'Four midwives for 26 women'

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A report into English maternity units says that some still do not have enough midwives or beds to cope with the number of women needing them.

Lorraine Grace, from Swindon, explains how she was left terrified as midwives struggled to cope as she gave birth to her second child last year.

Lorraine's son Matthew turned one this week, but she can still vividly remember her experiences during labour and birth.

"I spent most of the time just praying that there would be no complications, as I didn't think that they would be able to cope."

At the time, the government had just published its "Maternity Matters" strategy, which repeated the pledge that women would have more choice over where they gave birth, and the type of pain relief available.

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Lorraine had chosen the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, but when she went into labour, and phoned ahead to the midwife-led maternity unit, it did not seem like that choice would mean much.

"They just said to me: 'We're full' - no advice on what to do next, just those two words.

"I told them that I was coming anyway. I was about to give birth - what was I supposed to do?"

On arrival at the unit, she found four midwives looking after 26 women either at various stages of labour or just after delivery.

Eventually a woman was transferred out of the labour ward, and a room came available.

"I was in quite a bit of pain, and I asked if I could have an epidural. A doctor came, but he refused to give it to me."

The scene was fairly chaotic. Lorraine described how the midwives made the most of their expertise.

"What happened was that when a woman was in the final stages of labour - with the baby's head starting to show - a midwife would press the alarm button so that a second midwife could come in for the moment of birth in case there were any complications.

"The midwives were brilliant, but there were just too few of them. You were just worrying that if something awful happened, then you or your baby might die."

Straight home

Matthew was born safely, and they were swiftly transferred to the maternity ward, where this time, a single midwife was tending to the needs of 32 women and their babies, said Lorraine.

"She popped in when we arrived, and apologised, saying that this was probably the first and last time we'd see her, unless we pressed the alarm.

"It was awful. We went home as soon as we could."

She added: "I had chosen not to have a home birth, simply because if anything went wrong, the safest place to be would be a hospital.

"I may as well have had a home birth in the end."

The trust which runs the hospital is now applying to become a foundation trust, and Lorraine has applied to become a public member of the new organisation.

"I feel that this is the best way to make a difference to the way that maternity services are run."