Just read this from a midwife:

Hi,

I was a student at a large Adelaide hospital and last year I witnessed
most of the midwives staying at the front desk for most of the time watching 'their' women's CTGs.

I found it appalling - that we as students were observing this as modern midwifery management; that the women were treated with such lack of compassion and skill; that this was a large teaching hospital - no wonder most of the young doctors have no idea about normal birth. Needless to say I complained to appropriate sources and have refused to revisit that hospital for a clinical placement.

Let me get a sore back and dirty knees any day and maybe I'd also have some idea of the woman I was assisting through birth and some idea of how I could help her achieve what she wanted.

Sue
Wow, that's fantastic. All of the midwifes I had were fantastic as I said but from reading some of the stories on here I think there need to be a lot more like Sue and the ones that I had.