Tales from an outback midwife

Inner Wheel club’s recent meeting hosted Annie Price, whom they describe as a remarkable woman who talked of her experiences as a midwife in New Zealand and the outback of Australia.

Hailing from London, Annie trained as a Registered Nurse in Napier who went on to specialise  in intensive care work in New Zealand and Australia. On one case, she told how she argued with the “clever doctors” who wanted to ventilate a 90-year-old. Their reason – the registrar needed practice. That was it! 

At 26 she decided to switch to midwifery and moved to Masterton. She soon moved on to Ratahi (a rural settlement near Bulls) as a result of incompatibility with a “bully” senior nurse. Birthing babies suited her much more. 

Ratahi was like the outback in many ways where the Aunties and Kaumatua were supportive to her and the patients. The latter, however, were not always compliant. On occasions she had to be quite stern – “Behave!” 

She moved on to Australia after reading “A Town like Alice” by Neville Shute, a novel which tells of a young woman who miraculously survived a Japanese “death march” in World War II, and of an Australian soldier, also a prisoner of war, who offered to help her – even at the cost of his life.

Her work there included using the Flying Doctor Service and being rescued by the Army. In particular she enjoys working with the wide range of cultures, each having their own practices. 

One birth in the Hawkes Bay was in a teepee. Another forbade her from talking to the baby. Indians shaved the newborn’s head. The Steiner tradition was to keep the blinds closed in the baby’s room for six days at which time the child’s spirit arrived.

In her practice Annie Price said she always worked on the principle of informed consent, thus protecting herself, the mother and baby. If her process did not suit the patient she would refer them to another practitioner. 

Caption: Annie Price, rural and outback midwife.