NEWS RELEASE Friday May 2 2003

WOMEN IN THE BUSH NEED MIDWIVES
Country Mum of 3 speaking in Tamworth

Monday May 5 is International Midwives Day (IMD). To celebrate IMD, Tamworth midwives and local women are meeting to discuss how they can develop best practice maternity care in the region. Recognised best practice is when women can access the care of one known midwife from early pregnancy, during birth and the critical period of early parenting. To help them do this they have invited NSW President of the Maternity Coalition Justine Caines as their Guest Speaker.

Justine is 30 and a mother of 3 (3 years 2 years and 10 months). She lives in Merriwa so she understands the needs of country women. "For too long now women have seen a reduction in services as something they could do nothing about." Said Ms Caines.

Over the last 18 Months the Maternity Coalition has represented the needs of women across the state for access to midwifery care to the NSW Health Minister and the Department of Health. Mothers across the state have developed an action plan to prove to government that the care they need is safe, affordable and will finally give mothers and families the support they need locally. "Maternity Coalition now has 12 branches across NSW, 6 of them being in rural NSW, women from across the state contact us with offers of help and stories of how the current system does not support their needs." Said Ms Caines.

In the New England there are many good programs but one component is missing. Midwives are providing care for women during pregnancy (antenatal) and care after the birth (post-natal) (clinics in Coledale, Armidale and Inverell) but during labour and birth the vast majority of women are giving birth with strangers. "The Maternity Coalition proposal would utilise these skilled midwives during the whole process. Women would form a trusting relationship with an expert in birth, a midwife" said Ms Caines.

"This care has so many benefits for women who have had a history of sexual/physical abuse, aboriginal women with special cultural needs, women with substance abuse problems, and women anxious about birth or early parenting. The key is a relationship of trust is developed with a carer who is dedicated to maternity care." Midwives are primary carers like GP's so they can work very well with GP's to reduce their workload and promote women to establish a GP relationship after their care." Said Ms Caines

The Maternity Coalition is an organisation of largely mothers who know how beneficial one to one care of a midwife can be. "Midwives visit women in their homes if they want, the care is about fitting in with them and supporting them, looking at the whole picture." Said Ms Caines

Contact: Justine Caines 0408210273

P.O. Box 1190
Blackburn North,
Victoria 3130
Australia