Katherine Coomber in Mildura, Victoria | Womens health clinic

Katherine Coomber

Locality: Mildura, Victoria

Phone: +61 413 217 683

Address: Caloola court 3500 Mildura, VIC, Australia

Website: http://treeoflifedoulaandbirthcoaching.strikingly.com

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• Medical and health
• Medical centre
• Pregnancy care centre
• Womens health clinic

23.01.2022 Intervention leads to more intervention!

21.01.2022 I’m feeling a little sad and deflated today after one of the nearest and dearest members of my tribe was ‘advised ’ that she might not be ‘allowed’ to be the fi...rst person to hold her baby. It breaks my heart that there are still some health care providers who believe that it is them that does the ‘allowing’ This is completely inaccurate and totally untrue. As an expectant mother or father it is you who does the allowing. End of. I often say to women that as a midwife I see myself as a glorified waitress. I can explain what is on the menu but I can not make those choices for you. You might decide that you would like a starter and a main course. Or just a pudding and a coffee. Or you might decide that you don’t like what I have on the menu and decide to eat elsewhere. That is YOUR CHOICE. Not mine. And not anyone else’s. I can explain what the risks and the benefits are. But I would never dream of telling you what to eat. That is not my role. Ever. You are the expert on you. Always. I trust your decisions. I respect your decisions. They are not mine to make. Or anyone else’s. You do the ‘allowing’. I once heard one of my wisest colleagues and friends once say to a woman whose birthspace had been invaded ‘this is your fucking party, you make the rules’ If your wishes and needs are not being respected or heard then shop around. Find someone who shows you the menu and lets you choose. Your body. Your baby. Your choice. #amiallowed #midwifelife #skintoskin #informedchoice #positivebirth For further information I urge you to read the booklet ‘am i allowed’ written for AIMS X x

20.01.2022 What is ‘Positive Birth’? The Positive Birth Movement believes that every woman deserves a positive birth. But what does this mean? Here’s how we define it:... Women are where they want to be Choices are informed by reality not fear Women are listened to and treated with respect and dignity Mothers are empowered and enriched Memories are warm and proud A positive birth means a birth in which a woman feels she has freedom of choice, access to accurate information, and that she is in control, powerful and respected. A birth that she approaches, perhaps with some trepidation, but without fear or dread, and that she then goes on to enjoy, and later remember with warmth and pride. A positive birth does not have to be ‘natural’ or ‘drug free’ it simply has to be informed from a place of positivity as opposed to fear. The Positive Birth Movement is woman-centred and as such respects a woman’s human right to choose where and how she has her baby. You can birth with positivity in hospital or at home, with or without medical intervention. You can have a positive caesarean, or a positive home water birth. Positive Birth is about approaching birth realistically, having genuine choice, and feeling empowered by your experience.

17.01.2022 Why are the 3 Golden Hours immediately after birth so critical for the breastfeeding mother and her baby? In this video, Dr Robyn Thompson explains why the 3 Go...lden Hours are so important for a mother and her newborn breastfeeding baby. You will discover how the hospital system is designed for efficiency, which may not be in the best interests of the mother and her baby and you'll see how important it is for women in pregnancy and breastfeeding women to aim to protect these 3 Golden Hours. Learn more at https://www.thethompsonmethod.com

17.01.2022 In a world where we rush around and try to fit too much in, a baby’s ‘due date’ has come to be seen by some people as a kind of appointment. Statistically, only... 4% of babies are born on their due date and many healthy babies are born after this. I sometimes suggest that people plan to do something nice on their baby’s due date; there’s a high chance that you’ll be free to do it! But the important thing to remember is that, on the whole, our bodies and our babies’ bodies know what they’re doing. If you’d like more information, see www.sarawickham.com #midwife #midwifery #doula #birthdoula #childbirth #childbirtheducation #childbirtheducator #drsarawickham #evidence #birthinformation #pregnant #duein2019 #duein2020 #positivebirth

16.01.2022 Too good not to share again

16.01.2022 A few weeks ago I was given the absolute honour of supporting an incredibly strong woman. She envisioned a VBA3C for the birth of her son and was so incredibly educated and strong willed. Throughout every single hurdle that was thrown at her she proved time and time again that she knew exactly what she was talking about and she wasn’t going to be treated the way that so many women are in the maternity industry....Continue reading

12.01.2022 . - ... Oxytocin is a hormone that acts on organs in the body (including the breast and uterus) and as a chemical messenger in the brain, controlling key aspects of the reproductive system, including childbirth, lactation, human behavior and orgasms. We use it to give birth! It’s our natural form of pitocin, which is what is regularly given in hospitals to bring on and increase contractions. Unlike pitocin, Oxytocin has an intricate dance between your body and baby to give birth. We can increase the release of Oxytocin naturally during labor just by kissing or holding someone we love. It can decrease pain for the birther as well. Oxytocin bonds us. In this photo, you see Oxytocin being released while the parents share a passionate embrace and kiss, bringing their baby closer to their arms. Romance and intimacy, is just as vital in birth, as it is in love making. PhotoCred: Paula Beltrão Photography See more

12.01.2022 Hands up anyone who’s been told their baby is ‘too big’ so they ‘have’ to be induced? I want to share a direct quote from the NICE guidelines (that should be fo...llowed by all hospitals) to clear this up! . The guidelines state that ‘In the absence of any other indications, induction of labour should not be carried out simply because a healthcare professional suspects a baby is large for gestational age (macrosomic).’ . Loosely translated this means for women with no other complexities such as diabetes or particularly raised BMI we shouldn’t be inducing on estimated size alone. . So why do we see it still being offered so routinely? When comparing induction of labour with spontaneous labour there is no significant difference in instrumental or csection birth. Induction did reduce the chances of shoulder dystocia (from 6.8% to 4.1%). However induction also increased the chances of severe tears (from 0.7% to 2.6%) & Induced labour's are likely to be longer and more painful. Babies that are induced too early may also suffer from something called 'iatrogenic premiturity', meaning whilst by dates they are considered to be full term, their organs may not yet be fully mature. Worrh noting that Growth scans can be up to 25% off as an estimation of birth weight. (Though scans can sometimes pick up other reasons for ‘measuring big’ such as excess water etc.) Its up to you whether the statistics listed above feel like a valid reason for induction or not, but healthcare professionals are fairly split on how they interpret them. . Most importantly, some babies ARE bigger than others, in the same way that some adults are bigger than others, and your body is absolutely built to birth them! If you’ve been told you might be carrying a ‘big’ baby and the seed of doubt has been sewn in your head there are a few things you can do to regain confidence in your body! Start by popping this affirmation up somewhere you’ll see it often! ‘My baby is the RIGHT size for MY body.’ And have a read of some positive birth stories of mums in a similar situation! So, how big were your babies? Bigger or smaller than you expected? @lifeandlens_photography @ Guildford

11.01.2022 Your growing baby is normally described as a piece of fruit but this shows how you progress through dilation. Watermelon anyone!

08.01.2022 Labour & Birth instructions from 1945. How did we get from being upright to laying down, most likely to make it easier for the doctor :(

07.01.2022 Shout out to all all the women I know, whether they’ve been clients or not. So many of you need to hear this. You are strong, you are powerful, you have fought

07.01.2022 Wow!! Imagine a hospital where vertical birth was not only practiced.... but preferred! The hospital in Otavalo, Ecuador has a 90% vaginal birth rate (vaginal!...), of which approximately 75% are born vertically! The other 15% are birthed in a clinical room similar to North American standards. This means that only 10% of births are cesarean, which is 5% below the national Ecuadorian average of 15% cesarean births. Oh, and if THAT didn’t blow your doula mind... they are an intercultural institution where the Indigenous midwife (partera) has her own prenatal room, that resembles the inside of a home - with a fire place, beds, stove, and more! For over 20 years this hospital has been promoting these relationships and practices. The community feels supported, listened to, and connected through option and shared respect for their diversity. #birthdoula #labourdoula #doulanation #ecuadormidwife #ecuador #doulacanada #doulatraining #morethanadoulatraining #holistichealth #holistichealing #healers #childbirth #birth Reposted from @doulacanada See more

06.01.2022 Have you or someone you know ever experienced this phenomenal reflex??

06.01.2022 Do you know what I love the most about this photo? The fact that no one is interfering with this sacred moment. Mama is holding her baby close. No one is disr...upting them. No one is checking if the cord is still pulsing, measuring babies head, weighing baby, putting a tag on baby, asking questions, giving baby a vitamin k injection, removing baby to a warming table... they are simply just left to enjoy the moment! And that is my favourite thing Photos Credit- Teresa Palacios

04.01.2022 #TongueTie As a mother who had two boys who likely needed frenectomies (before I was ever an IBCLC), the first thing I did when I had my daughter last year was ...check her for tethered oral tissue. In Rowan’s case, it would’ve been tough to spot for anyone who didn’t know how to TRULY assess for tongue-tie, because it was what was considered a posterior tie (the sneakiest of ties because you can’t tell it’s there unless you’re getting your fingers in there and assessing thoroughly). I found her old before/after procedure videos of tongue mobility (and the after was within SECONDS of her procedure) and felt the need to post it, quite frankly because of the frustration I am feeling by all of the misconception that’s out right now about tongue-tie! So while we’re at it, let’s debunk, shall we? MYTH: If the tongue extends past the gumline, there must not be a tie. TRUTH: Not only does the tongue need to extend outward, but it also needs to be able to go UP towards the roof of the mouth to elevate sufficiently in order to create the appropriate motion at the breast. When it can’t do that, the baby may overcompensate by doing things like chomping (using jaw muscles to help express the milk), making the latch shallower than it should be, even sometimes making it hard to maintain the vacuum suction at the breast needed for efficient milk transfer. All things that can also cause PAIN. MYTH: All Pediatricians/ENTs/IBCLCs know how to spot a tongue tie. If they say there isn’t one or it’s not severe, they must be correct. TRUTH: Assessing for tongue tie takes a true assessment, not just a quick look under the tongue during a cry. An assessment can’t even be considered an assessment without the provider’s fingers sweeping under the tongue, lifting the tongue, and manipulating the tongue to check for tethered tissue, and then more importantly, knowing what they’re looking for. Just because a person is qualified to assess for tongue-tie, does not mean they necessarily know how to do so. MYTH: Anyone should be able to release tethered tissue if it’s within their scope to do so. TRUTH: Technique is so important! Going in and blindly cutting a frenulum certainly does not guarantee success, and worse, can cause the tissue to reattach. A true release of a frenulum done the right way releases all of the tethered tissue present and has a very specific looking wound, one that is diamond shaped! There are mixed reviews on what is preferred, laser versus scissors, but my own personal preference is a laser simply due to the precision a laser provides, lack of bleeding, and comfort of the infant... not to mention what owning equipment like this means for the provider’s interest in this condition, as well as what it says for his/her frequency in dealing with it as part of his/her caseload. So. What’s a parent to do!? Check in the comments below for an incredibly informative article about the difference between both, as well as questions you should ask and qualities you should look for when choosing a provider. *Huge props to the phenomenal Dr. Paul Bahn for the amazing job, who graciously let me video Rowan’s before and after, and who is humoring this crazy IBCLC by letting me shadow him come September!

01.01.2022 Until you’ve been through it, it’s hard to understand. It’s not just morning sickness It’s debilitating and it can leave women feeling like they can’t go on.... And no, a ginger biscuit is not going to help.