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Original poster

Shortage of midwives is putting lives at risk

15 replies

sadwoman · 20/02/2006 14:22

Given the number of awful birth stories I've read on here, I don't suppose this will come as a surprise - article in today's Independent here

OP posts:
kittyfish · 20/02/2006 14:24

Maybe it is a shortage of good midwives putting lives at risk...? Doesn't suprise me either.

uwila · 20/02/2006 14:36

Yeah, I believe it. I have a friend at work who is pregnant for the first time -- about 10 weeks. She was bleeding last week, called NHS direct, they told her to go to A&E. When she got to Kingston A&E a midwife greeted her and said "Sorry love. We don't do anything before 12 weeks. If you are going to miscarry, you are going to miscarry" and told her to go home. She was shocked and horrified. Thankully she has stopped bleeding now, apparently due to some medicine she got from her Italian doctor (she's from Italy).

I'm mad on her behalf. No one should be treated like that.

kittyfish · 20/02/2006 15:23

Effing hell, Uwila, that is horrible. What a bitch that midwife must be. Best of luck to your friend too.

Greensleeves · 20/02/2006 15:33

When I was giving birth it was the midwives themselves who put my life at risk. There were plenty of them, worse luck. They were useless (and cruel, and stupid, and vindictive, and negligent, and lazy)

I really should stay off this topic.

Enid · 20/02/2006 15:35

ahhh

now i like my midwives

i never see the same one mind but they all seem very nice. and probably underpaid and work bloody long hours.

tbh they DONT do anything for a miscarriage before 12 weeks - surprised they didnt offer her a scan though.

kittyfish · 20/02/2006 15:36

Some sympathy would have been nice whether they do or not.

Greensleeves · 20/02/2006 15:36

Sympathy? Ha!!

goldstarlover · 20/02/2006 15:38

for your friend Uwila.. it is the case though that they won't do anything. I was told the same thing if you're miscarrying there is nothing they can do.

my midwives were nice

kittyfish · 20/02/2006 15:39

Awful, isn't it. It should be in their training to treat all pregnant or birthing women with respect. I was so lucky with mine who was fab.

Enid · 20/02/2006 15:39

the nicest one was the one that scanned me at 7 weeks (this pg) as I was really upset and stressing that I was going to miscarry again. I went for the scan on my birthday. When I went to see her with the (very positive) results she put her arm round me and said 'there, isn't that a lovely birthday present for you'

I blubbed shamelessly.

Enid · 20/02/2006 15:40

(she didnt actually do the scanning though)

mummytosteven · 20/02/2006 15:41

dreadful uwila - i would have thought they should have scanned in case 1)it was an ectopic or 2)it was an incomplete miscarriage and your friend might have needed a D & C to reduce risk of infection.

motherinferior · 20/02/2006 15:43

Unfortunately, they really cannot do anything before 12 weeks, although like Enid I'm surprised they didn't scan her if she was all of 10 weeks.

I adore the midwives who delivered DD2 at home - one of whom I'd never met before, the other of whom I'd only met once - and would like to kiss their ankles and shower them in chocolates.

uwila · 20/02/2006 15:54

BTW, her bleeding has stopped and she seems to be okay now.

But, she did go back the next day and and caused a scene and somewhere in there said very loudly "Is it true that you don't care if my baby dies?!" She was whisked into another room for a scan after that. This was the day after they told her to go home.

Anyway, all is well now.

ellceeell · 20/02/2006 20:25

interesting article, but not enough from the parent's point of view

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