With my first child, i was barely 19, very naive and had a male midwife. At first i was very uncomfy with him, but he was really nice, and stuck up for me alot and explained things that by the time i had to have a shower (had an episiotomy and was still very out of it from pethadine) he came in with me, i didnt care about being naked...

With Declan, the midwife was great. DH had never seen a child born before, and didnt know how to support me, the midwife showed where to rub my back, told him when to give me a drink, just generally helped both of us.

The midwives in the Womens here in melbourne were very mixed. I was on the ward for weeks on and off, at one point i started bleeding quite heaviily in the shower so i buzzed for a midwife. Noone came. After 5 mins of bleeding i went back to my room and buzzed. Nothing (this is about 5am) After 10 mins in the room i went out to the area where she was meant to be, and she was asleep on the desk. Im crying by this time. I go back to my room and buz, and about 10 mins after that she rocks up, bleary eyed going "what do you want?" I tell her the prob, show her my pad (which i was on my second one since i got out of the shower) and she goes "Its nothing, go to sleep" and walks out. A week later i had my baby, it was the start of an infection which nearly killed my daughter. She didnt get the dr, and the dr didnt come in and see me that day. I was so angry... I ended up talking to consumer advocacy and they made a complaint against her on my behalf on the fact she was asleep!!

Sorry for the long post guys, i just needed to get that out...