Throwing Out the lies with the birth water

Last night we attended the Melbourne screening of  "Throwing out the lies with the birth water" by Rani O'Keefe (pic by BellyBelly Kelly.) [We were at the back, my husband is in this photo in blue.] I had to stand for the movie but it was worth it. Rhea Dempsey spoke about the need for women to have access to their birthing hormones and instincts and getting to that place where the neo cortex is gone! The way she explained it was very insightful. The movie was about the situation in the Blue Mountains where its become difficult for women to travel to birth and how its essential that women can choose to stay home.



After the movie, Alex Bhathal, a Greens politician from Batman electorate spoke on where the Green party stand as far as the Maternity Reform making it effectively impossible for women to have birth choices. They hope to have enough power in Parliament that they may start from scratch with Maternity Reform, that is really the only hope.

A video on how Julia Gillard has shown her lack of concern for women today in Australia.




Speaking of politics, the Federal election is on Saturday (21st August). At the moment we are in caretaker mode in Australia (with Julia Gillard as our first female prime minister). I think that means even campaigns are slow and boring!
In our electorate we are a safe Labor seat. I often see Labor posters and occasionally Greens but never Liberal. My daughter brought me a little info on the local Greens candidate on a mailout she found on the way home from school. I could only find one article on our local candidate. She is 1st on the ballot paper. My other choices are Family First and Socialist so I am decided. I will vote below the line on the white paper and for which I only have a rough idea how I will vote at this stage.
There are independants standing in 4 areas of Australia who need votes to stand up against those who oppose birth choices.  Sally Anne Brown for Corangamite (VIC), Michelle Meares for Robertson (NSW), Amy Bell for Macquarie (QLD), Rebecca Jenkinson for Dickson, (QLD).
Michelle Meares, Amy Bell, Sally-Anne Brown and Rebecca Jenkinson are standing in marginal seats of Robertson, Macquarie, Corangamite and Dickson respectively.

Standing together

Empowering Birth Blog

First they came for the unassisted birthers, but I did not speak out, because I do not free-birth.
Then they came for those who birth at home with lay midwives, but I would would not speak out, because I would not have a home-birth with a lay midwife.
Then they came for those who birthed with Certified Professional Midwives, and I would not speak out, because I would not have a home-birth with a CPM.
And then they came for those who birthed in birth centers and with Certified Nurse Midwives, but I would not speak out because I would not have a birth in a birth center or with a CNM.
And then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me.