Within the business, a satisfying development has come from expanding our offering to include Optimal Maternal Positioning bodywork and birth trauma recovery services. Optimal Maternal Positioning is a certified technique we use to help women be more comfortable during pregnancy and get their body ready for labour and birth. The stretches and releases are tailored to each woman and can help make more room for the baby during pregnancy and get them in a good position for birthing. It’s great for women to build confidence in their bodies and their partners can get in on the action and help too.
A lot of women are traumatised by different experiences they’ve had or have residual fear or bad feelings about birth and pregnancy. We use the 3-Step Rewind technique to help women progress through these experiences so they don’t have to suffer anymore.
Undertaking the additional training to be able to offer these services was a definite step forward as it sets us apart from other services AND makes life easier for women.
The drive: What challenges have you overcome?
The biggest challenge in developing my business has been navigating the associated legislation and its interpretation as it relates to maternity services and other health care providers. The legislation governing private midwives is now 10 years old and I’m hopeful that this challenge will recede as more midwives enter private practice and their benefits to women, and the healthcare system as a whole, are more widely recognised. Another ongoing challenge is raising general awareness about what professional midwives can do – we can prescribe medications and request routine tests and scans, as well as monitor women and their unborn/newborn’s health and wellbeing.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
The best thing is being able to provide continuity-of-care to women – just being able to spend time with women, to get to know them and answer their questions, help them with their newborns, and empower them to do what they need to do. I get great satisfaction from being a touchstone for reassurance, clinical information and guidance during pregnancy and early parenthood and being able to connect them to other great professionals or services if they need it. The cons? Well let’s just say that business marketing and social media has been a steep learning curve for me!
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I’d love to keep building the business as well as my own professional skills. I’m an Optimal Maternal Positioning (OMP) Ambassador, but I will complete the next level of OMP training to become an educator once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted. I’d also like to raise awareness around birth trauma recovery services so that women know there are pathways to healing.
To find out more about the wonderful services Ros offers, head to the Hello Baby! Midwifery website. You can also join her supportive communities on Facebook and Instagram.
