Andrew Laming slams Labor's home birth snub

[Katc78]

Wow, thanks dude, nice to hear someone with influence standing up for home birth! Mind you, there's no need for any hospital/medical stuff to be involved, but this goes a long way to changing the perception of home birth in the community. In the UK, women are given the choice, straight up - why not here?

[pquodling]

Enough is enough with this Nanny state government.

[jenships]

Thank you thank you thank you!! For standing up for the birthing rights of women. What Labor has done is CRAP!

[vjsumma]

SO well spoken! Amazing.

[Broomedy]

I birthed at home through a hospital home birth program. I had a low risk pregnancy and a WONDERFUL home birth. I will NEVER plan a low risk pregnancy birth in hospital again!

[tessom88]

I love you. Thank you so much. It's nice to hear someone telling the truth. Speaking for freedom of choice. Thank you!

[Pisces022790]

Thank you =)

[CapoRip]

Roxon and her staff are a disgrace. Laming is completely right, the groups lobbying for birthing women's informed right to choose have repeatedly explained to labour the problems with the reforms.

My partner began her midwifery studies soley with an eye to practicing privately for low-risk mothers having home births. She will graduate this year with no career to work in.

[Geck086]

Finally a politician who cares about something that actually affects every day people! Well researched and presented; I have never ever liked politicians but this guy is a great one! thank you!

[MagikalRose]

This guy rocks!!!

[MsEz81]

Love it!

[elementalmom]

Ohmygosh, Andrew Laming, I love you. Love love love. Emigration looks more attractive all the time. THANK YOU for standing up for mothers, for families, for women. You're a hero.

[richsgirl1985]

If midwives are no longer allowed to assist home birth then women will be forced to do it on their own and then there will be mums and babies dying. Who wants to have a baby in a hospital with the risk of drug resistant bacteria, enormous c-section rates, babies being whipped away from their mother without being told why, being forced to give birth one way and one way only. Go the home birth!

[oknowis]

Well researched, well said. We need you on the side of the Environment as well. Take a look at what the Govt is allowing the Coal Seam Gas Companies to do, this is another way they are balancing the budget.

[NorbertsGirl]

That was absolutely awesome.

[Meiabell]

Thank you!  Your a wonderful advocate for parents rights!

[seekerofalltruth]

You got it dude...Keep standing up for us and our babies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[melleababe]

You have my vote! Keep up the great work- the Redlands community needs you!

[mickthegreens]

Andrew you are right, but you know that no one will be fined...typical politics here. Why dont you fight for the rights of 1.5 milliion Voters who want a truly democratic system, who want the best education, the best healthcare and the best public transport. Is it fair that if you are born from low income earners that you dont deserve good education because your parents cant afford it...that you wait for surgery because your parents are poor....more poor people, more gamblers, more addicts...

[jadoredashboardd]

Right on Andrew!!!

[booaoogoo]

Thank you for your defense in this issue Andrew!! We need a loud clear voice to defend this crazy notion to make home birth illegal in this beautiful country. I have had all 5 of my children at home, with a professional midwife, with great healthy children. Please keep at them!

[jackdanblake]

Thanks Andrew, It is still potentially more dangerous to go to hospital for a birth. Being in a high risk group, having had a cesarean, my wife would have had no other option but to have a repeat cesarean if she was in hospital 'care' (as spontaneous labour didn't begin until after the projected due date). The death rate of mothers as a result of repeat cesarean is DOUBLE that of the death rate as a result of VBAC. We had a very good experience with Two world class midwives attending. PUSH.

[TheShalom09]

From the bottom of my heart Andrew. THANKYOU.

[icmick]

Andrew thank you for getting this out there in such a well researched and succint manner. As you said it is about CHOICE that is all I am asking for.

[MummaDoona]

I cant believe this is an issue!! fancy a country like Australia wanting to ban professionally attended home births!!! in a day & age of free choice etc!! i personally would prefer to have my babies in a hospital (as i have done with my first two), however, even if i chose a hospital birth, i might end up having a home birth as my labours are so quick!! so maybe a professionally attended homebirth might actually be better for me anyway!! but regardless - a woman should be able to choose!

[temazipamtim]

Wow Andrew Laming great to see your support especially with your background as a medical doctor in obstetrics Debbie

[justinecaines]

Thank you Andrew for a superb speech, so very well researched. We look forward to a similar passionate piece at "The Mother of all Birth Rallies" Monday September 7, Parliament House.

Justine Caines - Secretary Homebirth Australia

[BirthingRights]

Thankyou.

[ToiletPaperPuppy]

Thank you Mr Laming I'm almost a liberal voter, and I will be if Roxton does not back down.

[bushpixies]

I've just had my fourth home birth this week with a privately practising midwife... what more evidence does there need to be shown that women are indeed having safe home births in Australia?

[danielryken]

four home births in one week is impressive! Congratulations!

[kaosshard]

Great, well prepared, well research speech. Good to see the evidence quoted. Congratulations Andrew, and thanks for listening to families that would choose homebirth in Australia.

[FUNergizers]

Fantastic! Thankyou for understanding the importance of this decision.

[thebas2560]

Amen! Refute this! I dare you!

[ademerre]

Andrew Laming - thank you. From a homebirthing family, who will continue to do so regardless of ANY legislation- thank you.

I do not want to be a criminal for birthing my child at home with a midwife.

I deserve the same rights to choice of care provider as any other woman.

Roxon needs to be stopped. NOW.

[scsamitchell]

Thank you!

[bellybirth]

Hear! hear! Thank you Andrew Laming..fiery passionate speech!

YOU ROCKK!!

[nickyhaslinghouse]

We are so lucky to have access to a first-rate health services and providers compared to those in the Third World whose health and well-being are consistently undermined and worsened by inadequate access to even the most basic health-care. It seems grossly wrong for people who have such easy access to care, that is only designed to help them, to simply refuse to use it in favour of some 'natural' option without medical interference.

[ToiletPaperPuppy]

Nicky you are making a common error. Most Births at home are attended by medically trained midwives. You are confusing home births with women who "free birth", that is, women who choose to give birth unattended. Women who choose to birth at home are not "refusing medical care". In addition, there is no evidence that birthing at home with qualified attendants and access to emergency medical care if required will result in a poorer outcome for women or their babies.

[cedelune]

Wow!! Woo-hoo! Thanks for the link, Sarah Buckley--this guy is awesome--how could anyone not listen?!!!!

[mickie13101986]

Go Andrew!!! that was Fantastic! Thank-you andrew for standing up for my right to choose where i birth! Why are you the only one willing to stand up and stick it to 'em?

BTW (just quietly) pizzas are delivered, babies are birthed.

[dlworth1]

well done Andrew...shame your Government wasnt listening for all those years we lobbied them for changes....but someone has seen the light, great to have you on our side now : )

[saoirsejb]

Well said, Mr. Laming. Thank you for standing up for families' right to choose, and for standing up for a midwifery alternatives to an obstetric monopoly. I hope the govt listens. It would be an embrassingly backward step for Australia to out-law homebirth, and a great loss for women's rights. You only need to look at the rising rates of intervention and mortality in USA and the concern around that to see it would be a disaster for Australia.