• Support Network

  Follow the links to the right to find a support group near you. This list is new and growing and we hope to add many more support group listings in the near future.

  Who do we list?
  CANA aims to list only those support services that fit with our mission, ethics and policies.

  Want to start a support group?
  If you can't find a local group on the list and you'd like information about how to start one please contact us.

  Online forums and antenatal classes?
  If you know of an online forum which has a particularly supportive community with regard to informed decision making about caesareans and VBAC or a great VBAC or caesarean antenatal course, please let us know!

• Support Groups and Contacts

  Birthtalk: Support, Education & Celebration of Birth (Brisbane, Qld)
  Website: www.birthtalk.org
  Email: info@birthtalk.org
  Address: Toowong Rehabilitation Centre, 13 Morley Street, Toowong, 4066
  Phone: 07 3878 7915 (Deb)
  More >

  Birthing Journeys (Gold Coast, Qld)
  Email: dd@split-image.com.au
  Phone: 07 5533 2258 (Deirdrie)
  More >

  Birth Matters VBAC support (Brisbane, Qld)
  Email birthmatters@optusnet.com.au
  Phone: 07 32569113 (Sharon)
   
  Birth Buddies - Birth after C-Section information and support group (Townsville and Thuringowa region, Qld)
  Email: philippa.s@people.net.au
  Phone: 47734075
  Mobile: 0407648349
  More >
  
  CARES-SA (Adelaide, SA)
  Website: www.cares-sa.org.au
  Email: carolyn@cares-sa.org.au
  More >

  Birthrites: Healing after caesarean (Perth, WA)
  Website: www.birthrites.org
  Email: convenor@birthrites.org
  More >

  Birthing Matters (Sydney, NSW)
  Email: rhonabarker@optusnet.com.au
  Phone: (02) 9402 5276
  More >

  Birthing and Babies Support (BaBs) (Victoria & Queensland)
  Email: babs@maternitycoalition.org.au
  More >

• Online Support Forums

  There are several online forums which have areas dedicated to VBAC and Caesareans. Unfortunately, there is also a lot of misinformation and enthusiastic opinions that get posted by well-intentioned individuals which can cause unnecessary distress and or confusion. That said, support from an online community can be really beneficial, especially if you are isolated or don't have good support around you in real life. Here are a a couple of online discussion lists that CANA recommends to get you started.

  C-Aware List at Birthrites
  ICAN-International Caesarean Awareness Network
   

• Information and Education

  Choices for Childbirth
  Maternity Coalition runs education and information sessions for parents-2-be including sessions on Vaginal Birth After Caesarean (VBAC). If you live in Victoria and are interested in attending a Choices session, email: choices@maternitycoalition.org.au.

  Childbirth Education Association (Brisbane) Inc.
  The Childbirth Education Association runs a number of individualised sessions for expectant parents, including a VBAC session. Please see their website for details.
  
  VBAC Inservice Sessions for Health Professionals
  Cas McCullough (CANA) and Registered Midwife Debby Gould (Birthtalk) are available to speak about supporting VBAC and women having Caesareans for inservice sessions and health care conferences. If you'd like more information on booking us to run a workshop please contact us.

  Birthtalk Workshops
  Birthtalk is the first organisation in Australia to run a comprehensive seven session VBAC antenatal course which launches in 2008. Birthtalk have developed a range of workshops for women and their partners, support people and health care professionals addressing issues related to healing from a difficult, dissappointing or traumatic birth and individual sessions are also available. See website for further information.

  Birthtalk also runs its regular antenatal education courses titled The Path to a Better Birth. In these antenatal meetings women can hear uplifting tales of birth (including VBAC & EBAC), gather vital birthing information not found in other regular antenatal classes, and learn how to increase their chances of walking away from ANY birth feeling positive, confident and strong.

CANA is a participating organisation under the umbrella of the Maternity Coalition Inc. Website copyright (c) CANA 2006. Updated January 2008.