these educators could see the potential for using them in their classes.
I left the group to work together on the development of new programs for parents in Darwin, and made my way to the airport to catch a flight to London, via Singapore. After the heat and humidity of the tropics, the cold and wet of a freezing Britain was quite a contrast!