Listen or download: Sue Kildea on ABC Radio National - Birthing on country for Aboriginal women

As flagged in our previous post, go here within the next week to listen or download Sue's interview (13 mins). It includes her description of an exciting new joint statement at the Breathing New Life Conference between ACM, RANZCOG & ACRRM which is supportive of trialling a model similar to the Inuit model.

Birthing on country for Aboriginal women

By Maria Tickle

Thursday, 15/07/2010

The stories of Aboriginal women from remote communities who were transported to Darwin to give birth because their community didn't have medical support are compelling.

In Francesca's words "It takes a long time, always them watching and they put you onto a lonely machine, no company, no-one to rub you, just a green bowl and cold water to wash your face in."

Michealis says "When I had the baby there were big mobs of people and male doctors watching. I was on the bed and told open my legs up. I didn't like being there, I didn't like the men being there and I didn't like being watched. It was such a shame job."

This way of giving birth may change if a model of community birthing which has been successful in Canada for the past 20 years is adopted here.

Last week the president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Midwives, Ted Weaver, gave support for a trial of such a program whereby indigenous women from the community are trained as midwives.

In this report: Sue Kildea, Professor of Midwifery, Australian Catholic University and Mater Mothers Hospital in Brisbane


Listen to or download story.

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Thursday 15 July 2010
1145 Birthing on country for Aboriginal women