it's been 11 days since i last posted ... so much for the photo a day thing huh? i haven't been all that much busier than usual, but i really haven't felt like being around the internet.
these days my internet browsing seems to revolve around reading new posts from blogs i subscribe to, and reading a couple of news website including crikey. when last friday crikey posted this article lamblasting homebirth advocates as wingnuts, well, i just didn't want to be anywhere near the internet anymore. i did manage to stomach a look at crikey on monday to see this response from homebirth australia but it wasn't enough to make the internet a happy place again... so i stayed away a while longer to try and get back some of my optimism and general ability to pretend that the world is a nice place.
it might seem silly to care so much about the birth of a yet to be conceived child but i firmly believe that the safest and least stressful birth i could have is a birth at home with an independent midwife and to have that choice taken away from me is really distressing.
as far as i can see the only reason homebirth with an independent midwife will be illegal as of July 2010 is because the government is legislating against midwives practicing without indemnity insurance... but if independent midwives don't mind continuing on as they have been and practicing without insurance, and their clients accept the risk involved with them not having any insurance, then why should the government care? why not just leave independent midwives out of the legislation and move on?
i believe it's every woman's right to choose the way they want to birth their children. i just want the right to birth my future child the way i want to. i don't understand why the australian government would think it's a good idea to take this right away.
i don't understand why it's come to the point where if i'm not pregnant in the next two months (and i don't want to be pregnant in the next two months) then i'm probably not ever going to be able to have the legal homebirth with an independent midwife that i want.
Macro Bowls
1 day ago
dont despair yet! i actually found all the responses to the original Crikey article very encouraging, albeit thet expected doomsdayers and MDs and emerg. C-sectioners with too much opinion and not enough fact. There is ALWAYS an option and a way. 'Our' fave midwife is very emphatic about her role as official 'photograper'
ReplyDeletedid you see Crikey followed up a week later with another article lampooning the first piece? Just as well...
ReplyDeleteEven though a HB wouldn't be an option for me, I still strongly believe in choice, especially when we are looking at something so sacred as bringing a child into this world. It is woman's right to birth where she wants to, with whom she wants as support and in a place where she feels safest. The Government should NOT be dictating something where a majority of them have absolutely no idea about, never have and never will give birth.
ReplyDeletekel - it's weird writing a respone to your comment after seeing you in the flesh in between! i saw the crikey article before there where many comments and it was the straw that broke the camels back. it's good to know there will be a highly skilled 'photographer' available to document 'freebriths' :)
ReplyDeletejen - i did see the response, thank gosh...
vic - thank you for your words, they mean a lot to me xxx
yes, meeting people behind the screen for the first time can be weird! but lets hope they wont force women or midwives into that situation. we should be able to do it without fear or repurcussion from the medical profession!
ReplyDelete