THE GOOD ENOUGH MOTHER PODCAST
Birth, Trauma, and Maternity Reform
MOTHERHOOD, FORGOTTEN FEMINIST ISSUE, MATERNITY CONSUMER NETWORK, CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION, MATERNITY, BIRTH TRAUMA, PREGNANCY YOGA, VAGAL TONING, MATERNITY CARE, BIRTHING, MOTHERHOOD STUDIES
with advocate, educator and teacher Alecia Staines
*Please note that this podcast discusses obstetric violence, rape, and trauma.
Alecia Staines is a passionate advocate for improving the maternity care system and has been working in this space of political advocacy for a decade. She is also a classroom teacher, childbirth educator, yoga teacher, founder of Maternal Consumer Network, and mother of 5.
In this conversation Alecia provides an overview of some of the key problems she sees within the maternity system, how she works both within the system and outside of it, in order to advocate for institutional change. Alecia is active in working to address structural inadequacies, as well in supporting individuals through education, trauma-informed practices, and more. We talk frankly about the challenges in initiating structural and social change, and I ask for Alecia’s insights as to how she’s navigated these challenges and sustained herself over the course of her career and volunteer work.
Alecia reflects on the bureaucratic obstacles that exist in the maternity system, the prevalence of birth and obstetric violence, the importance of respectful communication within healthcare, and the foundational role that birth plays in ‘setting us up’ for motherhood. We talk about the ripple effects of birth trauma on relationships and society and discuss healing, the power of story-telling, vagal toning, social power dynamics, paternalism, hierarchies, and the need for reform.
Alecia has a range of online and face to face offerings, including her Vagal Toning for Birth Trauma Course. All available at www.aleciastaines.com.au
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Alecia
Alecia is a classroom teacher, childbirth educator, yoga teacher, founder of Maternity Consumer Network and mother-of-5. She has been in political advocacy for a decade as she is very passionate about ensuring all women have a positive start to mothering through respectful and woman centred maternity care. She lives on the Sunshine Coast with her children and dog Bingo. She loves the outdoors and going to the beach.
Staines
No one, as far as our political MPs go, thinks that this is a national emergency when I absolutely think it is
you can imagine if we converted this to a financial figure, the impact on our economy?
“I am so passionate about birth and trying to get women the best experience possible because I know that's a foundation of motherhood.”
— Alecia Staines in conversation with Sophie Brock, Ep #98 The Good Enough Mother
Why is maternity not valued?
I'm trying to get a federal government Friends of Maternity Care group going because we seem to get drowned out with all the other women's health issues. We're talking about a physiological process, not a health issue. So I think really think maternity does need its own standalone thing, under women's health, so we can better advocate."
— Alecia Staines in conversation with Sophie Brock, Ep #98 The Good Enough Mother
Resources
THE LANCET PAPER DISCUSSING:‘too much, too soon’ and ‘too little, too late’
obstetric violence
medical colonialism and obstetric violence in Canada
OTHER PAPERS DISCUSSING:PTSD and the absence of respectful maternity care
Australian women’s experiences of obstetric violence
Women’s descriptions of childbirth trauma relating to care provider actions and interactions
TRAININGBetter Births With Consent—Australia's first consent training for maternity health professionals
PODCASTBirth, the forgotten feminist issue
Shares research and reflections from fellow lobbyists, birthing women, researchers and health professionals. The intention of this podcast is to change the culture around birth and maternal healthcare and stir change among women and feminists alike to improve birth for women.
