On Thursday 10 November, any and all Canberrans whose lives have been touched by the much-loved Canberra Hospital Birth Centre are invited to a gala dinner celebrating its 30th year.

Since opening in 1992, the Birth Centre has welcomed approximately 10,000 babies, and its midwives have supported well over 20,000 families.

“Everyone is welcome!” says Christine Fowler, midwife of over 35 years.

Turning back the hands of time to Tuesday 13 February 1990, another welcome was printed in the local newspaper, inviting one and all to join the ‘Pram Parade’ outside the Legislative Assembly rallying for the establishment of an ACT Birth Centre: “BYO prams and children.”

The peaceful, women-led rallies were part of a strong consumer push in the 1980s that was felt across the country for a less medicalised, physiological labour and birth. Women wished to birth in a homelike environment, rather than in a busy hospital labour ward.

“Research shows that the birthing space does matter,” says Chris. “Women need to feel safe and supported for their hormones to work as they should during labour and birth.”

Birth centres had already been established in Sydney and Melbourne, leading a passionate group of women’s health care clinicians, academics and consumers, with midwives among them, to form the ‘ACT for Birth’ working party.

“With strong and persistent lobbying of the ACT government, including several rallies, this group and its supporters were successful,” says Chris.

Even with funding won from the Federal Budget for ‘alternative birthing services’ to build a centre, there was opposition from parties who didn’t agree such a facility was necessary, echoes of which can still be heard today.

Despite this, in April 1992, the Canberra Birth Centre was born – an entirely new concept in birthing for local mothers at the time.

The initial Birth Centre was situated on the ground floor of the Maternity Unit of the then Woden Valley Hospital.

“It had three birthing rooms, two with baths, with a home-like design,” says Chris.

“In 2012, the new Birth Centre opened on level three of the new Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, now with five rooms – all with purpose-designed baths to support water birth.”

Bernadette Miller, who will also celebrate her 10-year anniversary as a midwife this year, notes that water births are by far the most popular birth with the heat and buoyancy of the bath easing labour pains.

Over the decades, the centre has become home to the highly in-demand Canberra Midwifery Program, as well as two assessment rooms, a large education space, a kitchenette, and lounge area.

With homelike interiors, medical equipment stored out of sight, and midwives walking around in plain clothes, it’s a warm and tranquil space promoting the “normality” of birth.

“Promoting wellness and normality is hugely important,” says Bernadette. “Emphasising that women are made to do it, they’re able to do it, and they can do it, helps them to do it.

“As midwives we hold that space for normal birth for women.”

Over the decades, more than 150 midwives have cared for women and families in the Birth Centre.

“In the early years, pregnancy and birth care was supported by several local GP obstetricians, which stopped with changes in maternity care services and the development of the continuity of midwifery care programs,” says Chris.

The continuity program also provides care for up to 30 per cent of women birthing at Centenary Hospital, and now includes a homebirth service.

Since the early days, the Birth Centre has been supported by ‘Friends of the Birth Centre’, which raises funds through their annual picnic, taking place on 2 December this year, and the Birth Centre calendar – featuring names of all the babies born there during the previous 12 months.

The program and its midwives are also supported by the many midwifery, medical and other staff working at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children, many of whom have welcomed their own babies in the Birth Centre.

Bernadette says her favourite part of “the most amazing job in the world” is “just seeing that little family come together”.

“At the end, when you’ve been with a woman for her whole pregnancy and you’re sitting there in those final couple of visits, seeing her at home breastfeeding her baby …That is the best feeling in the world.”

Tickets to the Canberra Birth Centre 30th anniversary gala dinner are available via Eventbrite; sales end at midnight on 26 October.

Canberra Daily is keen to hear from you about a story idea in the Canberra and surrounding region. Click here to submit a news tip.