Over 80% of women can expect to give birth normally, given the right support - continuity of care that is founded on the understanding that birth is usually a normal process. Midwifery group practices in local hospitals are one way to give that support. We hear two women's stories from the Byron Community Birthing Service in Byron Bay Australia.

Thank you to Candice and Tiffany for sharing your stories.

Speakers:
* Mothers, Candice and Tiffany,
* the late Dr Marsden Wagner, Perinatologist and World Health Organisation’s Director of Women's and Children's Health for 15 years
* Dr Alec Welsh is a Professor of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, at the Royal Hospital for Women in Sydney
* Sally Tracy, Professor of Midwifery at the University of Sydney and the Royal Hospital for Women

References:
* “Models of maternity care: evidence for midwifery continuity of care”, Homer, CSE MJA 205 (8) j 17 October 2016
* The late Dr Marsden Wagner speaking with Diana Paul about normal birth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm8ErQxTFyo
* Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia’s mothers and babies 2013
* “The Global Numbers and Costs of Additionally Needed and Unnecessary Caesarean Sections Performed per Year: Overuse as a Barrier to Universal Coverage” World Health Organisation 2010
* ACOG Jan. 2017 recommendations re. cont. of care: http://www.medpagetoday.com/OBGYN/Pregnancy/62745
* “Caseload midwifery compared to standard or private obstetric care for first time mothers in a public teaching hospital in Australia: a cross sectional study of cost and birth outcomes”, Tracy et al, Biomed Central Pregnancy and Birth
* Cochrane review: (Hodnett, et al, "Continuous support for women during childbirth” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23857334)
* Health services globally are headed towards bankruptcy by 2030: STEFAN ELBE, Professor of International Relations, University of Sussex and Director of Centre for Global Health Policy
* Maternity Choices Australia: www.maternitychoices.org.au

Aired on 99.9 BayFM Byron Bay on 30 January 2017.

Photo credit: Byron Community Birthing Service Midwives by Humans of Byron Bay

Produced and presented by Sally Cusack.
Copyright PBB Media and Sally Cusack 2017.
www.pbbmedia.org