Would you give birth in a midwifery led unit?

[Trillian]

Kuraizia, I don't think you are catching the drift. Most of the women who've commented with supposed 'anti obstetrician' flavour to their posts have either experienced first hand the damage they can do, or have borne witness to women getting the rough end of the stick during their pregnancies and births. I myself have read on here time and time again of women who have had terribly traumatic births, due in part or entirely to their care giver, or women who have their confidence in their birthing ability undermined by Obs telling them they can't birth big babies, they can't birth overdue babies, they can't birth breech babies, they can't birth period. Now you tell me that's fair? That we are being unfair to obs? I think not. This is your first pregnancy, and by the sound of it you're seeing an ob? And I am not at all saying there is anything wrong with that at all if you are, because it is a valid mode of care for women to choose, but Obstetricians are trained to deal in birth WHEN IT GOES WRONG - they have no place in a normal pregnancy and birth. And I beg to differ on them 'not just sweeping in and cutting cords' - the majority of the time that's all they do do. And as for Dr's in rural areas - they are usually MORE overworked and busy than a Dr in a metro area because there aren't enough of them to meet the demand from women.

[BellyBelly]

Obstetricians never were designed to care for women who have normal births. They are surgeons, they are specialists and they should be doing that all day every day - not caring for normal birth. That is and always was the job of the midwives, but going way back, there was a smear campaign against midwives when Obs popped up and they needed a job. Watch the Business of Being Born for an insight. As I think Trillian said, they forget midwives have been in the business of birth for much longer. They came in, and took over. We do need them and they do save lives - but not in the realm of normal birth - that is midwives work. I am sure you wouldn't like your boss taking over your job and telling you how it should be done.

Again as I have said, there is no obstetric crisis or shortage in Australia. There is an obstetric monopoly making them this busy, tired and prone to prefer inductions and c/s! Not saying they are doing a bad job but they are doing the WRONG job.