Illawarra mums Sharon Settecasse and Alyssa Booth have been tirelessly pushing for better birth outcomes for the best part of a decade, but their cause has never been more in the spotlight.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On September 7, the NSW inquiry into birth trauma will hold a public hearing in Wollongong, after dozens of women put in submissions about their birth trauma experience within the city's health system.
Ms Booth said, after years of trying to bring about change through consumer advocacy group Better Births Illawarra, it was heartening to know people in power were finally listening.
"I'm still in the stage of disbelief that someone is finally listening, because we have been yelling into a void for seven years and to finally have people, on a significant scale, listen to women and families and validate their feelings... it just doesn't feel real," Ms Booth said.
"Next week is not the end, we're not going to wake up on Friday and things will be better, but this means someone is listening."
The inquiry began in June, and was sparked when a group of women from Wagga Base Hospital joined up to share their experiences of birth trauma there.
Since then, more than 4000 submissions have been made - with a large proportion, around one in six, those that have been published, coming from people in Wollongong.
Read more of our coverage on the issue:
They relate to complicated births, being pushed into having an induction or caesarean or other unwanted procedure and the way women were spoken to by doctors or midwives.
Some of them detail horrific physical injuries which have lasted decades, while others describe psychological trauma which has led to depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and PTSD.
There have also been submissions made by midwives and other birth professionals.
The hearing will be on at the Sage Hotel in Wollongong to allow key witnesses and organisations to share their stories in more detail with the select committee.
Ms Settecasse, who has been liaising closely with the inquiry administration, said witnesses would have access to legal and psychology support on the day.
She said all parents and families were invited to attend the hearing, with Better Births Illawarra asking them to wear purple as a sign of solidarity, or even just to turn up briefly show support for those who have been brave enough to come forward.
"This is a big deal, it's unusual to have a hearing in a regional centre like this so we want people to make the most of it," she said.
"We'll be gathering beforehand to rally and make some noise, just to really highlight that need to improve access to better births across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven through midwifery-led care.
"This is the last public show of support we can do in person, and this is people's opportunity to really show up for people have gone through birth trauma.
"Hopefully if someone is there being a witness can look up and see supporters and they won't feel alone."
Reading this on mobile web? Download our news app. It's faster, easier to read and we'll send you alerts for breaking news as it happens. Download in the Apple Store or Google Play.
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.
