Fremantle Pregnancy & Postnatal Hub

30/07/2025

“Because most women actually want to have an uncomplicated vaginal birth, with the national caesarean rate of over 35 per cent, many women feel that their chances of this are reduced if they give birth in hospital."

Home births have doubled in WA in the past five years, but stigma remains, and many women simply can't afford to have one.

21/05/2025

🟣 Another blog post updated and moved to my website!
This post is about routine vaginal examinations (VEs) during physiological birth ie. an uncomplicated birth without any medical intervention. A VE is a useful assessment in some circumstances, but its routine use in an attempt to determine labour progress is questionable. As birth knowledge evolves, and research challenges the current misdirected approach to labour progress, there is an opportunity to shift practice.
https://www.rachelreed.website/blog/vaginal-examinations-in-labour

14/05/2025

🟣 Another blog post updated and moved to my website!
The research evidence regarding induction for rupture of membranes is poor. Giving antibiotics in labour 'just in case' is not supported by current evidence, and may cause problems for baby and mother. Women need adequate information on which to base their decisions regarding the management, or not, of this situation. Women who choose to wait for labour should be supported in doing so.
https://www.rachelreed.website/blog/prelabour-rupture-of-membranes

23/04/2025

https://www.rachelreed.website/blog/placenta-resuscitation?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR6QVUG5ET8JlBE6b7A34enYSOxnNzTw-iQB98MFDc4gLoR_FLOEAQ-8aa11iw_aem_-2UUTsGr5RNT-JnISzOs2g

This post explains how the placenta helps the baby to transition to breathing and why any resuscitation of the newborn should be done with the umbilical cord intact.

16/02/2025

Many women are offered a 'stretch and sweep' in late pregnancy. But what is this, why and how is it done, does it work and can you say no?

14/11/2024

09/11/2024

Today, one of the biggest (and fastest) wins we could have possibly imagined has happened for homebirth families and midwives.

This major milestone simply wouldn’t have been possible without the fierce dedication and advocacy of mothers, midwives, and supporters of homebirth! 💪❤️ 6,000 women filled out surveys, more than 1200 sent emails to their local member of parliament and many of you met with your MPs.

Less than five months ago we came together to stop the Government from putting restrictions on where women choose to birth by excluding women. Unfolding before our eyes we saw a pathway where only ‘low-risk’ women would be able to birth at home with an endorsed midwife.
Today, the government has announced a completely new approach to how midwives will be insured when they support a woman during birth.

They have abandoned the "low-risk" definitions to a framework that truly respects midwives' clinical judgment. Now, intrapartum homebirth services will be covered as long as they comply with the NMBA’s Safety and Quality Guidelines (SQG) – a huge win for safe, accessible, and empowered birthing options! 🌈🏠

Whilst we pinch ourselves, we know the work is not finished and that as always, we still need to be watchful to protect women’s birth choices.

This huge win reflects the power of our collective voices, highlighting how people power can shift the course of policy and make real change for families and providers. 🗣️💬 We spoke and the Government listened - this is truly woman-centered care in action.
Thank you to all who raised their voices – the future of homebirth just got a whole lot brighter! ✨

25/06/2024

Parents may begin to feed baby with some formula in addition to breastfeeding or bottle feeding expressed breastmilk for a number of reasons. Often it is early in the baby's life, when the mother is establishing her breastmilk supply. Supplementation with formula may be recommended by caregivers if baby is not gaining sufficient weight, or the mother's milk "coming in" has been delayed. The volumes of available breastmilk may seem small compared to the volume of made up formula which is being offered, and parents may think combining the breastmilk and formula in one feed may be simpler, or save time. However, this is NOT a good idea. Breastmilk is more easily digested than formula so giving it first, separately, will enhance baby's comfort resulting in softer poos and optimal absorption of nutrients and immune properties only available in breastmilk. If breastmilk is mixed with formula and baby does not drink the whole volume of the feed, some breastmilk will be wasted. More information about mixed feeding is available from Australian Breastfeeding Association https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/resources/facts-formula

21/06/2024

Why you should not breastfeed baby while they’re swaddled—

Babies need to use their hands to massage the breast and ar**la, which can make the ni**le firmer and more erect, making it easier for the baby to latch. They can also use their hands to shape the breast, pushing and pulling it to make the ni**le more accessible.

Newborns have poor eyesight, so they use their hands to search for the breast and bring it closer to their mouth. They might also push the breast away to get a better visual sense of where the ni**le is.

Babies use their hands along with their lips and tongue to draw the ni**le into their mouth. And may use them to try and elicit more milk flow.

They also need to create stabilization for their bodies so they can focus on eating.

What questions do you have about baby 🙌 and breastfeeding?

05/05/2024

Happy international midwives day

The good bye visit

It’s always with mixed feelings both happy and sad that I say goodbye to a mum and her family

After visiting her and her family during her pregnancy
enjoying the laughter and shared stories the getting to know each other

Being there at the birth of her baby with her partner by her side

Then visiting her and her family through the weeks of the postnatal period admiring how her baby and toddler have grown

On the last day as they walk with me to see me off and wave goodbye
I couldn’t resist jumping back out of my car to capture this family photo

I love being a Homebirth Midwife who has been lucky enough to working in my community (Fremantle) for over 28 years and watch those babies grow up

25/04/2024

Anzac Day
Lest we forget