Please, young women, get educated about birthing…
NHS maternity services in meltdown: A former midwife reveals how understaffed wards are sinking into chaos
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1235921/Midwives-meltdown-A-NHS-worker-reveals-understaffed-maternity-wards-sinking-chaos.html#ixzz0ZoE2NjQd
“Welcome to the modern NHS maternity ward. A world of shoddy practice, poor hygiene standards and a shocking disregard for patients’ individual needs…”
“We offer them strong painkilling drugs such as pethidine or diamorphine – which is a form of heroin.”
“Drugs keep the mother nice and quiet which, of course, suits staff.”
“But they also likely to make her and her unborn baby terribly sleepy.”
“Although these drugs can sometimes increase contractions, they all too often slow them down.”
“The end result at the woman will need more drugs, not fewer, and labour will take longer.”
“But, of course, we don’t explain of that as we dole out our pain killers. Besides, on a busy ward, what’s the alternative?”
“Once a woman is in full labour, you’d thought we’d put her needs first. But I’m embarrassed to admit that, all too often, we were not allowed to.”
“Most hospitals rigidly enforce the rule that, once in labour, a woman’s canal must dilate at the rate of 1cm an hour.”
“If that isn’t happening, midwives are encouraged to tell the her that her baby may be getting in distress – even if that isn’t the case.”
“Terrified and exhausted by a haze of drugs, the woman agrees to anything which is offered.”
“In practice, this means we give her extra drugs to intensify the contractions and so speed the arrival of the child.”
“Her pain levels increase and she’ll need an epidural injection in her spine to numb the pain around her groin.”
“It’s a vicious circle. I felt terribly mean persuading women to go along with it. I knew I wasn’t always acting in their best interests. But what could I do?”…
“The truth is that breastfeeding rates are plummeting in the hospitals I’ve worked in.”
“The reason is simple. Midwives don’t have the time to spend helping mothers to feed properly.”
“And without that vital support in the early days, women give up…”
“Weak and in pain, they don’t have the knowledge or strength to stand up for themselves.”
“Instead, they end up being patronised by doctors and bullied by midwives into taking drugs they don’t want.”
“But what makes me most sad and angry is that those hospital staff – everyone from managers down – are taking advantage of women when they are at their most vulnerable.”
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