CATHERINE BELL BIRTH CARTOGRAPHER
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Selected Articles by Catherine ​around the web:
bellabirth.wordpress.com | evolutionary parenting | pregnancy.com.au | 
​| birth without fear | newborn mothers | PBBMedia |
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The Game of Birth

6/11/2019

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There is an unspoken reality lurking in the undertones of maternity care.

It is sinister and unconscious, a toxic unawareness that seeps into all communications and puts the weight of responsibility and expectation onto The Woman.

I will call this The Game of Birth.

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Book Review: About Bloody Time

3/10/2019

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Now published - About Bloody Time: the menstrual revolution we have to have from Victorian Women's Trust on Vimeo.


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Seven Ways to Facilitating Informed Decision Making

30/9/2019

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Preventing Post Natal Anxiety and Depression

3/6/2019

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I was talking to someone about 'birth disappointment' the other day, and was told "women should not have such high expectations! Honestly women these days are just so fragile".  I took a deep breath before responding. If a healthy woman is expecting a 'normal birth' that is not a high expectation.  That is a reasonable and minimal expectation.  It is not 'fragile' to be disappointed by a birth that does not met this expectation.  For women to lower their expectations of birth, to the reality of the current birth climate, would set a new (horribly) low benchmark.  Along with "all that matters is a healthy baby" these comments tell us that women do not matter. First Class Maternity Care - it's a political choice (first class care should be the MINIMUM we expect!).  

You see...this birth disappointment may just be putting new mothers at greater risk of Post Natal Anxiety and ​Depression (1).   They begin their mothering journey full of self-doubt, and uncertainty. This can then be compounded by a mothering reality that does not meet their expectations.

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​Why can't we just be 'brutally honest'?

23/1/2019

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This post addresses a question many of us think, but know we can't voice without being offensive.  But the answer to why we can't be brutally honest it is not that it is offensive.  How can we just stand by when we feel a friend is making a 'bad' decision?
This is a question of support versus validation.  The desire comes from the heart...but is it actually True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary or Kind?  

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More than just another birth book

27/8/2018

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This is the speech given at The Book Launch.

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We should be focused on Choice, not Consent.

14/8/2018

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Consent is on everyone's lips.  From media discussion about 'enthusiastic consent' to medical requirements for 'informed consent', it seems pretty clear there is a problem with 'consent'.

If consent was what mattered, we would not need to prefix it with a qualifier.  

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The Birth Cartographer's Guide to The Internet

13/8/2018

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The internet is Big.  Mind blowingly Big. You won't believe just how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is.
Yes, I am a Douglas Adam's Fan

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The Slippery Slopes of  Modern Birthing

15/6/2016

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updated: 25/11/2019

​​You have probably heard of 'The Cascade of Intervention'.  It is the idea that once an intervention occurs, the rest shall follow.  This is a 'Slippery Slope'.  It is however, a bit more nuanced than a cascade.  There is more than one slope.  And there are plateaus and forks. At the forks, we must make a choice.


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Standard Pregnancy Care

31/5/2016

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​The maternity system provides ‘standard’ or ‘routine’ care.  

Standard care follows a set of assumptions.  The focus is on numbers, measurables and averages.  
The process is designed to look for problems and provide solutions, but can in fact create problems (see The Nocebo Effect).  

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All links are GOLD.  
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 ​I endeavour to only link to safe and non-spam websites.
​ ​This website, and any provided links and reviews, ​are intended as information only.  

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Catherine is a member of the Doula Network Australia
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​thanks to sales of The Book and purchases from The Ultimate Support collection (redbubble)

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Photos used under Creative Commons from Editor B, Darling Starlings, SO Beach Party, Leonard Bentley, IQRemix, sybarite48, C. VanHook (vanhookc), lemonfilmblog, State Library of South Australia, Someone's Name, edenpictures, ShebleyCL, MassiveKontent, symphony of love, Kelly Sue, szwerink, Dawn Endico, fortfan, Jim Linwood, symphony of love, JLaw45, jacilluch
  • Home
    • About
    • Is IBP for You?
    • Informed Decisions
    • Birth Support (doulas)
    • FAQs
    • Contact
    • information policy
  • Birth Cartography training
    • Retreat
    • Intensive
  • THE BOOK
    • The Birth Map
    • ORDER TODAY
    • Event Pick up
    • Where can I buy the book?
    • Reviews and Testimonials
    • Talking about The Birth Map
  • Bellablog
  • Events
  • Stay up to Date
    • Newsletter Archive
    • StoryTime
  • Member Area
    • Support Group Discussion
    • Webinars and podcasts
    • links and recommended books
    • Resources (research articles)
    • One Woman. Four Births
    • Birth Map Example