Mums, bubs and advocates for maternity care reform gathered at The Farm last Friday, 25 September to launch the Birth Without Trauma campaign, demanding action on issues around birthing.
A coalition of NSW maternity care organisations are calling on all political parties, candidates and MPs to commit to implementing the recommendations of the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Birth Trauma during the next term of government.
The campaign aims to secure action on six priority reforms designed to improve maternity care and reduce the number of women and babies experiencing avoidable trauma before, during and after childbirth – they are: ensure all women have access to continuity of midwifery care; increase access to home birth services across NSW; invest in midwife-led birth centres in rural and regional NSW; invest in Birthing on Country for First Nations families; embed trauma-informed care across all maternity health services; and strengthen support for women’s decision-making and autonomy.
Director of Hygieia Health, Fiona O’Shaughnessy, said the impact of birth trauma is intergenerational and respect must be at the centre of care. ‘The most formative experience of life has, for many, become something to recover from. This isn’t isolated, it’s happening every day, in hospitals across this country, it’s happening again and again.’
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