Sensitive Midwifery - Issue 44 - October 2019

Birth ‘Though Cape Town’s C-section rate is still better than Joburg’s, with more doctors practising normal births, constricted tra ffi c infrastructure makes travel in Cape Town very di ffi cult. Often, we found that doctors were worried it might take too long to get to Origin in an emergency.’ Ultimately, for midwives setting up natural birth facilities, Henny’s advice is to keep overheads low. Indeed, despite challenges, there are more and more birth houses popping up around the country and while most of these are concentrated in Gauteng, even Bloemfontein boasts the Estherea Women’s Wellness Clinic. There is also an emerging trend of a ‘home-away-from-home home birth’ – that is, birthing at the midwife’s home (Natasha Stadler in Cape Town, Yolande Maritz in Pretoria, and Kathleen van Heerden in Boksburg, are just a few midwives o ff ering this option to clients). Some midwives even book a room in a B&B for out-of-town clients. Sensitive Midwifery Magazine editor Margreet Wibbelink says, ‘I believe home birth, and birth homes, are the future of midwifery in South Africa. Going back to basics and keeping birth simple – but safe – is after all, what natural birth is about.’ Birth’s tipping point Some midwives interviewed for this article expressed concern about a decrease in skilled midwives, the lack of role models, and where young midwives are going to learn about natural birth in the current climate. Some midwives also feel saddened by what they see each day (especially those who work in settings where natural birth is thwarted by obstetrics). But these midwives must be encouraged by the bigger picture. Initiatives that support natural birth are continuing around the country, and each year, at Sensitive Midwifery Symposium, there is a rush of young, enthusiastic midwives, eager to learn and become ‘real midwives’. In 2018, Sister Lilian and new General Manager and Midwife Specialist, Margreet Wibbelink, launched a post-basic ‘Certified Sensitive Midwife’ Course, which they and the first students believe will provide the easiest way to reclaim midwifery confidence (see more on page 59). Natural birthing in South Africa has certainly reached a delicate tipping point. Even doctors are starting to talk about solutions to the current setup – recognising that it is a situation that does not make sense. If all players honour the evidence; doctors begin to rely on midwives again; and midwives work on building good, trusting relationships with doctors so that both can work in collaboration, we could be looking at a very di ff erent, positive picture in future. Key references on page 55 23 eSensitive Midwifery Magazine Issue 44