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THE
"BIG LIST" OF HOMEBIRTH MIDWIVES, DOULAS,
AND OTHER BIRTH ATTENDANTS
Map
Click
on your geographical region below to view listings of
midwives, doulas, students, and other birth attendants
in your local area in Qld or Northern NSW. Clicking
on other States or the remainder of NSW will take you
to other States' homebirth organisation websites (external
to this site).
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Definitions
What
is a "Midwife"?
(Definition
as obtained from the Australian College of Midwives
website)
A midwife is a person who, having been regularly admitted
to a midwifery education programme, duly recognized
in the country in which it is located, has successfully
completed the prescribed course of studies in midwifery
and has acquired the requisite qualifications to be
registered and/or legally licensed to practice midwifery.
The
midwife is recognized as a responsible and accountable
professional who works in partnership with women to
give the necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy,
labour and the postpartum period, to conduct births
on the midwife's own responsibility and to provide care
for the newborn and infant. This care includes preventive
measures, the promotion of normal birth, the detection
of complications in mother and child, the accessing
of medical or other appropriate assistance and the carrying
out of emergency measures.
The
midwife has an important task in health counseling and
education, not only for the woman, but also within the
family and community. This work should involve antenatal
education and preparation for parenthood and may extend
to women's health, sexual or reproductive health and
childcare.
A
midwife may practice in any setting including the home,
community, hospitals, clinics or health units.
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What
is a "Doula"?
Doulas
develop a relationship with the woman during pregnancy
and help her to conceptualise her ideal birth and to
develop her birth plan. During labor the doula supports
the mother emotionally and physically, as well as helping
to maintain the birthing environment that the woman
wants. The overall aim of the doula is to help the woman
to achieve the best birth experience for her, whether
this is a spontaneous vaginal delivery, a vacuum delivery
or a caesarean section. The focus of the doula is on
the woman's needs and the woman's perspectives. This
means that the doula does not impose her own ideal of
childbirth on the woman but supports the woman's ideal.
The majority of doulas work in the hospital labor ward
with women who choose medical care during labor. This
means that the doula works with the woman to help her
to follow the advice of the midwives and doctors who
are responsible for her clinical care. For this reason
the doula has become a valued member of the care team
on labor wards around the world.
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