Catherine's Comment

My first child was born at home with NHS community midwives. At the time we were just happy that we had managed to achieve a drug-free, first time home birth under the NHS - with relatively little opposition. It is only with hindsight however that we realised how managed the labour was - despite being at home. To give you an example - the syntometrine was plunged into my thigh with the words "It is procedure" before I could object. It has left a sour taste to say the least. We were unaware of independent midwives the first time round. When i became pregnant again, I knew that it was the right way to go. Continuity of care, more holistic approach to childbirth, support of home births etc etc. The cost was not an issue (what else are credit cards for?!) because we knew that every penny would be well spent. And it has been. Absolutley. I would never again trust my wellbeing and that of my baby to a system that is as beholden to budgets, mired in bureaucracy and woefully misguided as the one we have in the NHS today. Women must be allowed to choose how they birth their babies. Independent midwives really do offer the gold standard in care. To allow them to discontinue practise would be criminal. Women will suffer as a result. Highly skilled women will lose their livelihoods. But maybe most importantly, valuable skills and knowledge about a women\'s ability to birth her baby naturally without interference will be lost. Which would be a tragedy all round. It must not be allowed to happen. (mother/ex-journalist)