The Illawarra's health boss says the district is listening to women who are sharing their "powerful" experiences of birth trauma at Wollongong Hospital.
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Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District chief executive Margot Mains joined more than 100 mothers - and lots of kids and babies - at a birth trauma awareness forum held at the University of Wollongong on Wednesday.
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She said the event highlighted the importance of a positive birthing experience, and how communication, listening, respect and warmth helped to promote a good birth.
"It's been a very powerful session, and I came here to listen," she said.
"It's important that there's a birth trauma inquiry being led in this state because this is a systemic issue."
"Birthing needs to be a really positive experience for mother and baby and family, because of the impacts it has on future bonding and family experiences going forward."
Ms Mains said health administrators like her and clinicians needed to reflect on the stories coming out thanks to the birth inquiry, and take note of its findings when they are released.
She said she expected any changes to help reduce birth trauma would focus on having much stronger shared decision making between mothers and their various clinicians.
"We've heard that one in three women report birth trauma experience, and a lot of that has been about how we provide services and how we work together," she said.
"We want to make a real impact for the one in three women who are reporting that birth trauma."
- Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7) or text 0477 13 11 14.
- Mental Health Line 1800 011 511.
- PANDA National Helpline (Monday to Saturday) 1300 726 306 or website. PANDA's National Perinatal Mental Health Helpline is Australia's only free national helpline for people affected by changes to their mental health and emotional wellbeing during the perinatal period.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
