Midwife and Mother of 3 Children

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It was towards the end of my Bachelor of Nursing in 1993 that I realized my calling was to work more closely with women. In 1995 I studied for my Graduate Diploma in Midwifery, and I never looked back on this decision.

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As a student, I witnessed many births that were very medicalised with intervention, and it was not until I worked along-side Birth Centre midwives that I realized that gentle, calm and empowering birth can certainly be achievable for women and their families with the right support and preparation!

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As a child, I grew up on a farm, and I witnessed many different mammals (generally cattle) giving birth. Rarely did we have complications with calving, and I was surprised as a student midwife at how many women had so much trouble and difficulty with birth. I couldn’t understand why so many women would haemorrhoage, would find labour and birth ‘unbearable’ as the cows we owned rarely (if ever) appeared to have these issues. Over the years, I have discovered what I believe is the answer. Women who are not fearful of birth and who are undisturbed, supported and who are very well emotionally and physically prepared for birth tend to have very straight forward and uncomplicated labours and births.

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In 2011, I was one of the first midwives in Victoria and Australia to obtain my Medicare Eligibility, and in 2012, I was the first Midwife in Australia to get my Prescribing Rights and be an endorsed and notated Midwife with AHPRA. Mamatoto Midwives was launched and is rocketing into the future!

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I completed my Master’s Degree in Midwifery in 2002 and my major area of study was Post Term Pregnancy. I published a comprehensive literature review on “The Risks associated with Post Term Pregnancy” in 2005 in ‘Women and Birth’. It is my long term goal to work as a Midwife in a Third World Country such as Uganda.

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I am married to Tim and we have three beautiful children, Harry, Grace & Riley,  all of whom were born in Birth Centres where we were supported by known Midwives I had very positive birth experiences for all three of my children, Grace and Riley were Water Birth babies!

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My special interests in Midwifery are preventing the first caesarean birth, Vaginal Birth after Caesarean (VBAC), and working with women who have experienced abuse.

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I believe that every woman should have a known Midwife for her pregnancy, birth and early parenting and I support the research evidence that shows that continuity of midwifery carer improves outcomes for women by working as a Private Midwife and Director of “Mamatoto Midwives”.

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