Elaine I am afraid I would have to agree with Cathy and Nigel's reply. Jennie is obviously a caring and committed person with a great deal of love and respect for women. But those qualities do not make her a midwife. While a midwife may have roles that include some of Jennies' (childbirth educator, sexual health counsellor, women's health nurse) that does not make them synonomous. Jennie needs to be working in birthing to call herself a midwife. Being a midwife is more than being with women. It means that your focus is on being with women in their journey to motherhood (whether its their first or tenth time). I believe that although Jennie has been a midwife in the past she is not currently practising as such and so should not be able to sit on Advisory Boards etc. I am sure though she has much that she could teach and share with us thru her experience of supporting and caring for women at all stages of their lives. I hope i have not sounded patronising or offensive at all because this is not my intent. I truly have great admiration for Jennie and am grateful and gladdened to hear of such dedicated and professional women caring for other women. I must admit tho i am feeling more and more that to truly practise midwifery, we must be with women every step of the journey from early pregnancy to the end of the neonatal period. I don't think we are really fulfilling our roles or our obligations to women to give them piecemeal care (ie standard hospital care ) - this is not midwifery but obstetric nursing. Is that balatantly obvious to everyone nowadays or have I put the cat amongst the pigeons? I must admit too that my own arguments make me question my own right to call myself a midwife - I do not work outside my mothering work and have not practised for three years. A big thankyou to everyone that contributes here as it incredibly important to people like me not in the workforce to feel that they do have some contact with a professional peer group. I am so glad too for midwives who are physically isolated (i'm thinking of my former colleagues in the NT) because this is a fantastic support network and a way to feel emotionally connected with other midwives. Boy - i really blabbed on tonite! Hope to hear of some agreement or disagreement Maxine Wilson -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
