Innovative Curation of Research and Knowledge
Overarching ideas
evidence-based research
The world is full of incredible research, but it takes on average 17 years for the research to reach practical use. Did you know that?
Continuously abreast of themes, cutting edge and relevant evidence-based research available today, we are building a bridge between the research and the people who need it most. Talking with experts that are able to translate research & make it relevant to you is part of what drives us.
We believe that evidence based-research, along with other knowledge is paramount in deciding on the best possible care for you and your family. With that known, we always question the parameters, the subjects used and the context in which the research was conducted. Part of what we strive for is making clearer and clearer the actual impact, short & long-term, on families & individuals, of decisions made within a clinical setting.
Continuously abreast of themes, cutting edge and relevant evidence-based research available today, we are building a bridge between the research and the people who need it most. Talking with experts that are able to translate research & make it relevant to you is part of what drives us.
We believe that evidence based-research, along with other knowledge is paramount in deciding on the best possible care for you and your family. With that known, we always question the parameters, the subjects used and the context in which the research was conducted. Part of what we strive for is making clearer and clearer the actual impact, short & long-term, on families & individuals, of decisions made within a clinical setting.
actual real-life stories
We are in constant and ongoing contact with actual families and individuals, maternity health care providers, doctors, practitioners of various modalities and more. We deliver their stories either directly or through discussion of a specific topic. Actual stories from actual people about their actual experiences can teach us a lot. Several of our team members have been and still are acting as consumer representatives within our communities. What we see and hear on a daily basis drives us to continue the work that we do at Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond Media.
timeless knowledge & ancient practices in a modern context
Why are traditional practices so important? As with anything else, practice makes perfect. We recognise the importance of long-held practices of ancient traditions. Practices such as Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine, Traditional Midwifery, Dreaming, Rights of Passage and so on, can support us through life like no other practice can. What our ancestors have learned and perfected before us, over thousands of years can be of great value. Many of these practices have been slowly lost over the years, especially for us living in modern first world countries. We are very keen at Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond to sift through the information available to us and cover the most appropriate content when it comes to traditional practices that are still relevant today.
new ideas
Sometimes we come across innovative and highly creative ways of rethinking an old way of doing something or a whole new idea! It may be a new schooling technique, a specific parenting style or a new model of care. We have a keen eye for these elements of human interaction and improvement and we are almost just as keen to bring the information to you. We spend many hours researching, discussing & developing stories in order to bring you the most accurate view of the information at hand.
Are you Passionate about any of these topics?
we are always looking for passionate, informed and inspired individuals to join our evolving team
if any of the topics above or below claim your fancy, we would love to hear form you.
if any of the topics above or below claim your fancy, we would love to hear form you.
Underlying themes
childbirth - a love story
As our name suggests, we are all about covering topics within the Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond (parenting, community and so on) parameters. But as it turns out, we are all equally impassioned by the topic of Birth. Unlike any other topic, birth will get us going like no other topic will. There is a very clear rationale behind this:
We are guided by these facts:
These facts lead us to believe that
This motivates us to
play a part in helping the next generation reach its potential to adapt, innovate and achieve happiness and fulfillment. With the challenges to our species that lie ahead of us, more of us need more of these qualities more than ever.
We do this by
We are guided by these facts:
- It takes on average 17 years for evidence to be translated into clinical practice.
- Evidence based maternity reforms such as continuity of care for women during the perinatal period (via policies such as the National Maternity Services Plan and state policies such as Towards Normal Birth in Australia) are being either ignored or implemented extremely slowly.
- The more actively a woman is involved in the decisions relating to her maternity care,
- the happier she will be with the outcomes, even if they are different to her original expectations, and
- Her level of satisfaction with the birth directly impacts on the wellbeing of her baby and her family
- Society is influenced by the portrayal of birth in the media and other sources, and those influences have a negative impact on birth outcomes.
These facts lead us to believe that
- Parents need evidence to achieve the best outcomes possible, backed by stories from other parents on the journey to help embed and integrate the information into their own lives.
- What happens from conception, pregnancy and birth has impacts that reach out across time and beyond the immediate family. Regardless of whether we are involved in the day to day raising of children, we are all involved in raising the next generation.
This motivates us to
play a part in helping the next generation reach its potential to adapt, innovate and achieve happiness and fulfillment. With the challenges to our species that lie ahead of us, more of us need more of these qualities more than ever.
We do this by
- Observing the vast and varied landscape of information related to birth and parenting.
- Tracking the social trends in what aspects of this information is shared.
- And, continuously listening to the stories of mothers, fathers, family members and sometimes even children.
- Analysing the gaps in knowledge between the general population (by examining popular media, which as we know influences our behaviour even how we give birth) and the latest evidence.
- Collating and curating the latest evidence, backed up by experiences of other parents on the journey
- Delivering this information via broadcast media (Byron Bay’s community radio station BayFM in Australia) as well as podcasting and this website. We also present local community based events of various sizes.
- Partnering with information sources, such as academic conferences so women and their families can access the latest information they need.
parenting for the future
dissemination of evidence-based research
continuity of care
informed consent and decision making
Informed consent is a legal term and another main area of research that we have a particular interest in. It is usually applied within a medical setting. As a patient, you have the right (and responsibility) to informed consent. It is a slightly sticky phrase, mostly due to preconceived notions both practitioners & patients have about both Information & Consent; within a medical setting. Of course, we all want the same outcome, or at least we think we do - and this is another aspect of informed consent we are interested in.
Not to be confused with 'shared decision making' or 'simple consent', "Informed consent is the legal process used to promote patient autonomy; shared decision making is a widely promoted ethical approach. These processes may most usefully be seen as distinct in clinically and ethically important respects.. informed consent does not require the presence of clinical choice; it is appropriate for all decisions of significant risk, even if there is only one option" (A Typology of Shared Decision Making, Informed Consent, and Simple Consent, by Simon N. Whitney, MD, JD; Amy L. McGuire, JD; and Laurence B. McCullough, PhD)
One of the main reasons we are particularly concerned with informed consent is a relative new concept (or a very old one being revived). When we take part in the decision making process about ours and our family's health, not only do we become empowered to stay well and healthy, we are also sending a clear message to our smaller and wider circles (our children, family, friends, community, country and so on). We are saying that we will not put the burden of our care solely in the hands of others. We are saying that the responsibility of taking care of our health lies in our own hands.
"The patient’s decision to refuse a doctor’s offer of treatment doesn’t have to seem reasonable or prudent to the doctor, or to anybody else. The right to informed and autonomous decisions in healthcare is the right to weigh the full spectrum of risks and benefits according to the patient’s personal values and perspective." Hermine Hayes-Klein, Pathways to Family Wellness Magazine (issue No40).
Not to be confused with 'shared decision making' or 'simple consent', "Informed consent is the legal process used to promote patient autonomy; shared decision making is a widely promoted ethical approach. These processes may most usefully be seen as distinct in clinically and ethically important respects.. informed consent does not require the presence of clinical choice; it is appropriate for all decisions of significant risk, even if there is only one option" (A Typology of Shared Decision Making, Informed Consent, and Simple Consent, by Simon N. Whitney, MD, JD; Amy L. McGuire, JD; and Laurence B. McCullough, PhD)
One of the main reasons we are particularly concerned with informed consent is a relative new concept (or a very old one being revived). When we take part in the decision making process about ours and our family's health, not only do we become empowered to stay well and healthy, we are also sending a clear message to our smaller and wider circles (our children, family, friends, community, country and so on). We are saying that we will not put the burden of our care solely in the hands of others. We are saying that the responsibility of taking care of our health lies in our own hands.
"The patient’s decision to refuse a doctor’s offer of treatment doesn’t have to seem reasonable or prudent to the doctor, or to anybody else. The right to informed and autonomous decisions in healthcare is the right to weigh the full spectrum of risks and benefits according to the patient’s personal values and perspective." Hermine Hayes-Klein, Pathways to Family Wellness Magazine (issue No40).