Earlybird Childbirth Choices Seminar
Introduction:
The Earlybird Childbirth Choices Project reflects the need for accessible good quality, evidence-based information which is among the recommendations of Re-birthing: the Report of the Review of Maternity Services in Queensland that was completed by Dr Cherrell Hirst in March 2005 and endorsed by the State Government in October 2005. The Government’s response states that “Government supports the provision of timely, independent and accessible information to women and their families”. (Schedule 1: Recommendations, Strategies and Actions and Government Response, October 2005).
The project has been made possible through pilot project funding received from Queensland Health in 2007, and will be completed by June 2008.
CEA is well placed to work alongside Maternity Coalition Qld, Queensland women and local maternity and community services to provide independent information about choices for childbirth. This project is about providing this in a sustainable way by working in partnership with regional stakeholders and leaders and working towards local ownership.
Project Description:
The Earlybird Childbirth Choices Project aims to provide accessible, up to date information to women and their families prior to or early in their pregnancy, about the range of environments, care and decisions available to them on their journey to having a baby. The goal of the project is to provide Childbirth Choices Information Seminars within two recognised regional communities. This would include expanding and establishing relationships with a wide variety of maternity care services within those regions. It will also include community support services, other health professionals, local politicians, significant community leaders and local women. The Project work is based on a collaborative approach with significant regional stakeholders. This will enable women and their families to access good information regarding local maternity services and community supports, and thus make informed choices about the path their birth experience will take. It will place maternity care within a community context where women and service providers can come together to build and enhance community life. The seminars will also provide an opportunity for women to meet with other local women. The project could then provide a resource role in supporting local groups and agencies to meet the needs of local women through pregnancy, birth and the transition into parenting.
Our Organisation's Philosophy is to:
Regard pregnancy and childbirth as normal physiological processes
Believe in a woman-centred approach to the birth process.
Believe in every woman’s and man's ability to make the decisions that best suits their needs and circumstance
Support women and men in the decisions they make concerning the birth and parenting of their children
Believe in providing independent information that is current and evidence based
Believe in enhancing opportunities for women to link with other women and services within their local community
Acknowledge the social, cultural and psychological factors influencing birth
Advocate midwives as the primary caregivers of women most of the time
Believe in enhancing and building community life for women and their families
Project Aims:
To provide accessible, independent, timely and evidence-based information to women and their partners enabling them to make informed choices about the journey they will travel in having a baby.
To provide an opportunity for women and their partners to have knowledge about the range of supports and services available to them in their local community during pregnancy, birth and parenting.
To support local maternity services and community agencies and groups working together to support the needs of birthing women and their families.
To strengthen community bonds by focusing maternity care on enhancing relationships between women, families and their communities.
Vision for the Future:
The Project Steering Committee’s vision is that we will have recurrent funding to employ a small project team to facilitate and resource Childbirth Choices Seminars across Queensland regions and communities. This could include a “resource kit” of tools and resources to assist local communities. It would also include support to look at suitability within local communities and mechanisms to ensure community ownership. It could also include supporting local communities to initiate other services and supports to meet the needs of women and their families through pregnancy, birth and parenting. CEA sees a strong link between this project and the development of postnatal supports such as mothercraft nurse, early parenting support workers, home-nurse and doula models within the home of newborn babies. This is a future goal of the organisation.
