Every voice counts, and you can make a powerful contribution to the promotion of natural birth in several ways.

1. Choose a natural birth for you and your baby Make the decision to birth your baby in midwife-led care at home or in a birth centre. And then tell everyone about it! The most powerful story you can tell about natural birth is your own.

2.Write a letter to your State Health Minister and to the Federal Health Minister, calling for more access to, and more affordablility of, natural birth options for women in Australia. Most people don't realise that politicians are actually required to respond to, and answer, your letters. Therefore, each and every letter sent is a highly effective means of lobbying for change. You don't have to be a "good" letter writer either! You just have to put your thoughts down on paper (or email) and send it out.

You can find contact details of your state health minister by going to your state government web site (eg.www.nsw.gov.au). The Federal Health Minister is currently Nicola Roxon.  You can find her contact details on our LINKS page.

3. Write to your local state member, and your local federal member of parliament. As well as writing to health ministers, write to your local members. If possible, also arrange a meeting with them in their offices, and talk through what you would like to see happen with natural birth options in your area.

4.If there is a lack of natural birth options available in your area, alert your local media and get them involved. Call or write to your local newspapers and radio stations and inform them of the lack of options for women in your local area. Most media outlets love local stories about lack of access to services. These sorts of stories are often also noticed by your local political members, and may be another way of gaining their attention.

For assistance in being a natural birth advocate, please feel free to call us on (02) 6629 5312 or email info@naturalbirth.org.au