Dear Janet,

Hi,  I am just responding to your call for support.  My sincere
sympathy goes to all of you midwives in that New York City
Hospital.  Must you all stay there and work?

Is it impossible for the midwives there (In New York City) to go
independent?

Can't your ladies decide that they prefer you midwives to deliver
them?

What kind of education programme do you midwives conduct for
your clients?

I feel that you have to show the childbearing mothers that you are
able to take good care of them in your own unique set up.  Prove it
to them.  I am sure that they woud vote with their feet.

You midwives there need to be proactive. Generate your own
research and take it  from there.  Surely research would prove that
we midwives are the best for our mothers, babies and their families.
No body would do our fighting for us.

I will look round and if I find any information, I would foward it to
you.  One document in Britain in 1993 in the Department of Health -
 The Changing Child Birth confirmed that the mothers preferred the
midwives' care provision to the obstetricians.  The NCT  & RCM
organisations will be of assistance to you.  I am sure that some of
our colleagues will foward some useful information to you.

All the best in your struggles


Bridget I.Okereke

> I would also be very interested in references for any such papers
> documenting better economics in using midwives over OB's; also any
> documentation of midwives having better outcomes with high risk
> women................my hospital in New York City, with a midwifery
> service starting over 50 yrs ago has just recently said that midwives
> would no longer be doing deliveries!! We are 23 midwives working very
> hard to turn this around, any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Janet Brooks, CNM, MPH





Bridget.I.Okereke,
Midwifery Education Department,(Sen.Lecturer).
Middlesex University,
School of Health and Social Sciences, (HSS)
Midwifery Academic Department,(Sen.Lecturer).
3-10 Highgate Hill
0208-411-6354
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