"It is the mothers and babies who are the most important people

 — the basis of our whole society ... To be able to support women
 through pregnancy, labour and birth, ensuring they feel safe and
 are among people they trust, is a huge privilege."

Marg trained as a nurse in the late 60’s and spent four years in the field before taking on the duel role of mother to Anne-Maree, David and Paul and dairy farmer, which she maintained for the next 18 years. Returning to nursing during her last three years on the farm, and ready to specialise in something more intensive, Marg worked in the birth room of Rushworth Hospital — a10-bed rural hospital that saw around 20 births a year. These were the formative years in Marg’s decision to pursue midwifery as a career.

While completing her hospital-based midwifery course in Bendigo, Marg attended a talk by a midwife in Private Practice, who described a midwifery model that allowed women to receive continuity of care, from one midwife, in the birthplace of their choice. Marg knew this was how she wanted to practice.

1991 saw Marg move to Shepparton, where she joined a committed group of midwives in pushing tirelessly for the introduction of team midwifery and a continuity of carer model. Despite the eventual establishment of a Midwives Clinic, the objections from obstetricians and the bureaucracy were too great for the desired model to succeed. After seven years of trying, Marg felt it was time to move on.

The Top End is a far cry from rural Victoria, but something about the place grabbed Marg from her first visit on a cycling holiday from Alice Springs to Darwin, and a stop-off turned into a 10-year stay.

Again Marg found herself among a group of dedicated and experienced midwives committed to improving pregnancy and birthing choices for all women. This group of midwives was instrumental in establishing the Community Midwifery Practice, which was launched in 2003, and the publicly-funded homebirth service, which followed two years later. During that time she was also very involved with the College of Midwives (ACM) at state and national level, including a two-year term as National President.

Now working in the Darwin Homebirth Service, Marg is able to offer the model of care to which she believes all women are entitled.

Marg sees pregnancy, labour and birth as a normal physiological process, and believes that for normal pregnancies, homebirth is a safe and enormously rewarding experience. She recently had the honour and privilege to be midwife for daughter-in-law Mei Mei and son Paul during the homebirth of their beautiful boy (and Marg's first grandson) Charlie (pictured) in December 2008.

Marg acknowledges that there will be times when medical intervention is necessary, which is why she and fellow midwives in the NT Homebirth Service follow the Australian College of Midwives (ACM) National Midwifery Guidelines for Consultation and Referral, facilitate prompt transfer to hospital when required, and continue the care while in hospital, working with other health professionals as needed.

"This notion of women remaining at home at all costs is inaccurate. The safety of both mother and baby is always our highest priority," Marg says. 

As Marg kicks off her newest venture, she will be continuing her role as ACM Fellow and, of course, continuing to support pregnant and birthing Territory women in the environment of their choice.

Would you like to help?

See our sponsorship page for how you can help educate Australian women about their choices in pregnancy, birth and parenting.

Want to join the ride?

See our map and journal page to find out how and
where you can join the ride.