The Village Aunt

16/03/2026

Ladies and gentlemen, the brilliant and acerbic Dr Kirstin Small :

Podcast Episode · The Great Birth Rebellion · 15 March · 1h 14m

19/02/2026

Midwifery LED - not midwives scanning people for pathology and reporting it to the drs that they work for.

"Midwifery models of care are models of care in which the main care providers for women and newborns, starting from pre-pregnancy and continuing all the way through the postnatal period, are educated, licensed, regulated midwives who autonomously provide and coordinate respectful, high- quality care across their full scope of practice, using an approach that is aligned with the midwifery philosophy of care, which:

i. promotes a person-centred approach to care;
ii. values the woman–midwife relationship and partnership;
iii. optimizes physiological, biological, psychological, social and cultural processes; and iv. uses interventions only when indicated.
In midwifery models of care, midwives provide integrated care, addressing the needs of each individual woman and newborn, within functional and enabling health systems, equipped with necessary resources and streamlined consultation and referral processes. They collaborate within networks of care as part of interdisciplinary teams characterized by equality, trust and respect. This approach guarantees that every woman and newborn receives personalized care, tailored to their health needs.

Midwifery models of care are adaptable to all levels of care and contexts, including home-, community- and hospital-based settings; the public and private sectors and public–private partnerships; resource-constrained environments; and humanitarian and crisis settings. This ensures wide accessibility, equity and relevance across different cultural contexts for women, newborns, partners, families and communities."

Read More: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240098268

14/12/2025

It’s not that women aren’t listened to when something is wrong, no one hears them when they express their hopes, dreams and desires for their births. No one honours or supports an outcome beyond: live mother, live baby

Sky News UK have done a series on birth trauma and onbstetric violence. The NHS is in crisis but Aus shares many of the system issues underpinning the poor outcomes women, birthing people and babies experience. Worth a watch 👉

https://youtu.be/eodgQFFvzmeop

NHS trusts across England are being investigated over failures in maternity services, with experts warning that women and babies are not receiving the "safe,...

07/12/2025

This is a film hits my heart so hard. It’s beautifully made, superb acting - and so real. Trigger warning when you watch this one. The bit about the necklace, spot on 💔

06/11/2025

Very good article in the NYTimes about the “worst test in medicine” - Cardiotochography, the CTG

Round-the-clock fetal monitoring leads to unnecessary C-sections. But it’s used in nearly every birth because of business and legal concerns, The Times found.

07/07/2025

This is so important to understand about materity care

08/04/2025

Oh look, it’s finally happening

Stories of manipulation, exploitation, cult-like tactics and really bad advice given by Free Birth Society. Click to read Exposing Free Birth Society, a Substack publication.

23/03/2025

20/02/2025

18/02/2025

In October 2024, WA had 220 reported cases of whooping cough - the highest rate since 2015. Vaccinations rates are decreasing in the community for many complex reasons. Eating well, having exposure to many foreign environments, keeping kids at home, homeopathy or distrusting institutions won’t prevent whooping cough. Chances of getting it are low, but those chances increase without a vaccine. It’s not fun 🙁

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1B37XRpP1G/?mibextid=wwXIfr

07/01/2025

👏👏👏 Hermine Hayes-Klein in the US - you’re welcome.

Join HeHe as she delves into an important conversation with lawyer Hermine Hayes-Klein on the legal challenges and solutions surrounding informed consent and...

01/01/2025

Congratulations to this little family!

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1GFaJVpax2/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Bentley’s first baby – it’s a boy! 🎉🎉🎉

What a fitting way to see out 2024, with the first baby at East Metropolitan Health Service's new Midwifery-led Birthing Centre at Bentley Hospital!

Rafay Salman was born at 11:28am on December 29th to proud parents Mahwish and Salman, of Cannington.

Mum Mahwish chose the Bentley Midwifery Birth Centre because she was looking for a model of maternity care that provides options and choice.

“I didn’t want interventions which are bound to happen in the hospital, and a home birth was not an option for us right now.”
“I had a wonderful experience, everyone was kind and forthcoming and they have been so excited for us – it’s so sweet”

Equally proud are the midwives who have been eagerly awaiting the first arrival at the new facility – the first of its kind in Western Australia.

Endorsed Midwife Elizabeth Hull (pictured) was at the birth.

“We are very proud to offer women this gold standard model of care. I feel privileged to have been a part of Mahwish’s pregnancy and birth experience.”

Congratulations to everyone involved! 🎉🎉🎉