April 16, 2003

Reflections on the Future Birth tour

The Future Birth tour is over for another two years. Caroline Flint and Mavis Kirkham are returning to the UK this afternoon and I will begin the wrap up and evaluation of the whole series. What have been the highlights?

First, the chance to work with a very talented and committed team of speakers who have offered wonderful insights into midwifery as it is and as it could be.

The message that Mavis gave us was not always cheerful because midwifery in the UK (where her research has been based) has not taken advantage of the political and professional support it has to develop a really vibrant and woman centred system of care. Midwives are stressed, disorganised, poorly lead and in need of better management. The new impetus towards developing Birth Centres (a re-naming of midwifery led units and GP units of the past) holds out some hope provided enough midwives can be found to staff and promote them. Home birth is really the best answer to the increasing fragmentation of midwifery care as this at least restores the basic unit of midwife/mother to its rightful place at the centre of the system.

Tracy Reibel explained how we in Australia are approaching improving care here through the development and implementation of the Australian Midwifery Action Plan (NMAP). This is a very exciting proposal that holds out the best hope of reform that we have had for many years. Each State will evolve their own version of NMAP that fits best with their conditions and the NSW and Victorian plans are well under way. Tracy’s energy and commitment also demonstrated that non-midwives also care about the way that maternity services are provided and that they are prepared to join with midwives to collectively fight for better births.

Vanessa Owen is an amazing woman and a wonderful ambassador for the Australian College of Midwives. Her presentation outlined the way that the College is working for its members and for women. It was an eye-opener for many in our audiences, who tend to think that “someone” must be doing something, but just what that may be is a complete mystery. The fact that all the office bearers in the ACMI work in a voluntary capacity was also well noted and many were inspired to join the College to add their weight to their increasing numbers - this was very heartening.

Caroline Flint debunked a lot of the myths surrounding working as a caseload carrying midwife in a very entertaining and presentation. Using a variety of aids, slides and overheads, Caroline showed that while living with a bleep may be a pest at times, provided you take care to fit your work in and around your social life (rather than the other way around), a full and rounded life is very possible. I think many midwives in the audience came to realise that caseloading is a great way of working and of course, this will be an essential component of the new midwifery that NMAP proposes.

All in all, a great program. The evaluations were glowing and enthusiastic and we all enjoyed reading them. All the speakers commented that they had learned much from the audience as well, which was a bonus. After all, women and midwives talking together about our mutual concerns is a basic need that underpins everything we do in maternity care.

Have to start thinking about next year’s program now..... if anyone has any suggestions for the on-going series of midwifery workshops that we present in the year between Future Birth events, please let me know.....

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