Gestating Generations
This research project is conducted by Jane-Maree Maher of the Centre for Women's Studies and Gender Research, Monash University and Kay Torney Souter from the School of English at La Trobe University. Gestating Generations is an examination of birth narratives and experience in the Australian context, the changing profile of birth support people and the implications this has for 'birth knowledge' in the wider community.
Central questions include:
- Who 'sees' birth in our society?
- How do those inside the birth room with the laboring woman understand their role?
- What shifts are taking place in the dissemination of birth knowledge?
- Do women use other women (mothers, sisters, friends) as support people and resources in their birthing experience?
The research entails a number of activities. Completed activites include:
- The Birth Support project which involved midwife interviews in several major Melbourne hospitals. This research explored perceptions of birth experience and support for birthing women and was completed in mid 2001. The first published results can be found in 'Narratives of Support: Midwiferey Tales from the Delivery Room', with Dr Kay Souter, Nursing Enquiry , Vol 9 (1): 37-42. Further publications are being prepared.
- In October 2002, a special book issue of the Australian Journal Meridian, edited by the research team with Dr Maggie Kirkman, was published. Entitled The Fertile Imagination, the collection focuses on the diverse narratives of reproduction that are present in the Australian context.
- Bodies after Birth was a focus group study completed in July 2002 that asked women to reflect on their post birth health and body experiences. This data will be used to develop the interview schedule for a a larger study, interviewing birthing women, scheduled to begin in the second part of 2003.