If you’re pregnant, you may have already had an obstetrician mention the idea of a Planned Birth (PB), induction or scheduled caesarean in your 39th week. One of the studies your OB might use to support this recommendation is a new analysis from Queensland. At first...
[*Updates to include the research so far on DelivAssure™ and Dr Kirsten Small’s video on what we need to consider before it is introduced into clinical practice] There’s been a lot of media hype about a new WA-made invention that claims to reduce...
This blog is an excerpt from my Positive Induction Course, specifically the module on big babies. If you’re navigating decisions around induction for a suspected big baby, I hope this helps you feel informed and confident. Let’s dive into the evidence, challenges, and...
Questioning the Ethics of Hospital Induction Policies. Preparing for your baby’s arrival is such an exciting time, but it can also come with a lot of questions, especially when you’re faced with hospital policies that might not align with your expectations. Recently,...
Navigating the Ethical and Practical Concerns of Cord Blood Banking: A Candid Exchange As a health professional dedicated to supporting parents during one of the most critical times in their lives, I recently faced a challenging decision: whether to allow a...
Today the Fourth Atlas of Healthcare Variation was launched, and I was just asked to comment on it on ABC Perth. It is a report by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, and its number one concern was the rising number of early planned births...
Have you been offered a Stretch and Sweep at 38 weeks? I have been wondering about the evidence around offering all women a stretch and sweep at 38 weeks. This is something more and more Obstetricians and Midwives are doing in Perth. One area this has...
Why are some obstetricians suddenly all up in arms about traditional practices that help women take control of their births? Surely anything that helps women and does no harm should be encouraged. It doesn’t make sense that obstetricians would not want women to have...
I was just reading about a new invention that the media are calling ‘the pregnancy patch’ (although it seems it is meant to be used during labour to measure contractions and fetal heart rate) will apparently lower intervention rates. I am left wondering...
Have you been told that your hypermobility and having an increased risk of prolapse following a natural delivery? I find it really interesting that OBs are raising this issue yet do not raise the benefits of a natural birth nor all the risks associated with Caesarean...
