On July 15th the Gold Coast Birth Centre was shut down by one of Gold Coast Hospital's chief obstetricians, who acted without prior consultation. The closure came just two weeks after the Australian Government introduced maternity reforms which give doctors unprecedented control over independent midwives, restricting Australian families' access to homebirth.
Australians were quick to mobilise and speak out against this affront to birth rights. It's important to note the heavy involvement of homebirthing women in this movement. While homebirthers don't wish to use birth centres, we certainly know how it feels to have our choice ripped out from under our feet.
A protest rally attended by 300-500 people caused the birth centre to be re-opened over the weekend, with talk of the centre's future to resume on Monday (see Mum-Power Reopens Coast Birth Centre).
Yet, the supposed "Mother of all rallies" attended by over 2000 people at Parliament House on a cold and wet September day did nothing to save midwife attended homebirth last year! Why? My theory is that the Gold Coast Birth centre, like the overwhelming majority of Australian birth centres, is not free-standing and (as is made obvious by the fact that one obstetrician closed it down) is ultimately under the control of hospital power-holders. Homebirth attended by an independent midwife, on the other hand, was not under the direct control of hospitals or obstetricians prior to the maternity reforms introduced on July 1st.
In conclusion, the medical power-holders are willing to tolerate natural birth in Australia, so long as they are in control of when, where and who it happens to.
Save Gold Coast Birth Centre Facebook Page
Maternity Coalition's Press Release
Hundreds March To Save Gold Coast Birth Centre
Channel 7 Television Coverage Of Protest
Australians were quick to mobilise and speak out against this affront to birth rights. It's important to note the heavy involvement of homebirthing women in this movement. While homebirthers don't wish to use birth centres, we certainly know how it feels to have our choice ripped out from under our feet.
A protest rally attended by 300-500 people caused the birth centre to be re-opened over the weekend, with talk of the centre's future to resume on Monday (see Mum-Power Reopens Coast Birth Centre).
Yet, the supposed "Mother of all rallies" attended by over 2000 people at Parliament House on a cold and wet September day did nothing to save midwife attended homebirth last year! Why? My theory is that the Gold Coast Birth centre, like the overwhelming majority of Australian birth centres, is not free-standing and (as is made obvious by the fact that one obstetrician closed it down) is ultimately under the control of hospital power-holders. Homebirth attended by an independent midwife, on the other hand, was not under the direct control of hospitals or obstetricians prior to the maternity reforms introduced on July 1st.
In conclusion, the medical power-holders are willing to tolerate natural birth in Australia, so long as they are in control of when, where and who it happens to.
Save Gold Coast Birth Centre Facebook Page
Maternity Coalition's Press Release
Hundreds March To Save Gold Coast Birth Centre
Channel 7 Television Coverage Of Protest
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