Went with total midwife care for second child and I am going back to the standard hospital option for my third. I don't really understand the argument. Midwives do all the work during birth anyway. The only time you ever seem to see a doctor in a public hospital is if complications arise and then it is a very welcome thing.
The problem I encountered was with the midwife care during pregnancy. There was no consistency, according to the midwives my baby shrunk a number of times during pregnancy, mainly because different midwives take their measurements from different places. It is most disconcerting to be told your child has shrunk between seven and eight months, their attitude was very casual.
I was induced with my first after going 11 days over. When 2 weeks late with my second we were sent to see the big pooh ba midwife who said not to worry cause African women often go to 43-44 weeks, it is obvious by my apearance that I am not African. I was 3 weeks over when we demanded to be induced, the placenta was stuffed and their casual removal technique meant they lost the placenta and had to do a manual removal without gloves. I would have welcomed a doctors intervention.
It seems to me that so much of this demand for midwife only care has some political motivation. Our grandmothers fought hard so that women could have access to proper medical during birth, we seem to be going backwards. We have a great public hospital system in this country, why snub it?
For my first child I had a wonderful young woman doctor and will be seeking same with my third.