Dr Rachel Reed has practised midwifery in a range of models and settings in the United Kingdom and Australia, including midwifery group practice and private practice. She has attended births in hospitals, birth centres and homes.
Rachel is committed to the promotion of physiological birth, and of women's innate ability to birth and mother. She is also an advocate for women's rights in maternity care and supports midwives in providing woman-centred, evidence based care. Her PhD thesis is 'midwifery practice during birth: rites of passage and rites of protection'. Rachel is widely published in journal articles, books, magazines and websites. She is also the author of the popular MidwifeThinking blog site. Rachel is a regular keynote speaker at national and international conferences and events.
Rachel is the Discipline Lead for Midwifery at USC.
Professional memberships
- Homebirth Australia
Research grants
|
Project name |
Investigators |
Funding body (Amount A$) |
Year (Year/s of operation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Promoting and facilitating spontaneous vaginal birth in nulliparous women at full term: systematic review, predictive cohort study and development of an evidence-based bundle of care |
Kearney, L., Bogossian, F., George, K., Reed, R., Reeves, J., Triggs, T. |
Wishlist-SERTF Collaborative Research Grant A$49,881 |
2019 |
|
Respectful maternity care: a cross-sectional survey of Queensland Women |
Reed, R, Bogossian, F, Kearney, L, Kynn, M, Jenkinson, R, Nugent, R, Toohill, J, Vedam, S |
SNMP & NURTURE Grant A$9,931 |
2019 |
|
Identifying the risk: a prospective cohort study examining postpartum haemorrhage in a regional Australian health service |
Kearney, L, Davenport, L, Schafer, K, Reed, R, Young, J |
Wishlist A$19,998 |
2015-2016 |
|
Exploring the relationship between assisted conception and breastfeeding outcomes: a systematic review of the literature |
Barnes, M, Rowe, J, Reed, R, Brooker, L, Dunn, P, Roiko, A |
USC Seed Grant A$5,000 |
2010 - 2011 |
|
Supporting and mentoring young mothers at university |
Rowe, J, Barnes, M, Reed, R and Allan, J |
USC Equity Grant A$5,000 |
2009 |
|
Exploring experiences and associations between breastfeeding outcomes and assisted reproduction |
Barnes, M, Roiko, A, Reed, R, Williams, C and Willcox, K |
Queensland Nursing Council Grant A$26,000 |
2007-2009 |
Research areas
- women's experience of birth
- physiological birth
- midwifery practice
- post-partum haemorrhage
- assisted conception and breastfeeding
Rachel's specialist areas of knowledge include midwifery, midwifery education, evidence based practice, physiological birth, legal and professional issues in midwifery