MIDWIVES AND BABS

Since the first BaBs group was formed in 2006, the place for a midwife in the group, and closely supporting the leaders, has been an agreed standard.

The BaBs guidelines can be accessed at the website. The role of the midwife is quietly developed within the guidelines:

"Midwife: Provides additional information and support for the facilitators. It is essential however that any professionals, or other leaders do not dominate the group or undermine the peer support group atmosphere which uses women’s own knowledge to support their learning. A midwife also brings with her a credibility that will support BaBs’ position in the community."

BaBs is founded on the notion of peer support, with the goal and vision of health promotion "enabl[ing] pregnant women and new mothers to increase control over, and to improve, their health in pregnancy and birthing, and in the nurture of their babies." Midwives fit into this vision, bringing their own experience of life, love, childbearing, families ... as well as their professional knowledge. Some BaBs groups are fortunate in that their midwife is also becoming a mother, and shares with peers in that amazing journey. Other BaBs groups have older midwives, whose own children are no longer babies.

There is also a role in BaBs for midwifery students, supporting facilitators, listening to others, and contributing from her own perspective and experience. Students are required to complete a number of 'Follow Through Journey' experiences, in which they meet a pregnant woman, go with her to checkups, visit her and get to know her, possibly spend time with her in labour and birth, and visit her after the baby has been born. The 'Follow Through' is an opportunity for students to learn about the social realities of pregnancy, birth and becoming a mother. BaBs is an ideal environment for midwifery students to interact with women who are pregnant, and who have little babies; to hear from them week by week - whatever is important to them. BaBs becomes an additional experience of following women through their journey into motherhood.

The midwives I know who are committed to BaBs groups, and that includes me, feel privileged to interact at this very personal level with women, and with their babies. We recognise the importance of the team leadership in each BaBs group, and we value the dedication of all who make a commitment to BaBs leadership.

It is important that if anyone indicates an issue that may require professional consultation, whether it's about their pregnancy, their marriage, or their teeth, we encourage them to seek the appropriate care - we are not there to provide 'on the spot' consultations, or to solve everyone's problems!

The commitment of regular attendance at a BaBs group, whenever possible, has given me a sense of being part of my local birthing community in a way that I did not previously have. I would like to encourage any midwives or students (or wannabees) reading this blog to find a local BaBs that you can commit to and support.
Joy Johnston