I am not one of the 10%, as I live in the UK... but I will more than happily lend my support to this cause if it will help.

My personal experience here in the UK is a very medical process via Doctor, hospital consultant and hospital intervention/monitoring, etc. I renounced all this in favour of an independent midwife who supported me at home through a difficult (but nevertheless calm and wonderful) breech first birth at home (against the consultant's advice).

The consultant advised coming immediately to hospital at the first twinge, to be strapped to monitors, unable to move around, and at the first signs of any slowing down immediate transfer to theatre for ceasarian.

My contractions started every 4 mins apart with my waters breaking at 12:30, 1 hour into my night's sleep! My midwife came straight to me and stayed up with ME (AND ONLY ME) all night long, taking sleeps here and there when my partner wasn't sleeping! I felt VERY WELL SUPPORTED but undirected and free to do as I wished. I laboured for 18hours (2.5 hours of second stage, the pushing!) I had about 3 hours with no contractions and had a long rest before going into transition. Again when things weren't progressing and the contractions slowing I was left to rest, and when checked again I was fully dilated and baby heading (or bottoming!) fast .. so I was helped onto my hands and knees to do a gentle, steady and guided delivery.

Once she was born, nobody spoke.. we discovered our baby for ourselves, still attached she was simply laid on the floor under me, and the 3 of us just stared at each other and then had kisses and cuddles and finally checked her sex... all of which is done by the staff, when in a hospital, and they rush to cut the cord, tell you the sex, etc. Those moments are the most precious.. I then had a bath in my bath... as many cups of tea, drinks, sandwiches or whatever I wanted from my well stocked fridge, and laid freshly bathed with my baby in my bed. My midwife left after everything was cleared away and we were in bed resting to return the next days for usual checks.

The Midwive's in hospital have their hands tied to a degree by the physicians and their schedules, I hear this again and again. Whereas, with my midwife by my side keeping me calm and being there for me, absolutely MADE the whole experience the best it could be .. with unobstrusive but consistent care.. She was an absolutely AMAZING LADY. She also seemed to know when I would go into labour (as she discussed what would happen if I went into labour on this night, and I did!) .. she also has done this with others I know.

I also got straight on with handling and managing MY baby and se felt very mine, nobody else took charge of her.. she was mine and WE were assisted, so I never felt nervous at being 'left' to look after her, which I think happens when other people get their hands on your baby first and give you the impression that 'they know what they are doing and you do not', which so undermines a new mother's confidence.

Anyway, end of story.. do hope this helps the cause to giving midwives the experience they so badly need to completely understand each woman in her own very unique labour and delivery, and not following the timetabled delivery and unnecessary ceasarians, ventouse, episiotomoties and high level opiate pain relief!

GOOD LUCK OUT THERE WITH YOUR ENDEAVOURS MAY YOU SUCCEED