Belated Christmas Gift

I received this bottle of wine as a belated Christmas gift. No it isn't a hoax - it is a genuine bottle of wine. Someone told the wine maker about the effects of Oxytocin on the body and they thought what a perfect name for a wine. The label reads "You know that feeling when you're on top of the world, you've got a smile on your face and a warm inner glow? It's probably Oxytocin - a wonderful hormone our brain naturally releases putting us into a state of bliss.

Sometimes Oxytocin is called the 'love drug', because it's integral in the boding between mother and child, lovers and friends ..."

2010_Pregnancy_and_Parenting_network

Jane Palmer wrote:

Pregnancy and Parenting Network

27 Hart Street

Dundas Valley NSW 2117

Phone (02) 9873 1750

Email: jane@pregnancy.com.au

Website: www.pregnancy.com.au

Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond & New Beginnings Midwifery Practice

Invites you to our pregnancy and parenting network on the following dates for 2009 & 2010

Thursday	29th October 2009	Natural choices for pregnancy and birth
Thursday	26th November 2009	Ideas for Toddlers & Christmas Celebrations
Thursday	21st January 2010	Pregnancy Testing
Thursday	18th February 2010	Unexpected outcomes
Thursday	18th March 2010	Vaccination
Thursday	22nd April 2010	Birth Stories
Thursday	20th May 2010	Pregnancy Experiences
Thursday	17th June 2010	Waterbirth
Thursday	22nd July 2010	Returning to Paid Employment and childcare
Thursday	19th August 2010	Pregnancy and Parenting for older mothers
Thursday	16th September2010	Introducing solids, nutrition, food additives and food intolerances
Thursday	14th October 2010	Open Forum
Thursday	11th November 2010	Birth Techniques
Thursday	9th December 2010	Childhood Development, play, preschool and school options & Christmas Celebrations

No booking is necessary. Please note that the group get togethers are roughly 4 weeks apart. The open forum provides the group an opportunity to discuss any topic and a guest speaker may be invited. The group is held at Jane’s place (27 Hart Street, Dundas Valley) from 10am until 12pm. These get togethers are casual and provide you with opportunity to talk about all sorts of issues in a safe, supportive and relaxing environment. Please bring a plate of food to share (anything you can manage).

As always, mums, dads, friends and kids are all welcome! See you there!

Love Jane and Robyn

National Health and Hospital Reforms Commission

On 25 February 2008, the Prime Minister and the Minister for Health and Ageing announced the establishment of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. The commission will provide a blue print for tackling future challenges in the Australian health system. Out of the blue I received an invitation to attend a focus group, which was one of many groups facilitated by the commissioners across Australia. They brought together a diverse group of front line health care providers such as midwives, physiotherapists, ambulance officers, dieticians, nurses, doctors, prison health care workers (and quite a few other professions). It was a very interesting few hours. We sat randomly at round tables and worked as a group to discuss what we wanted to see changed in the health care system. We each had the opportunity to present two changes. Then together as a group developed three changes for the future. Each table presented their ideas (there were five tables in all). Out of all the ideas collected we had to all agree on five changes. Then a table was assigned one of these changes and we had develop ideas on how to achieve these changes. It was a fascinating process and easy to contribute to. As health professionals I found we all have similar ideas of what was needed for the future. I had the opportunity to speak for improvements in maternity care and have some of my ideas included into the submissions to the commissioners. I spoke for the right of women to have publicly funded homebirths, for the care of well pregnant women to be available in the community (rather than by the hospitals), to change from an illness focus to a wellness focus in maternity care and for the need of midwives to have professional indemnity insurance. While I was only one voice - I did feel that I was listened to. I do commend the government for this initiative. However I hope the Australia Government doesn't just produced a blue print for the future, I hope they choose to act on it rather than filing it in the bottom draw. To find out more visit the National Health and Hospital Reforms Commission Website.

First Post for 2008

I can't believe I've left it this long to add to my blog. I must say that it was exhausting organizing the screening of The Business of Being Born - there was more work than I'd anticipated. The feedback from the screening was very positive - I'd love to make the documentary more widely available. It looks like the DVD will be released in March 2008 - which is great news. I'll keep you posted.

Christmas was fantastic, I enjoyed time with my family doing Christmas activities (like taking my younger children into the city - they are seen in this photo riding Santa's train).

I continue to work at the local hospital in the birth unit. It is challenging as intervention rate is unnecessarily high. The system has lost sight of what normal birth is and complication rate is high. It is rewarding though as I feel like I make a difference and I have access to lots of education programs.

First Shift

Yesterday I complete my first shift on the maternity ward. I certainly found it quite stressful. While the other midwives were supportive - I really was thrown in at the deep end to manage a variety of situations without being shown first. Lucky I can think on my feet and don't usually shy away from such challenges. It has proven to me one major thing - I've come a long way since I've worked as a midwife in a hospital situation. I'm in a totally different mind set. It is going to be difficult to continue with my holistic approach to midwifery care - while the hospital system is very task orientated, but I'm determined to do it. I must say though I had some delightful encounters with postnatal women and really felt I made a difference.

Launch of the "Pregnancy and Birth Group"

Today I was the first get together of the "Pregnancy and Birth Group". It was a lovely group - small and friendly. We were privileged to have two fathers join the group (usually it's only women that are able to come) - two babies were less than 2 weeks old. We heard stories of hospital and homebirths, both the positive and negative was talked about. Stories enable us to compare experiences, review our own experiences and plan for future births. Stories also enable us to work through our own experiences, particularly if they were an unexpected outcome. I believe that sharing stories and experiences is so important for expectant and new parents. The support between everyone was just fantastic. It has spurred me on to advertise the group in the local community. The next topic planned is "Gentle Parenting" and it will be facilitated by Denise Love. Time 10am to 12noon. If interested please phone me on 9873 1750. The details for the rest of 2007:

Thursday	29th November	Gentle Parenting Guest Speaker – Denise Love
Thursday	13th December	Open forum

Homebirth Midwife works in a Tertiary Hosptial

For the past nine years I've focused my midwifery on providing independent midwifery services for women and the families who primarily want to give birth at home. I love my work and believe passionately about the importance of the choice of birth place. For family reasons I am now only attending a limited number of births as an independent midwife and felt the need to network with the hospital system. The way I've chosen to do this is by working casually within a major teaching hospital.

I've just spent one shift in a birth unit and have found the medicalisation of birth has increased even more than when I was previously employed by a hospital. This saddens me no end. Research clearly shows that high intervention birth does not improve out comes in fact it increases the complications for mothers and babies. Within my own practice women birth under their own steam, in their own time with the people they choose to be with them. I would love this model to be available to women publicly - by that I mean free through Medicare.

I was talking to a hospital based midwife about the reasons for the extremely high intervention rates - her answer actually floored me. She said "its the women". Her logic was that they are apathetic and don't take response for the own health care. I didn't quite know how to respond to these comments (that is without responding rudely). But these comments have got me thinking - what is the best way I can influence women's experience giving birth and I think it is education. Not of the women, but of the midwives. This may be my path to take on this new journey.

After having a break for midwifery for the last 18 months - I've come back with renewed energy and passion. I am going to fight for better birth out comes and positive experiences for women and their families.

First Day

Wow!!! what a week. Tuesday was a very emotional day. Traveling to Melbourne for Nanna's funeral was sad, happy and very tiring. Sad because I was saying good bye to a wonderful woman who had a powerful influence on my life. Happy because Nanna had a wonderful, happy and long life. Tiring simply because of the emotions of the day (and that it was a long day). It is also an ending. Nanna was the central person that kept our families (Aunts, Uncles and Cousins) together. This photo is of all the cousins and will quite possibly be the last photo of this type.

Wednesday and Thursday have been quite relaxing and I have enjoyed life getting back to some semblance of normality. I have attended prenatal visits with my clients and have made live my new website www.scraptastic.net.au This is my latest commercial endeavour which I'm sure I'll write more about soon.

Today has been a big day. It was my first day working on the ward as a Midwife within the hospital system. It has been challenging as it is a long time since I've worked in this way. I've been an independent midwife for over 8 years now. The hospital has a lot to offer in the way of education as a midwife and lots of support for staff. It also has lots of negatives - but nothing I can't work my way around. I hope to have a major influence both on the midwives I work with and the women and families I care for.

Celebration of Life

It's been a difficult week - I got news on Monday that my Nanna (Violet Hurrey) was in a bad way. Her heart had been causing her problems for quite some time - but now it wasn't pumping blood very well to her legs and she was in a lot of pain. Nanna's time on earth was limited - my Mum was told it would be no more than a couple of weeks. At 93 I think it is cruel that the body should do this to her. I really wanted to be there for her - but was unable to get down to Melbourne. Thankfully my uncle was with her constantly - so at least I knew she was being loved and supported. Mum rang me Wednesday evening to say that they didn't think that Nanna would make it through the night. Mum was in Sydney and was unable to get a flight out that night - I felt really sad for her. Nanna was still with us on Thursday morning - so Mum managed to get a flight. Nanna's fight for life ended just after noon - while Mum was still on her way. Both my Auntie and Uncle were with Nanna and said that she died peacefully. I am sad for mum but Nanna stayed in her room so Mum could say good bye (Mum didn't arrive until around 4 pm).

I feel I should be happy that Nanna didn't suffer for long and that she had a wonderful and fulfilled life. But I will miss her terribly - Nanna was very important person in my life. She was always there for me, always made me feel very special. Nanna had a very kind heart and had a special gift with children. Today I am preparing to fly to Melbourne so that I can be at Nanna's funeral tomorrow to celebrate her very special life.

I've put together some recent photos I had of Nanna - to see the album visit my Flickr page

New Beginnings

It's been a really big week. I've made a major step in accepting a job working as a midwife in the hospital system. I've worked as an independent midwife for over eight years now working with women giving birth at home, birth centre or occasionally hospitals. Working in this way you get the true sense of what it means to be a midwife. It's a partnership with woman and their families. The down side of working as an independent midwife is working in isolation and also trying to gain access to continuing education that's essential as a midwife is difficult to obtain.

At the hospital - so far I've only attended a two day orientation I start working at the end of next week. I'll keep you informed of how it goes.

Time to Blogg

When I started this blog back in June - I had every intention of blogging regularly. Well as you can see that hasn't happened. My plan is to make my entries regular from now on. Life's great at the moment. I have decided that I need to go back to paid work. So I've started my midwifery practice again. You can find out more about this on my website www.pregnancy.com.au I am so excited - with the first birth as an independent midwife I'll be attending due in around 2 weeks or so. I've also decided to go back to working in a hospital on a casual basis. This way I'll touch base with different health professionals, have access to the education available in such a facility, have a positive impact on women access public maternity care and also hopefully enact some change with my fellow midwives. I'm really excited at the possibility of being involved in change within the health system.

I'm also working on another business idea selling Craft Robo machines - but more on this later. As I'd said life's good and excited about the future.

Welcome to my Blogg

Have enjoyed reading lots peoples different blogs, so thought it was time that I started my own blog. I've had a interesting year. Back in February I sold my business Aussie Scrapbooking Studio - that I spent three years building. It was both as sad and happy occasion. Sad as Aussie Scrapbooking Studio was my baby, but happy as it is now time to move on. I've had a lovely time spending time fixing up my house (that was quite neglected) and spending time with my children.

I am now considering my future. I am a midwife by profession and I am keen to start practicing midwifery again. I am currently working on my website www.pregnancy.com.au and planning the different services I am going to offer. I have practiced in the past as an independent midwife attending births at home, hospital and birth centres. More on this later. Well that's it from me at the moment my children are getting a little physical with each other in their play - better go and do some negotiating.