just another dig at the maternity service?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/7500043.stm

what does everybody think about this?

just another dig at the maternity service? or are they actually acknowledging the problem?
some of the stories from the women are awful but i find it difficult to accept that these were the actual circumstances. In my experience midwives do the best that they can in a very pressured environment.

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"With my hands, i have felt the strength it takes to grow, and release new spirit......."
"All the best births are the ones where you only have time to record times on a paper towel..."- a midwife, somewhere in the middle

I saw this on the news last night and I was hoping that bringing this to light hopefully they will finally do something about the problem. When I had my 2nd child the maternity unit was under staffed and I had to change my own bed after delivery but I could see how rushed they were and just did it (this was probably because i knew one day i would be in their situation...).

Its about time the goverment stoppped cutting back money into the NHS and start doing something about the problems!
Ooops went onto a bit of a rant there didnt I lol
x x

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Wolves Sept 2008
SM.NET Project Manager
SM.NET Wolves Student Rep

It seems to me that most of the problems were down to staff shortages so I don't think anybody was blaming the actual midwives for not having the time to give adequate care. I think it is good for it to come to light, something need to be done and to be done NOW, not 5 years down the line.

As an aside, 5 years ago when I had my 1st child, the labour ward was not that clean, when I had a shower, it had not been cleaned from the woman before me. Also, I really wanted a water birth but once in the pool I spotted more blood that wasn't mine and that was it for me. The midwives were fantastic though, couldn't fault them. Unfortunately the pool thing put me off so much, that even though I had my second in a different hospital, that was spotlessly clean, I couldn't face the thought of getting in another birthing pool so never even enquired about a waterbirth, even though I really would have liked one.

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Throughout the ages, the rainbow has been the symbol of hope, a promise of better things to come. The ancients greeks personified the rainbow as the goddess Iris.
Student Midwife!!
Moderator
SMNet University Student Representative


Do you want to write for the newsletter?? PM me, Karrierbag or Butterfly, opportunity is knocking.........

yes i see what you mean, the views were more to do with a lack of staff rather than criticising the midwives.

Unfortunately that seems to be the case where i'm on placement too, the midwives are all, for the most part, fab, they want to do their best, they do care, but there's just not enough of them to go around. Being like butter scraped over too much bread takes its toll i think

still, i hope the government is finally starting to sit up and realise that the maternity service needs help.

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"With my hands, i have felt the strength it takes to grow, and release new spirit......."
"All the best births are the ones where you only have time to record times on a paper towel..."- a midwife, somewhere in the middle

The BBC check all posts before they allow them on the site.... i suspect there are many many "i had a brilliant experience" which didnt make it as it didnt fit with the article.....

see what our licence pays for? Censorship at its finest!

I agree ukcyberchick, I thought that too.

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

PAB Support Worker

They allow a few "i had a great birth" in so that it doesnt look like a total set up but any site that checks its comments before they go up for public viewing is making a decision about what suits the article and what doesnt

That's very true!

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

PAB Support Worker

very true!!!

sensationalization at it's best!!!

it annoys me because the media are so important today, and they could do so much for the maternity service if they looked at it more positively!

why don't they ever do a report from a midwife's point of view? like a day following a midwife round with a camera? (know about the ethical issues here) x

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"With my hands, i have felt the strength it takes to grow, and release new spirit......."
"All the best births are the ones where you only have time to record times on a paper towel..."- a midwife, somewhere in the middle

Because there is a risk that people might see it as it really is..... stretch, overworked staff, doing their best in a bad situation then they have to find some one higher up to blame and that gets more specific - they have to name people who might not want to be named. As midwives, we fall into a catagory - NHS managers are more individual.

The press have to be way more careful about their critisism of specific people for fear of slanderous allegations etc.