Midwives have been the focus of much debate recently as the number of new births has been in decline in England and Wales, but they are not the only way to deliver a baby.
One midwife in the Midlands has claimed that in some areas she is “working for a miracle”.
“It’s an interesting thing,” she told the Sunday People.
“When a woman has her first baby she is not expecting it to be a problem.”
There are no tests done and there are no medical interventions in the delivery.
“But it is a big risk for a woman.”
When the baby is born, she has to wait for about two hours before they can take the baby into hospital.
“The doctor will tell you to wait and then give you an epidural but they will be taking the baby with you for two hours.”
If the baby doesn’t make it, the midwife will put them down.
“I am working for a Miracle.
It’s a miracle.”
Midwives were called in to perform at least 8,000 births in England in 2016, according to the National Maternity Registry and more than 3,000 in Wales.
A similar figure was recorded in 2017.
More: Midwifery in the UK has been growing in recent years and the number is forecast to double in the next 10 years, according the National Maternity Council.
The figures are a result of the fact that the number and size of hospitals in England have been cut by around 30% since 2011, but the number still exceeds the number who deliver in hospital.
In 2015, a total of 2,988 midwives were recorded in England, according to the Centres for Midwifework Research.
Many midwives also offer “babies’ homes” in which they provide care for children, but this is not legal.
In 2016, the Health Protection Agency said there was a need for more information on midwifer licensing, especially around licensing of midwives who work outside hospitals.
Last year, it was announced that midwives would be subject to a “dynamic inspection system” and new laws were being introduced.
As a result, midwives are being encouraged to work in public places such as bars, pubs and cinemas.
Read more about the midwives issue on The Sunday People.