Latest news with #midwifery
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
What queer parenthood taught me about grief and grace
Since I was a tiny child, I knew I wanted to be a parent. Through my days of discovering my queerness, exploring polyamory, and generally rejecting society's expectations of how relationships "should" go, the plan of becoming a parent never faded. I was initially drawn to the work of midwifery because it combined many of the things I was passionate about: humans getting in touch with our animal-ness, the power inherent in bodies assigned female at birth, and the sacred transition into parenthood. When I met someone who already had a child and was planning to have another one as a solo parent by choice, I jumped in headfirst. We fell in love and decided to do the queer family experience together. Over time, the kids she birthed became mine; some years later, I gave birth to another. We fully blended our families. Then, when our youngest child was two, we separated. I found myself floored with grief. I hadn't expected my journey in family and parenthood to be so complex and full of the unexpected. Grief manifests in various ways in queer and non-traditional family building. Many mourn that we can't procreate with the person we love and want to parent. I work with clients who find their "perfect" identified (known) donor. Then, they discover that they have poor sperm quality, meaning they need to start the donor search process from scratch. People experience fertility challenges, miscarriage, and pregnancy loss. There is also grief that the family of the non-gestational parent won't accept their child since they are not biologically related. Many of us feel grief that we cannot shield our children, or future children, from the suffering of the world. So many people, myself included, experience immense hope at the beginning of our family-building journeys. It's beautiful, hopeful, and exciting to make the choice, especially in today's political environment, as a queer person, to grow and nurture the next generation. Parenting is a revolutionary act that brings healing potential to our lives, lineages, and communities. And it's some of the most challenging work in the world, especially in a society that doesn't support parents in general, let alone parents who belong to the LGBTQ+ community. When we acknowledge that grief is often a part of this queer family-building journey, we become stronger and more resilient in handling the curveballs that this process throws our way. It also helps people normalize grief and not feel that it is some sort of personal failure if and when some aspect of growing their family becomes harder than originally anticipated. In their book Tending Grief: Embodied Rituals for Holding Our Sorrow and Growing Cultures of Care in Community, Camille Barton talks about how inherent grief is to the human experience. Those of us raised in Western societies are conditioned to turn away from our grief, which is a necessary and essential part of our humanity. Turning away from grief, they explain, causes us to feel numb and disconnected from ourselves and our bodies. We need to learn to allow ourselves to grieve to feel joy, connection, and even pleasure. When I support people through the beginning of their family-building process, I encourage them to anticipate that it will likely be a challenging journey. I tell my clients: you may need to let go of many things you become attached to, even before your first attempt, again and again. This process may test you and, if applicable, your relationship, in many unexpected ways. And the more you can see these trials as part of your own maturation and skill-building journey towards parenthood, the more able you will be to meet the moment with courage and an openness to Grow. When we normalize the reality that grief is often a part of this family-building process, it helps us build resilience in ourselves, our relationships, and the broader communities that will harbor our families as they evolve and change. And what a gift this is to our future children. Marea GoodmanSand and Stone Media for Marea Goodman Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. Visit to learn more about submission guidelines. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists, and editors, and do not directly represent the views of The Advocate or our parent company, equalpride. This article originally appeared on Advocate: What queer parenthood taught me about grief and grace
BBC News
a day ago
- Health
- BBC News
Bradford midwives tell of 'heartbreaking' struggle to find work
Midwives have told of their "heartbreaking" struggle to find work - despite the apparent shortage of staff in the Rodbourne and Sophie Rooke fought off tough competition to secure training at the University of Bradford, and looked forward to their dream roles as government data suggested about 2,500 more midwives were both students were advised to seek "back-up plans" due to a shortage of positions available - with many from their cohort still without Royal College of Midwives said: "The number of full-time working midwives has not kept pace with the growing amount of complexity facing services." Before Ms Rodbourne, 28, was accepted to study midwifery, she had worked in a care home and had always known her role in life was to care for two children aged nine and four, going back to university as a mature student took a lot of planning, and she had to complete an access course and A levels before beginning her training. Her work paid off and three years ago she was accepted to study with 45 others who she described as being "like a family". 'Passion' for care work But in September last year, reality hit in a way she found "heartbreaking". Her cohort were told it was going to be "difficult with jobs this year" and were warned to have "back-up plans". Ms Rodbourne was one of the "lucky ones" and secured a job in Bradford but said: "It didn't feel like a time of celebration, almost like mourning, because you'd secured a job but many had not."About 75% of the cohort have now secured work but many have taken fewer hours at the hospital trusts in the hope more of their year can find Rodbourne said: "You can't be a midwife if you don't care."You've got to care about it and every single one of these women at Bradford are passionate and they care and they deserve it and it's heartbreaking to see some of them haven't got a job." Sophie Rooke, 34, was inspired to take up midwifery following the traumatic birth of her oldest has three girls aged 10, eight and five, and said although the care she received while giving birth was good it "could have been better".During her first two years at university, Ms Rooke said the job situation locally was "not that bad".But she said, in September 2024 as third-year students, they were told "ladies you need plan Bs as you're not all going to get jobs".She found it "truly awful" and said her husband must have "had enough of her crying".Ms Rooke said she even applied for a job in Bolton about 45 miles away but withdrew as it was not "viable" to commute that far, particularly with three children of her own to care for. In the end, Ms Rooke did not need a "plan b" and has secured work at Airedale NHS Foundation has also taken fewer hours in the hope more of her cohort can secure work. Sarah Flower, Assistant Professor of Midwifery at the University of Bradford, is helping to teach the next generation of Flower said her trainees were entering the profession at a "really exciting time, but a really challenging time".She said: "To support them into midwifery at the moment is a real privilege because they can make such a huge difference for women and families."The course in Bradford runs for three years and has tapped into the latest technology to help trainees learn - including using AI headsets and birth work closely with Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust and Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust. Ms Rooke called on the government to "take note", saying: "All the reports are that the care isn't there but the care is not there because the staff's not there."Ms Rodbourne added: "If adequate amounts of funding were made available it would solve a lot of things in maternity."The Department of Health this week announced a national investigation into maternity care in "rapid" inquiry will urgently look at the worst-performing maternity and neonatal services in the will begin this summer and report back by December. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
All parents need someone in their corner like we had. But for First Nations parents, having an Aboriginal midwife is essential
When we first shared our pregnancy news with friends, the advice from those who had been through birth was to get into a midwifery program. But the midwifery programs at our local hospital were full – or so we thought. When we were offered a place in an Aboriginal midwifery program, we declined. Narelda, a Whadjuk Noongar woman, was not the birth parent – Karina was – and we didn't want to take the place of someone who might need it more than us. We knew the healthcare system is notoriously culturally unsafe and this racism and discrimination is contributing to the shocking statistic of Indigenous women being three times more likely to die during childbirth. But one of the midwives was in the room before we knew what was happening, explaining how the program is for families and by helping provide a culturally safe environment for Narelda during our pregnancy and birth, it would benefit all of us. Tears of deep appreciation rolled down Narelda's cheeks. Unfortunately, the midwives in our program don't work on weekends – which is when we went into labour. We were lucky to have other wonderful midwives help us deliver our baby, Sanna, but it was after the birth that we found ourselves saying things like: 'Thank goodness we are in the Aboriginal midwifery program', and': 'How would more vulnerable parents cope or get the medical care they need?' Sanna was born on a Sunday morning and, because of a third-degree tear, Karina required surgery. By Monday morning, Karina was distressed; no one had explained to her what had happened, warned her how severe the swelling might be, talked to her about pain management, given her food, said she could shower or explained how to empty the catheter. Karina's breasts were also engorging and nipples blistering, which was painful, and she was feeding for durations well beyond what a newborn needed. Thankfully, in rolled our midwife. 'Have you been given ice? Has anyone looked at you?', she asked. It turned out just up the hall was a fridge full of ice specifically for the tear and the breasts – no one had mentioned it, despite icing a third-degree tear being standard practice. There was also a kitchen where food could be made outside service times, which Karina had missed due to multiple visits to the NICU. Our midwife had a look at the stitching and checked Karina's abdomen for hernias; she also sorted out painkillers, because despite asking for something stronger than paracetamol, there was a reluctance to give it and she was suffering unnecessarily. Our midwife told Karina she didn't have to leave the baby on the breast so long and gave her permission to shower. If our midwife wasn't there, it seemed like no one would have done any of this, and the result would have been an increasingly traumatic birthing experience. All parents need a person in their corner like our midwife was, but for Aboriginal parents we believe it is absolutely essential. We experienced this first-hand when Narelda raised what became a very serious issue with the cannula in Sanna's arm. Her concerns were dismissed every time, but she was devastatingly vindicated when an incident report over the damage to Sanna's arm was made several days later. On another occasion unrelated to the cannula, an interaction with a staff member left her feeling shamed, belittled and embarrassed. Some would say the colour of Narelda's skin had nothing to do with it – plenty of parents are ignored by medical practitioners when they shouldn't be. But the evidence is that racism is rife, and for those who experience it, you know it when you feel it. That's also true of homophobia. We felt despite all the rainbow lanyards, there is a long way to go for queer families in hospitals. Being in an Aboriginal midwifery program meant we not only had a culturally safe experience during the pregnancy with the midwives from a First Nations perspective, but also an LGBTIQA+ one. There is clearly a need for greater investment in all nurses and midwives, but states and territories must adequately fund and expand Aboriginal midwifery programs. The reported experiences of racism, inadequate care, and lack of consent in maternity wards are shocking and cannot be ignored. If we, a non-Indigenous birth mother and two people who have some confidence speaking up, needed an Aboriginal midwife to advocate for us and for culturally safe care, then you can imagine just how much they are needed by younger, more vulnerable Aboriginal parents and babies. As the reporting in the Birth Rights series shows, Aboriginal midwives save lives, and, we have no doubt they help keep First Nations families together. Where an opportunity exists to reduce trauma, why wouldn't you take it? Narelda Jacobs is a journalist and presenter for 10 News First. Karina Natt is a political and communications adviser. Their book, If Queers Weren't Meant to Have Kids … is out 4 November.
ABC News
20-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
NSW parents welcome funding for midwife-led care after birth trauma inquiry
Parents involved in a landmark inquiry into birth trauma are welcoming an almost $45 million investment in maternity care described as the "gold standard". The NSW government has allocated $83 million to maternity care in the upcoming state budget. More than half, $44.8 million, will go towards expanding the state's midwife-led program, Midwifery Group Practice (MGP). The MGP funding will include an additional 53 midwife roles in regional and remote NSW, with improved training for clinicians in respectful maternity care and enhanced antenatal education for patients in the wider package. The announcement comes 12 months after the inquiry, widely described as a "me too" moment for birth trauma, handed down its final report. It attracted more than 4,000 submissions and held six hearings. The report recommended more access to continuity of care programs like the MGP, and more midwives. Natalie Webb lives in Tumbarumba and was one of the first women to go public with her experience of birth trauma, also giving evidence at the Wagga Wagga hearing of the inquiry. She said her traumatic birth, in which pain relief was withheld, could have been avoided with access to continuity of care. "That would have made a huge difference to me — having someone I knew and could trust and who could have advocated for [me] when I couldn't advocate for myself," she said. She still deals with the trauma three years on and hopes the funding will improve outcomes. "I'm not going to have another child now because it's too traumatic, and that's something my husband and I are going to have to deal with for the rest of our lives," she said. The president of Illawarra-based advocacy group Better Birth Illawarra, Sharon Settecasse, fought back tears as she described the announcement as "phenomenal". "We're overjoyed by this announcement … we're a bit speechless to be honest," she said. In the MGP, a woman sees the same midwife before, during and after birth. The Birth Inquiry's final report identified it as the "gold standard" of maternity care, calling for increased investment in it. It also recommended funding for other programs and services, including the GP obstetrician workforce. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) welcomed the funding, calling women's health an "underfunded" area. "Whilst investment in bolstering the midwifery workforce is valuable, RANZCOG emphasises that a multidisciplinary framework is essential to meet the complex needs of all women and birthing people," they said. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the inquiry had "a huge impact" on him, and the funding decision was made off the back of advocacy he heard before and during. "Time and time again [I heard] continuity of care with a known midwife is really important, and I've also spoken to obstetricians who said that is an area where we need to improve," he said. "To be blunt, I was sick of reading about [birth trauma], I was sick of hearing about it, I wanted to use this budget to try and deal with some of the issues." He said the funding will begin to roll out "straight away" and new midwives should be on the ground within two years, depending on recruitment. The birth inquiry was announced off the back of a mass complaint about maternity care at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, submitted by the Maternity Consumer Network (MCN) on behalf of 30 women. MCN founder Alecia Staines said today's funding was a win for the women who came forward. "Credit where credit is due; those initial women of Wagga Wagga were crucial and hats off to them," she said. "It's not easy, and it's such a brave thing they have done, and this is a lasting legacy and something they can be proud of that has come from their pain and suffering."
Medscape
19-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Nursing Register Hits Record High but Growth Slows
The number of nurses, midwives, and nursing associates registered to work in the UK has reached a record 853,707, according to the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The figure represents a 3.3% increase in the register for 2024-2025. However, the NMC warned that growth is slowing. The increase was driven by UK-educated joiners, but a sharp decline in international recruitment has dampened overall expansion. Professionals from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds now make up 32.5% of registrants. However, the register only showed the number of professionals eligible to practise in the UK. 'Not everyone on our register will currently be working,' the NMC noted. UK Joiners Rise, International Joiners Drop The number of UK-educated professionals joining the register rose 5.9% in 2024-2025. However, this was down from an 11.9% rise the previous year. Meanwhile, international recruitment has declined for the first time in 6 years. The number of internationally educated professionals joining the register fell by 30.2%. The NMC said domestic recruitment was not enough to offset the drop in international joiners. Recruitment Falls Across Key Source Countries The drop in international recruitment was seen across several countries. Compared with the previous year, the number of new registrants from: India fell by 36.7% The Philippines by 47.6% Nigeria by 25.5% The NMC suggested the 'significant slowdown' may be linked to changes in visa rules and efforts in England to recruit more locally. Nearly 30,000 Professionals Leave the Register Almost 30,000 healthcare professionals left the NMC register last year. The most common reason was retirement. Physical and mental health issues were the next most cited reasons, accounting for 13% of leavers. Of those, 70% said their job had negatively affected their physical health, and 84% reported an impact on their mental health. The regulator also saw a rise in international professionals leaving for opportunities abroad. Only one in five (19.9%) of those who left said they would recommend a career in nursing or midwifery. UK Growth Not Enough to Offset International Decline Although more UK-educated professionals are joining, the pace is not fast enough to compensate for falling international recruitment. There were 1800 more UK joiners over the past year than last, but 8959 fewer international ones. Paul Rees, NMC interim chief executive and registrar, said: 'We've seen a slowdown in international nurses and midwives joining our register. That's a significant shift from recent years and there are likely a few reasons for it.' He added: 'Even with this change, our register is still growing – and it's becoming more diverse. That's a real strength.'
