I have had midwives question me on the odd occasion, some a bit rude, and some even at the annual homebirth conference from S.A. who were the most abrasive I have encountered! We were all sitting at the same table for lunch and all of a sudden she comes out with, 'Do you know what we don't like about you? You don't have to get insurance and we do...' and continued to argue on when I explained it wasn't a medical role, we don't do procedures etc. But I don't buy into all of that, I am there for the birthing woman and there is no way I am going to add tension to the birth room!

Private hosptials seem to be the main ones that don't understand what we do and question. 'What training do you do? What about insurance?' are the main ones they scoff at. I believe this is because many women who go to private hospitals are more likely have pain relief and intervention and least likely to have a doula, so the middies are more medically focused. I think I have told you my story of asking a midwife why the pre-natal classes were all about pain relief (thats what client said), she replied, 'but thats what the majority want, they walk in and want an epidural'.

Those wanting no or least intervention to their research into how they can acheive that birth and know about doulas.

90% of my clients are in birth centres and the midwives there recommend doulas because they know the benefits we offer, given birth centres are a lower intervention place of birth. So it's all about the spreading of information and understanding.