Conference presentation
Who's got the power? The responsibility tug-of-war between the individual and the professional
National Homebirth Australia Conference, 32nd (Sydney, Australia, 03-Nov-2017–05-Nov-2017)
Homebirth Australia
2017
Abstract
For many women, the impetus to birth at home stems from their desire for an empowering, physiological birth. They want a known midwife who will support them to make the decisions that are right for them and their baby. Being central to decision making and maintaining a sense of control is fundamental. Neoliberalism demands personal control and informed choice; basic tenets of feminist political resistance to the patriarchal biomedical hegemony (Rossiter 2017). One on hand, contemporary childbirth discourse places the ultimate responsibility of the health and wellbeing (of the baby in particular) on the mother. She is responsible for seeking the 'right information', engaging the 'right care providers' and making the 'right choices'. On the other, the responsibility lies entirely with the midwife. Increasing regulation, with a focus on safety and the resulting steady push of institutionalised care into the homebirth arena are changing the way birth at home is occurring. Midwives are perpetuating the medicalisation of birth, and altering the homebirth landscape. The challenge is to navigate the discord between the need for regulation and safety, whilst upholding the need for informed choice and autonomy (Newnham 2017). How do we move forward in an increasingly regulated context? Who is ultimately responsible and who holds the power?
Details
- Title
- Who's got the power? The responsibility tug-of-war between the individual and the professional
- Authors
- Jessie Johnson-Cash (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
- Conference details
- National Homebirth Australia Conference, 32nd (Sydney, Australia, 03-Nov-2017–05-Nov-2017)
- Publisher
- Homebirth Australia
- Date published
- 2017
- Organisation Unit
- University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine - Legacy; School of Health - Midwifery
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450628202621
- Output Type
- Conference presentation
Metrics
176 Record Views