Stay at home parents obviously don't count

I've just completed the census as required apparently by law. Where is the option to be a 'stay at home parent' ? Why are we so undervalued by society that we are practically invisible ?

Recovering from flu...

Finally on the mend after a week primarily in bed, feeling very flippin sick, watching Mad Men series 3, dragging myself up to look after the kids, the worst sore throat ever....

Some things of note:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2011/mar/20/dr-abhay-bang-revolutionary-paediatrician
- this is about training local women in India to care for premature babies at home - surely this is the key to making childbirth safer - train the traditional birth attendants so they have life saving midwifery skills and can attend women in their villages. Is this being done ? i'm going to find out....

I've just signed up to twitter and found this
https://thankyourmidwife.wufoo.com/forms/thank-your-midwife/

my good friend and colleague Toni Harman charges on with her mission to change the world
http://doulafilm.com/blog/

I'm with her

Lots to say, no time to say it....

On post half term bonkers busy catch up but an interesting development to share:

In a speech today, Andrew Lansley (Secretary of State for Health) has used maternity services as an example of how the reformed NHS will reward services providers (i.e. hospitals) for providing care that keeps people healthy. The 'Payment by Results' tariff system is being ditched so hospitals will no longer profit from performing lots of unnecessary Caesarean Sections. The NCT have been pushing (!) for this for some time - its a result. And shows how sustained lobbying can really bring about change.

We need to keep pushing (sorry - can't help it) for one mother one midwife. So much to do, so little time !!!