RE: [ozmidwifery] Love of midwifery

[Janet Glaser]

Title: Love of midwifery

Fiona I think it is very important that you express your feeling about these situations, a problem shared is a problem halved.  Between the lines one can see that you are a very caring midwife.  Many midwives work in environments which are far less women friendly!  I work in a private hospital which probably has the highest medical intervention rates in Australia (oh please don’t quote me on that though!).  There are far too many women who choose to have a private obstetrician, yes we may think that they are ill informed but they made that choice, and despite this, I feel that they are entitled to have good midwifery care, so each day I work with them I may feel grossly incensed at the medical intervention, but I take pride in the fact that they are surrounded by a team of experienced midwives who do care about them.  And if in turn the midwife is assists in making a difference to their birthing experience, then we truly should feel rewarded.  You never know, that in some cases they may be influenced to make different choices for their next pregnancy.   Janet -----Original Message----- From: Smith, Anne [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Monday, 28 October 2002 8:35 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ozmidwifery] Love of midwifery   Dear list, I am a midwife who is very passionate and very for woman centred care.  I love being a midwife and can not imagine not being a midwife, but l have become so dissolusioned with the system that it is breaking my heart.  I have been a midwife for 5 years and feel that the system (especially where l work in a large country city) which is medical based has not changed.  It has actually become worse.  Despite being a strong advocate for evidence based practice and presenting this evidence to doctors and management, l have been walked all over, some midwives have been yelled at, 'put in their places' by RESIDENTS and we have basically have our hands tied.  The amount of autonomy we have is decreasing, which makes me feel sometimes that all the hospital wants are obstetric nurses.  They do not want midwives because they cause too much trouble.  Who cares about the women?  Management want to make the doctors happy and stuff the midwives.  One example, i am really against the use of CTG's in normal pregnancy and labour.  Because of one bad outcome, management wants to introduce admission CTGs for all women who present in labour.  I produced for them so much evidence based material which actually states that this is not a good idea, but they introduced it anyway.  I dont know why l try because nothing worse.  I dont know what to do and all my collegues feel like this as well.  We need different models of care, we need to take over the care of women in normal pregnancy and birth.  I fully endorse NMAP but will it have an effect in my workplace.  Will it really change the obnoxious doctors we work with and management who only care about beds and money?  Midwives have tried to get a midwives clinic in this town for 11 years, but has been blocked by the doctors (one in particular).  We have no free antenatal care except for one midwife who works with aboriginal women (who we also refer white women to).  If women only knew what was going on and they care they get from their doctors is less than substandard. I hate feeling like this.  Women are being ripped off, assulted, and their rights violated, and there is only so much l can do.  I do the best l can for these women but l feel that it is no where near enough. It makes me feel like l have a hollow pit in my stomach thinking of coming to work.  But l love midwifery, and l know that what ever happens, l need to go on... sorry, but l really needed to get this off my chest. MIdwife trying to make a difference Fiona Dunmore NOTICE: CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION This e-mail message and any accompanying files may contain information that is confidential and subject to privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, and have received the e-mail in error, you are notified that any use, dissemination, distribution, forwarding, printing or copying of the message and any attached files is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail message in error please immediately advise the sender by return e-mail, or telephone, listed below. You must destroy the original transmission and its contents. Any views expressed within this communication are those of the individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to be the views of Ramsay Health Care. This communication should not be copied or disseminated without permission. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Mildura Base Hospital" a member of Ramsay Health Care Telephone: 61 3 5022 3333 Facsimile: 61 3 5022 3234