I am English, but married an Australian and moved to Sydney with him 2 years ago. I am now 22 weeks pregnant with our first baby. The system here is quite different to the UK. There is public health care, but you are strongly encouraged and incentivized to also have some element of private cover, so I understand I am not making a direct comparison. Anyway, the care I have received here has been fantastic. Again the way I am cared for is different to the UK, I see my obstetrician monthly from 10 weeks and more frequently at the end of my pregnancy and he will be at the birth. As for a midwife, I do not have home visits and will not meet them until the birth when I have whoever happens to be on duty/call. There are birthing classes given by midwives to help you understand what to expect and how to prepare for hospital (for example what to bring) and breastfeeding is strongly encouraged and there appears to be lactation specialist on hand to help with any problems. Obviously, some of this I can’t comment on fully until I have had my baby.

Anyway, I feel sad when I read articles like this, as it makes me glad (almost thankful) that I am not having my baby in my own country and that the sacrifice of not being close to my family while pregnant is perhaps not as big as it might be. It really upsets me that things have come to this – an English woman feels safer having their pregnancy and birth outside of the UK.

There were no complications with the birth of my baby: it happened at home because it was so much easier than expected and I didn’t realise until too late it was time to go back to hospital (having been sent home earlier when I went in because my waters had broken). But I needed stitches and home was not set up for the care of a first-time mother and baby. The placenta didn’t appear until well after we got to hospital.

I truly hope the situation is not this bad in all or most NHS hospitals. The Daily Mail is not known for its kindly and balanced approach to such issues. I gave birth in Dublin last November. My baby was BBA, so I don’t know how much attention I would have received in labour had I made it to the hospital in time. But, though the birthrate has shot up in recent years and the hospitals are considered very stretched, my aftercare was excellent; someone always came when I rang the bell and I was given a lot of help with breastfeeding.

Btw, though we aren’t yet trying for the next baby, I am already planning a homebirth for next time. I firmly believe that, if the pregnancy has been uncomplicated, mother and foetus appear healthy, and there is adequate support in place, homebirth is best for both mother and baby.

When I spent a day in the maternity ward having my daughter… one other woman delivering. That was it.

Amazing!

I would whole-heartedly recommend your job as a career.. even though it’s severely frustrating at times.. you love it so much that you know change has to occur to provide the care you want or need to provide for everyone… without you (and more midwives) it would only be loads worse.

BTW, overwhelmed woman in her 30’s.. you gave something I did not get.. any notice that I was overwhelmed.

AND the nurses MADE ME STAY in the hospital until I was shown the bath demo; and “no”, they had no time for about 6 hours, which sounds like quicker than your time might be, but still… I kept thinking, “How hard can this BE? I’ve taken a bath all my life… I know how to do it.” (but that’s just me.. I’m sure there’s a good medical reason for watching a baby bath).