I dont know if they have the same system anywhere else, but down here, the mw that you see regularly @ weekly appointments, is the mw who will deliver your baby when the time comes. anyway, my son was born almost 6 years ago, i have an 11 year old too, so was quite aware of what to expect. I started having pains about 11ish at night, and let them become regular and stronger but going to the hossie @ 3am. by now i was exhausted, i cant for some reason, sit down when in labor, i find walking the contractions through more managable. I coped with the walking method until about 7am, just walking around n around in the small room on maternity ward. By now my feet were painfully sore, i was also very tired. I asked the mw for an epidural, as i had had one previously with my son. and she encouraged me not to. I explained it was not the contractions i needed it for but the fact i was so tired, and my feet couldnt cope with anymore pacing, again she discouraged this. Saying that it was early and that she would have to wake up an anthesistist, as it was still very early, she also stated that she would be needing another mw or someone of a profession to open the delivery suite, because it requires 2 people to open or something.And you have to be given the epidural in the delivery suite, which would require waking someone else up, a mw or someone to open the delivery suite, So rolled in a trolley with all the delivery bits on it,into the sideroom off the maternity i was in. I kept requesting for the epidural, and it was refused again. Finally about 9am she eventually gave in, and send for an epidural, thank god it arrived, and i remeber being able to sleep, i woke up @ 10am, and my son arrived @ 10.20am.This mw attended to weigh and see my son for the 1st couple of days out of the hossie, to which she made a point of asking " are you still happy you had the epidural? you had no pain relief up until then, i was sure you was going to go all the way without pain relief" i told her that had i not had the pain releif and the sleep, i would never have been able to have pushed my son out, i was exhausted, and would not have had the energy.
Imagine my horror when i had my 1st mw booking in home visit for this pregnancy, i opened my front door and there she was, the same bloody midwife, im determined to have the same pain releief as my other labors, as pethidine makes me very ill, and makes baby sleepy, and gas and air makes my mouth dry, and me physically sick.