Happy IWD

For Australian women today marks their final International Women's Day (IWD) during which they have the freedom to choose where they give birth and who provides their health care during that time in their lives. This time next year the government will be making such choices for women and Independent Midwifery shall be a thing of the past.

I have spent my IWD enjoying the company of a good friend whose homebirth I attended last year. I've been privileged enough to become very close to this family and watch her children grow, almost daily. We have become second mothers to one another's children which means double the cuddles for everyone in our little community:

With the little girl whose birth I attended last year

For more on the progress (or regression, should we say) of the Australian maternity reforms, see:
Part 1 - Private Midwifery Services
Part 2 - Village Midwife
Part 3 - Midwives Victoria