A private midwife has been found guilty by her professional body of a string of charges after leaving a west Wales woman alone to deliver her own baby.
Rosemary Robertson, 48, from Hereford, failed to go to the mother's home in Haverfordwest despite repeated phone calls saying the woman was in labour.
Robertson, also known as Annie, was given a caution for care failures.
But she was cleared of some charges, including failing to acknowledge the mother-of-three's distress.
The Nursing and Midwifery Council hearing was told the mother was left to deliver her own baby in a near-empty birthing pool because of a plumbing problem.
Her partner collected water from a stream and heated it on their stove to try to fill the pool, the Nursing and Midwifery Council heard.
Robertson was found guilty of a string of charges of failing in the care of the expectant mother. These include a charge of professional misconduct in failing to visit her client.
But she was cleared of failing to respond to the woman's concern that there was no hot water for the birthing pool and failing to acknowledge her distress.
"I wanted the midwife to be there for birth to support me."
The midwife was also cleared of misconduct over failing to make contemporaneous notes of her telephone calls with the mother.
Robertson broke down in tears earlier in the case telling the panel how the case had left her devastated.
She said she had never missed a birth in 23 years of practice and said midwifery was her life.
"The idea of being taken off the register would just be devastating," she said."It's who I am".
The couple, known as Mrs A and Mr B, were said to have hired Robertson in June 2002 because of a lack of specialists in their area.
Giving evidence, the woman from Haverfordwest, a mother of three, said Robertson had not asked her about her condition as she coped with the contractions.
"She never asked me about the pain. If she had asked me I would have said it bloody well hurt. She never asked me because she wasn't interested."
Midnight phone call
The woman added: "I wanted the midwife to show she cared about me, that she would come.
"She missed the birth and she ignored me when I made the midnight phone call. I wanted the midwife to be there for birth to support me.
"I did not expect her to turn up five minutes after and say 'Sorry I missed it. Oops'"
The caution will remain on Robertson's record for five years.
Chairman of the panel Lavinia Ness said in reaching their decision the committee had regard to Robertson's expressions of remorse and regret for the distress caused to the couple.
"We have also taken into account the efforts you have made to change your practice and undergo training since the events which are the subject of these charges as well as the many impressive testimonials both professional and person presented on your behalf."
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