Reclaiming Birth - Support Improvements in ALL maternity provision

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Yesterday I attended this protest march from the Imperial War Museum to the Department of Health in Whitehall. The march was organised jointly by the NCT, AIMS, ARM, IM UK, RCM and Albany Mums.

The purpose of it was to campaign for better provision of maternity care across the board for Mums in Britain. What they aim for is one to one care with a midwife, so that (s)he is a face you know, becomes a friend and advocate throughout your pregnancy and can guarantee to be with you, where possible, through childbirth, arguably the most important experience in a woman's life.

I was lucky enough to be able to register with the Albany Midwives, an NHS practice, associated with Kings College Hospital. (and the closest the NHS has ever got to supporting "independent" midwives) They offered all of these things and my own experience of pregnancy childbirth was one that I truly wish all pregnant women had the option of experiencing. I had my baby at home, with my midwife Nicky, and second midwife Natalie, both of whom I had come to know well. Had I needed or wanted to transfer to hospital they would have stayed with me until my baby was born. they also provided post-natal care for 6 weeks after the birth.

Unfortunately due to issues which have not been thoroughly investigated, Kings has terminated the Albany contract, despite the fact that its neonatal mortality rate is less than half that of Southwark Borough as a whole.(see document below)

As mothers, we need more practices like the Albany, not less. Just looking at the multiple threads on here written by mums who had a terrible time in labour or childbirth, were left unattended, were unsure what to do, who were lonely and scared and sometimes left with PTSD, it is time that maternity care in this country was promoted to the basic level of your midwife - who helps you through the most important event of your life, is someone whose name you know and whose face your recognise. is that too much to ask? I don't think so.

Please support this campaign

the campaign website is here

www.savethealbany.org.uk/ALBANY/Reclaiming_Birth.html

babysausage and daddysausage marching
www.flickr.com/photos/38292021@N02/4416231429/sizes/o/