More Midwives?

There has been a lot of back tracking recently; last year the opposition stated that we needed 3000 extra midwives, and this year- now that they are in power, they state that the recent baby boom is over and stabilising, so the extra midwives are no longer needed! Well, what happened to the statements made in 2007 when it was declared that over 5000 extra midwives were needed, or in 2005 when the figure was 10,000? Did an extra 7000 midwives miraculously appear in the following years? I think not.

Figures are massaged and changed like the blowing of the wind, and the people to suffer go on in silence- the midwives who are over worked, stressed and underpaid keep silent, because in these cash strapped times they don’t want to rock the boat and lose their jobs, and the mothers and their partners are silent because they can’t shout any louder as there are so many others clamouring for attention and money.

Midwifery schools are reducing their numbers for training, and return to practice midwives are being told that in some regions the health authorities will no longer fund their re-training programme. The result of this will be that many midwives who have taken a career break will not be returning.

So, what will happen in our maternity units, birth centres and homes around the country when women go into labour and there aren’t enough midwives to assist them?
Answer: There will be more women giving birth alone; there will be more birth injuries, more parents suing for compensation after mismanaged labours and births, more cases of post traumatic stress disorder, more post natal illness, more post natal depression, more suicides. As for midwives more will leave the profession and we will end up needing more midwives
This is a foolish short term stance that our government is taking- at some point when the figures for compensation get too great they will have to encourage more people to become midwives.

If you feel strongly that something needs to be done please sign the petition:
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ipetitions.com%2Fpetition%2Fukmw%2Fsignatures&h=b67d1

Watching your own birthing experience and Alfred Hitchcock type appearances

The legendary feature film director Alfred Hitchcock often made fleeting cameo appearances in his own films; film buffs and critics would watch avidly and study his films carefully to find his Hitchcock moment. When I went to film Amy’s birth http://www.mybirth.tv/video-play.cfm?id=276 I hadn’t envisaged a Hitchcock moment, but fate took a hand and I was given, not a fleeting moment but a starring role.
Amy had not realised that her labour was so advanced and had delayed calling Virginia her midwife who set off to Amy’s house with green lights flashing, like a scene from a Hollywood action movie. I had arrived first and realised the birth was imminent- I spoke to Virginia on her hands free phone and she said she was only minutes away. I suddenly realised that the baby’s head was almost out, luckily as well as being a film maker I was a midwife with over ten years experience. With just a couple of pushes baby Honey Safia made her entrance into the world caught by me, the film director, just as Virginia rushed into the room.
Virginia was relieved that the birth had been straightforward and after a few checks on mother and baby was satisfied that all was well.

Last week I took Amy’s birth diary to show her. I always find it a bit daunting when showing women their Birth Diary. Will they like the edited version of their story? Will it be a moving experience for them, and will it give them a different perspective on the labour and birth? Amy was thrilled and I was relieved. It is now up on the site and ready to view and my Hitchcock moment is on the site for all to see.