We are a community group advocating for empowered birth.
About Us: Better Births Illawarra
Welcome to Better Births Illawarra (BBI), a dynamic volunteer community organisation dedicated to advocating for empowered births free from trauma for every woman, birthing parent, and baby. We address antenatal and postnatal depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder through advocacy, evidence-based education programs, events, and connecting parents with each other. .
Our Mission and Vision
We believe that every woman and birthing parents should be at the center of her pregnancy, birth, and postpartum journey. Our mission is to ensure that their rights and choices are respected, their decisions supported, and that they trust in the power of their bodies and the birth process.
Our Grassroots Beginnings
Our journey began eight years ago in Dharawal Country/Wollongong, where a group of mothers shared their birth experiences. We noticed that those supported by a known midwife had better health outcomes, feeling mentally, physically, and psychologically healthier. This realisation fueled our dedication to ensuring every woman and her family access empowered birth through continuity of midwifery care models and respectful maternity care and building an informed community.
Identifying the Gap
We recognised a significant gap in health outcomes between local women simply due to the model of maternity care they were in. The ones left with oftentimes traumatic births accessed the fragmented hospital maternity care where they saw a different face at every appointment, were given a variety of contradicting information and were often not giving informed consent. The families who were “lucky enough” to access the Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) where they were supported by a known midwife through pregnancy, labour and postpartum emerged with stronger outcomes. At the time, 9 out of 10 women missed out on this gold standard care. We formed to do something about this inequity and horrifying levels of birth trauma.
Our Collaborative Approach
Change only happens in partnerships. We work with other consumer organisations, industry bodies such as the Australian College of Midwives, researchers, midwives, and other health professionals acorss Australia.
We are part of advisory groups and alliances. We constructively with the Illawarra and Shoalhaven Local Health District, the Minister of Health, and NSW Health to amplify the voices of parents and achieve the best outcomes for families.
Our Initiatives
Beyond advocating for increased access and funding of continuity of midwifery carer models and reducing birth trauma, our initiatives include
Antenatal education - Evidence-based information to expectant parents
Informed consent training to the community
Co-design of publicly funded birth facilities including Wollongong hosital, Milton/Ulladulla hospital and Shellharbour hospital
Increase access to publicly-funded homebirths.
Increase access to private homebirth
Advocacy and accountability on unnecessary medical interventions.
Hold community catch-ups providing support networks for pregnant, new parents and people healing from birth trauma.
Our Impact
In March 2023, BBI spearheaded a successful campaign during the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Birth Trauma. Our efforts contributed to a record-breaking 4,200 submissions, the highest in NSW Inquiry history. We provided testimony at public hearings and supported women in sharing their experiences in Wollongong and Sydney. Our advocacy ensured representation in over 50 media pieces, amplifying the voices of women and families across NSW.
On August 28th, NSW Health Minister Ryan Park publicly apologized to women harmed by the maternity care system, acknowledging the distressing and avoidable nature of many birth traumas. The government supported 42 of the 43 recommendations from the final Birth Trauma Report, reflecting the impact of our collective advocacy.
In 2018, our successful political lobbying resulted in a refurbishment of Wollongong hospital suites. The $2.2 million dollar upgrade was the start. We participated as consumer representatives in the co-design of the suites, connecting researchers with the construction manager The result is a state-of the-art environment.
Our Commitment
BBI is committed to standing with our community to ensure access to gold standard care. We believe that by working together, we can create a future where every birth is a positive and empowering experience.
Our primary aim: continuity of Midwifery carer models for all families.
Mothers tell us and the international research has recognised that a midwifery-led continuity of care model is the safest model of care; delivering the best outcomes for mothers and babies compared to any other model of care. The MGP in Wollongong gives women this model of care – where a known midwife provides care throughout pregnancy, birth and beyond. However, most women miss out.
9 OUT OF 10 MISS OUT
Our initial research in 2018 found that although every year 2,800 people give birth at Wollongong Hospital, only 10% of those are given access to the Midwifery Group Practice (MGP).
We want more local birthing parents to have access to the MGP to improve outcomes for mothers and babies. Midwifery care is not only proven to be the gold standard, but also saves money for NSW Health.
“In 2016, a Better Births Illawarra survey of more than 200 local parents gathered anecdotal evidence and feedback on experiences accessing maternity services, where over 96% reported very positive experiences of the Midwifery Group Practice.
The recent Inquiry into Birth Trauma that commenced in March 2023, heard from a range of people including mothers, midwives, GPs, academics, psychologists, social workers and more who consistently recommended continutiy of midwifery carer models as a the prevention to birth trauma.
RESEARCH SHOWS MIDWIFERY-LED CARE LEADS TO:
Greater birth satisfaction for women
Safer births
healthier babies ie lower rates of stillbirth and premature babies, higher rates of breastfeeding
High level of job satisfaction for midwives and less burnout
Reduced likelihood of birth interventions such as the use of epidural, episiotomy, inductions and Caesarean sections.
what is midwifery-led continuity of care?
Care from a known midwife is often referred to as midwifery continuity of care. Women who have the same midwife caring for them throughout pregnancy, labour, birth and post birth have the opportunity to build a trusting relationship which increases their confidence.
SOURCE: Australian College of Midwives
BBI are committed to standing with our community so they can access the gold standard care.