Cesarean & VBAC Support Service

Akal is a pioneer in independent midwifery in Sydney and has been assisting women to birth calmly and confidently in the security and privacy of their own homes since 1979.
Akal believes that the way in which a woman births is vitally important.  It can have a profound effect on her self-esteem and be reflected in her ability to confidently mother her children.
To assist in this process she offers her services to those women who see birth as a natural, normal, healthy life event.  The advantage of one-to-one midwifery care is that it enables you to discuss every aspect of your care during your pregnancy.  You are a crucial part of the decision making process and it allows you to explore and optimise your birth options.
You will receive individualised antenatal care throughout your pregnancy.  During each visit, you will have a full antenatal check with ample time to ask question about your pregnancy and pending birth.  You will have telephone access between visits to answer any concerns as they arise.
Akal will attend you for the full duration of your active labour and for a minimum of four hours following birth.  Home visits are made following the birth to observe your progress and to check the baby.  She will answer your questions and assist you on the care of your new baby.

Birthrites: Healing After Caesarean aims to provide a support network for women who've had a previous c/section(s), and to increase the awareness of these women's needs to their health-carers within the medical profession. We aim to do this by:

    1) Providing telephone contacts - someone to talk to who knows what you've experienced, as they've had a c/section themselves.

    2) Monthly "Get-Togethers" in Perth.

    3) To increase women's awareness of birth choices via a suggested reading list, the Internet and by talking to health carers.

    4) To increase public, and medical, awareness of the increasing c/section rate and inform them of the safety of Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC), in most cases.

    5) To return some women's rituals to birth, whether that birth is a VBAC or a caesarean section (Empowered Birth After Caesarean - EBAC).