At the start of her career, Nowra midwife Mel Briggs was one of only three First Nations midwives in a large Sydney hospital.
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Now, 13 years later, it is still rare to find a First Nations midwife like her in many hospitals or clinics - they make up less than two per cent of Australia's midwifery workforce.
But that is something she is determined to change.
Ms Briggs is lending her voice to the national campaign, Sister Scrubs, with a goal of getting more Indigenous midwives in the delivery room with mums and babies.
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At the centre of the campaign are the scrubs themselves: intended to raise the profile of First Nations midwives, while also promoting the importance of culturally appropriate care.
First Nations women are two to five times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth, compared with other women; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies are also twice as likely to die in their first year.
Ms Briggs said the numbers show the need for more First Nations midwives in the profession, providing culturally safe care.
"It's so crucial that our mums and bubs have access to a known midwife during pregnancy, intra-partum and postnatal care," she said.
"More importantly, to have a First Nations midwife to care for them, because it is about the deep awareness and understanding of where we come from, who we are as people, and how we connect with each other.
"We need more First Nations midwives, and our women deserve to have a First Nations midwife because they need to have a deeper understanding and have beautiful outcomes for themselves and their babies."
The campaign to get more First Nations midwives in the workforce starts with education.
Sister Scrubs is championing the work of the Rhodanthe Lipsett Indigenous Midwifery Charitable Fund, which supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to train as midwives.
The RLIMCF has supported Ms Briggs in her own career through professional development, and she is determined to see more early-career First Nations midwives join the ranks like she did.
"From my experience, being a First Nations woman, we are the nucleus of our communities... we look after our Elders, our mothers, and our children," Ms Briggs said.
"For the younger women who do have that passion and want to get qualified and care for community, then they should absolutely do it.
"I would one million per cent support any young Aboriginal woman and mentor her to become a midwife. The responsibility we hold is amazing and rewarding - I would support them in any way possible."
Ms Briggs said the Fund comes in by helping future midwives get over the first hurdle of access to higher education.
"To enrol in university and become a midwife is a big commitment: a lot of the time women are having to leave family that they already have established, and they are working. It's a full time load and the Sister Scrubs is there to support the women to do that," she said.
The Sister Scrubs campaign is sponsored by corporate partner Huggies Australia; it is also raising money for the Rhodanthe Lipsett Indigenous Midwifery Charitable Fund through nappy sales.