Would you give birth in a midwifery led unit?

[Inanna]

I haven't been able to read through from the beginning - as I have had a busy weekend.

I voted YES! I see from what I have read that there has been some hearty debate - I love that we do that here on BB. That we put our thoughts and feelings out there and speak up about how we feel.

Now, I planned a homebirth with my first child. We transferred to hospital after 24 hours of labour - I actually lost a lot of faith in my midwife - and I didn't feel "safe" with her in my labour. I was bullied, I was all but called a fool by the obs (now a prominent private obs in Brisbane) who received me. I was even asked to sign my chart that I was undertaking a vaginal birth against his judgement. Aaah but the midwives that night will forever be indellible upon my mind and soul. In her thick Irish accent she looked into my eyes and said: "You can do this woman" - "and I will help". So with the advocacy of that midwife and my own knowledge of birth and belief in my body I birthed my baby safely into my hands.

I chose a birth centre birth for my next two children - a beautiful midwife - who remains in my heart also. My babies wwere born into their fathers hands - only his touching theirs and then my own for the first half hour of life. My placentas I birthed in there own good and gracious time,.

My next child was born into the water in a private hospital. But I chose my midwife and I chose an obstetrician who would agree to wait outside - only to enter my sacred birthing space if the skills of his surgical hands were required. He agreed and the smile and hug I received as he welcomed my daughter and congratulated me in the afterglow of birth when wer were both tucked up safely will be forever indellibly etched on my soul.

He was the man who removed my next child from my womb - my daughter died at 16 ish weeks - I knew I was safe and I knew my childs body would be respected by his hands and heart.

My next child - a son also died in utero - I laboured for 12 hours and bled profusely - it was again the gentle surgical hands that saved my life and blessed my son as his little body met the room that night.

Again another daughter gone...

So, it became clear that I was high risk. Oh and I chose a woman obs - because she had opened her cervix for her own children. She had touched her own soft downy heads and she understood the fire in my belly. She also listened to my heart - and understood my tears. Together we journeyed through a pregnancy that ended with emergency c/section at 28 weeks. Amazing obs - an Englishman - with the kindest eyes. He came in the night just to check me - he knew that this baby was the most precious soul for her mother. He lifted her from my body on a sunny October afternoon and talked me through everything. He told me exactly what he was doing. How she looked. The noise she made. He had never been asked before for "background music" but he dignified my chanting music and respected my dimmed lights. He "allowed" my beautiful woman obs to be a second birth support. She held my right hand and my husband held my left as the room took a deep breath and prayed for a sound. I could hear his excitement that she was making sounds. She is alive.

So, I thank the Universe for obstetricians. They have played a huge role in my life. I thank the Universe for midwives - the stuff of legends I think.
They each play a role - should women have an obstetric birth for an "uncomplicated low risk birth". Well my opinion is that women should have what feels safest for them. However, in knowing what is safest all the information has to be presented. Unlike my colleague Schmickers (love your work my love!) I am too tired and spent after a weekend of sport and bbq's to access all my lovely facts.
So, you will just have to trust me on this! Low risk births are the job of midwives - that's their skill. Most of us are low risk. I was low risk and had 3 very uncomplicated births. My first birth was complicated because I wasn't on the same page as my midwife (long story ).

Our heads give birth before our hoo haas my loves. It's a fact and it's real. If we get our heads right our fanny's do their dance beautifully most of the time. Midwives want the best thing for the woman and her baby - if things don't look so great help is accessed. I was nearly (!) at a homebirth a couple of weeks ago - that midwife has had 1 transfer in awww I am guessing but I would say close to 20 years of birthing.

Obstetric birht is not necessarily the safest option for uncomplicated birth.