Home birth plea

By Kelly Yates
Roanna and Daniel Gray have decided to show their support after Mrs Gray gave birth to baby Evie last September by having a unique home birth.
Mrs Gray was in labour for four hours and spent one and a half of those hours in an inflatable blow-up pool in the family home.
She decided to have a natural, drug-free home birth so she could be in a relaxing environment.
“I was flooded with emotion as I reached down to pull my baby out of the water,” she said.
Mrs Gray told the News the House of Representatives was currently debating the Health Legislation Amendment (Midwives and Nurse Practitioners) Bill 2009 and two related bills to create Medicare funding and access to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and indemnity insurance support for midwives.
According to the 28-year-old, if passed into legislation in its current form they would not provide funding or indemnity for home birth midwives.
This legislation will then intersect with National Health Registration legislation, which is set to come into force in July next year, and will require all health professionals to hold indemnity insurance.
“Midwives will be prevented from providing home birth care and their home birth practice will be unlawful,” she said.
Mrs Gray said that if a midwife assisted with a private home birth after July next year they would be fined $30,000.
“It makes me feel like I can’t have another baby because I would only do it of I could have another home birth,” she said.
Mrs Gray, who also has two boys aged four and six, said she knew of about six other local mothers travelling to Canberra for the rally, on 7 September at 11.30am. The rally is expected to attract about a crowd of 10,000.
For details visit www.homebirthaustralia.org