Do you remember the bond you formed with your midwife?

My last midwife was amazing, she supported all my decisions throughout my pregnancy, answered my questions, gave me information and empowered me to think despite having a c-section previously I would delivery normally this time. She stayed with me over a very long labour, she arranged extra nights in hospital and a birthing facility to give me a good break, and made regular home visits once we got home.

I think their service is worth their weight in gold, so to hear that they are being paid terribly and that this might be due to being women is heart breaking.

4 years at University, then they are on call for your birth 24/7. They see you as a patient for 9 months, they are often working in the middle of the night. All this for apparently the equivalent wage of an unskilled worker. Possibly because they are women…..

The LMC (lead maternity carer) system in NZ is world class, and midwives attend 99% of births in NZ, there is no doubt that they are a valued and important role in NZ’s medical community. So why the terrible pay?

Midwives have received 2 small pay rises since 2007 but neither have kept up with inflation, this means the NZ college of midwives are claiming they haven’t been paid properly since 1996. This is the reason they are taking this action to the High Court in Wellington.

Good on them for being so pro-active for seeking fair pay for the very important role they play in insuring our precious babies arrive fit and healthy earth side. Maybe this will reduce the number of midwives who leave the profession each year, or make it easier for those of us in busier areas to find a midwife when pregnant.

I would like to see the pay increase give LMC midwives the ability to take on less mums at once, this would lead to an increase in care for each mum and a better work life balance for the midwives who leaving home at 3am to come and deliver our babies!