Fertile Ground currently has two experienced birth attendants and other resources to assist and care for you through your labour and the birth of your baby.

Statistically, women in labour who are supported by an experienced birth attendant have shorter labours, use less pain-relief medication and have fewer forceps, vacuum or Caesarean deliveries.

Having a birth attendant during your labour ensures you have continuous, known, one-on-one support throughout the entirety of your labour. A birth attendant is experienced in helping you to manage unexpected feelings or events. It is also useful to have someone who can advocate your wishes with hospital and other carers when you may not feel capable of doing so adequately for yourself.

An experienced birth attendant acts as a stable and normalising presence during the birth. Your birth attendant will provide you with the emotional and psychological support to guide you through. They can help you negotiate the unfamiliar and sometimes daunting territory of labouring and extend your resources for achieving your birthing goals.

Your birth attendant provides non-medical support to help you through the challenges of birth. All provide skilled physical and emotional support and each brings different capabilities and personal qualities so you can choose just the right combination of skills and personality to suit you and your partner.

You and your partner will need to meet with your birth attendant a minimum of two times before your labour.  These visits usually occur in your home (or can take place in the clinic if necessary) and are usually up to two hours each.  (You and your birth attendant can also stay in telephone contact at no charge throughout the pregnancy.)  These meetings are an opportunity to get to know each other, and to discuss your thoughts and feelings, fears and aspirations about your birth.  Your birth attendant will also help you and your partner develop your birth plan.  You may also wish to undertake birth preparation with your birth attendant using Naturopathic, Acupuncture or Massage measures.  These treatments are separately charged accordingly.

Your birth attendent will remain with you throughout your labour (usually from the very early stages) through until your baby is born, breastfeeding is established and you are all feeling settled.  Your birth attendent will also provide one post-natal visit at your home to ‘debrief’ after the birth.

Our birth attendants can complement your birth team, providing continuous experienced support and information to enhance your birthing potential.

Fees:

Non-refundable booking fee pre and post birth meetings (minimum 2) birth attendance Total

$100 $150 / visit $400 $800

paid at time of booking paid at each visit paid after the birth

Meet our Birth Attendants

Learn about Birth Preparation

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• Reduction in analgesia by 35%
• Reduction in oxytocin augmentation by 71%
• Reduction in use of forceps by 57%
• Reduction in caesarean sections by 51%
• Reduction in length of labour (average of 98 minutes)  

(Data from meta-analysis of twelve trials – includes data from wide vareity of medical, cultural and economic settings)  

(Combined data from five North American trials – middle class women who were also accompanied by loved ones) * Birth Attendant Training handout from Doulas of North America (reformatted)

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