Please tell us your thoughts on midwives for an upcoming meeting with the RCM

[policywonk]

MNHQ is meeting up with representatives from the Royal College of Midwives in the near future, and to help us get a sense of the issues that concern you most, we'd love it if you could post your thoughts here.

Basically, we want to know: what one thing would you say to your midwife about the care that you received (or are receiving)?

Ta x

I resorted to a an independent MW for the pregnancy, birth and postnatal care of DS2. This was after I asked the (junior) Dr at my 20 week appt if I would have a midwife with me all the time I was in labour - she laughed at me. I was classed as high risk as I'd had a previous CS but I got fed up of being seen by junior docs who had skim read my notes and didn't have a clue. They recommended some very dangerous options to me and had I not been so on the ball I wouldn't have questioned them. Give me an experienced MW any day.

I trusted my independent MW. I didn't get told what to do but would be given the facts and allowed to make my own decision. It didn't have to be protocol driven and was personal to me.

She went a long way to helping me heal myself after a traumatic birth of DS1.

She acted as my advocate in the hospital as I had to have a elective CS. My care in the hospital was fantastic but I think this was mainly because my indie MW negotiated the system for me with senior midwives. I'm afraid I had to throw a bit of a strop to get the care I needed.

However I did get very good care in hospital. There were a few blips but they were easily dealt with. And thank you to Pauline who sat with me for 2 hours in the middle of the night helping me to BF. She taught me what to do and how to look after my breasts.

I think this model of indie MW care is great for women and babies. I think that somebody at the DH needs to do some financial wizardry. I suspect it could be viable as there would be less hospital births/interventions. Obstetrics must be the only speciality where hospital care is encouraged! The rest of the NHS is about treating patients closer to home. Ironic really.

Midwives in general are great, however, the system they work in is crap. They're aren't enough of them and they are looking after way more women than they should.

Disclaimer - I work for the NHS and I think it's a great organisation. However - one size doesn't fit all.

And thank you to the midwife at the birth of DS1 who physically stood between me and the SHO who was trying to give me another prostaglandin pessary, even though DS1 was already showing signs of distress.

So really what every body else has said - continuity of care is really really important.

Sometimes I am tired of the job...... and then an amazing woman will come in who has armed herself, with our support with the knowldge of pregnancy and child bith. Then, we can help to support her through this period regardless of outcome. On those days, I love my job.

Hi Everyone

Well we met with the RCM last Friday and had a very positive discussion.

No-one talked about pathways to change or empowerment strategies . They were already keenly aware of many of the issues that had been raised on the thread - kindness, poor post-natal care, lack of breast-feeding support for example. We got the strong impression that over the coming year they are hoping to make a bit more noise, and it sounds as though post-natal care is one of the areas they wanted to focus on.

We now understand a little better how the system works, and the points in the structure where a difference can be made. We're going to keep up the dialogue and hope that we can lend them some heft when needed in the coming year. On their part, they were very keen to use us as a sounding board so you might be seeing some stickies and surveys early next year.

We'll keep you informed as things develop. Thanks again for posting your experiences, it was incredibly useful.

Ask a woman from Papa New Guniea what breastfeeding support they receive. 99.8% of women there breastfeed and the other 0.2% get a female relative to do so on their behalf. Why are we so different here? Why do women have to be shown how to do the most natural thing in the world? Who do those women go to when they have a problem? Their elder female relatives. These are the things we need to change - making normal, pain-relief free birth and breastfeeding the norm; teaching our daughters' about natural, active birth and breastfeeding, so midwives are SUPPORTING the transition to motherhood and not expected to do it for you. We are mant to be "with woman" not "doing it for the woman". It is not the fault of this generation of mothers, it is a result of the system and values that have been instilled around childbirth and motherhood over the last century or so. This is what needs changing.

Thank you for the update onebatmother.

Am warmed they didn't speak in tones of facilitation and pathway development activities.

They will have a hard task if they are going on the campaign trail, given the curb on spending that is upon us. They might have been wiser to do this when the treasury called a free for all last decade.

"By anonymousmw Sun 13-Dec-09 23:43:09
Sometimes I am tired of the job...... and then an amazing woman will come in who has armed herself, with our support with the knowldge of pregnancy and child bith. Then, we can help to support her through this period regardless of outcome. On those days, I love my job"

It would be interesting to look at what information a woman needs to arm herself with in order, to be fully supported by her midwives ?

And whether new pregnant ladies are given access to this essential information ?