I’m a student Midwife AMA

[kw1091]

I can’t give medical advice (obviously) but would love to answer any curious questions you might have.

What are the calmest and most I'm out-of-control labours you've seen?

The calmest and this usually seems to be the case are young women. Women in their late teens and early twenties seem to be able to handle pain a lot better and therefore have calmer births. One particularly calm birth was a woman that had a not very enjoyable first birth and so focused on hypnobirthing throughout her second pregnancy and had an almost silent birth. That was amazing, the midwife I worked with and I didn’t speak (at her request) other than to give some instruction but the woman absolutely smashed it on her own.

The most out of control I have ever seen was a bba (born before arrival) we got to a woman in the car park as baby was just being born. That was very scary and I was quite panicked. But generally any labour that results in rushing to theatre.

Do you ever get scared? I remember a midwife at my first birth looking absolutely deathly scared just before my dd was born, and informing the other to hit the call button. Dd was born very suddenly (no rest between the head and body being born, she shot out!) after about three hours of fruitless pushing due to her coming out back to back and I still don’t know what made the midwife react the way she did.

Yes I do get scared sometimes although have learnt to not let it show. I’m lucky in the sense that I’m still a student so always work with a qualified midwife and they mostly call the shots. I learnt very quickly that I am not the most important person in the room and that if I am scared there’s an even more scared woman and birthing partner with me and they are the most important. I am unsure as to why your midwife was scared, sorry that happened!

...and the baby is obviously important

Do you think it's helpful for the woman giving birth to have the partner there?

Also, do you think younger people actually feel less pain or have less fear of the pain?

I remember screaming and screaming at my birth (something I would swore I would never do). Do most women scream?

I also ended up naked (No idea how!). Is that normal?

Do you have children? If not, and would like to someday, what kind of birth would you hope for? Would you use a pool, hypnobirthing, essential oils etc? Or prefer a more medicalised option?

In my antenatal classes, the instructor told us to bring wear clothes to wear in the birthing pool so as not to shock the student midwives. She gave an example of a time a student midwife was very shocked to walk into the labour room and see the mother starkers in the pool. I was surprised to hear this. Is this true in your experience?

@maple obviously, but the baby doesn’t know you’re scared.

@jamtea I think it’s entirely up to the woman if their partner is there. I see some partners that are brilliant and very supportive and others that are less so (this is usually because they are nervous/worried). Sometimes the woman’s mother and partner are a good combo as mother can offer “experience support”. I cared for a woman recently who didn’t have a birthing partner with her due to child care, she was very relaxed and really enjoyed her birth it was lovely.
Yes a lot of women scream it’s totally normal were used to it. As is nudity, a lot of women end up naked or just in a bra, the rooms are very warm and clothing can be constricting/claustrophobic.

@lethallola I don’t have children yet no, would very much like children one day though. I’d love to say I’d have a peaceful, homebirth with candles and whale music although I’ll probably end up screaming for an epidural!

@Cattenberg that’s hilarious! Who cares what students think you’re the most important! Maybe I am just comfortable with nudity but given the nature of the job I can’t imagine any of us being shocked by seeing a naked woman!

How did you find watching your first birth? (Vaginal and Caesarian)

Were you shocked?

@Annabelle4 my first vaginal birth I was very emotional. I had spent 10 of my 12.5 hour shift with the couple and had grown to really like them and when their little boy was born I had a little cry with them. I was most fascinated though by the birth of the placenta. I had seen birth on videos but had never seen a placenta be born so was stood open mouthed for that part!

The first section I saw was a mad rush, an emergency was called and we were rushed to theatre. From the bell being pulled to baby being born was only about 10 mins. I was shocked at hard the Dr’s had to pull and push. Fortunately I am not squeamish in any way but yes I think the combination of the emergency plus it being my first section I was quite shocked. I am more used to them now though and if you get a lovely Dr they’ll point out all the bits to you as well.

Thanks for answering my questions :) If a woman asks for an epidural and has written in her birth plan she doesn't want one, do you still gift it.

@jamtea yes absolutely! We see birth plans as an “ideal” but babies don’t follow plans and neither do women sometimes. You can have whatever you want (within reason obvs) regardless of what you’ve expressed throughout your pregnancy.

And if the partner says she doesn't really want one, do you still give it?

@jamtea yep! Her body her choice, that applies to everything.

Hi!

Have you ever gotten annoyed with a woman/partner in labour because of attitude/demeanour etc?

I always feel it must be such a high pressured job and you surely can't like everyone that comes through the door!

@HeresMeh with partner yes, woman no. Women are under extreme pressure, in pain etc and this can make them behave in different ways so I couldn’t get annoyed at a woman. With partners you don’t let them know, you’ll finish your shift and then you don’t have to see them again so you just get on with it. I think it helps to be patient and also a good judge of character. I am pretty good at working people out pretty quickly so you get an idea of how to behave and interact with different people quite quickly. Had to ask a few birthing partners to stop arguing though!

What are common mistakes women make in labour and are there any simple tips or techniques you would recommend for a first time birth?

I had sepsis during my birth. Was a bit out of it but was aware of some shouting to push fluids and something called a sepsis seven. My baby ended up having to go straight away somewhere else for antibiotics. Do you know what it is and why it happens. I had shocking hyperemesis and was really weak and induced so I don't know if that had anything to do with it?

Sorry cheeky second question how do you deal with it when a women desperately wants an epidural and no anaesthetist is available?

@magpie24 I’m not sure there’s mistakes as such but my advice would be to go in open minded. Consider how you would like your birth to be “I would like to try out the pool to see how I feel, I would like relaxing music, I am happy to have a student present” but don’t make these definites. Although you may have made a plan baby will ultimately have the final say. I think it’s much more beneficial to go in open minded “it’s ok if I decide I want an epidural, if I should end up in theatre I want my partner there, if I don’t like the pool I can get out” etc...

@wwwww I’m sorry you were so poorly and baby had to have antibiotics :( we push fluids because sepsis is a blood infection and sepsis 7 is 7 signs of infection we look for. I don’t think your hyperemisis or induction would cause it. Had your waters been broken for a long time? When did you have your baby, you can request your notes from your hospital and these will explain everything that happened. You can even have a debrief with a Dr to help you understand further what happened.

We basically explain that the anaesthetist has been called but they’re in theatre and will come as soon as they can. It’s really difficult but we try to keep the woman calm, encourage breathing texhniques and gas and air.

Thanks kw1091! I thought the idea of student midwives being shocked by nudity was a bit strange, but I dutifully brought an old nightie to wear in the birthing pool.

My labour was quite long, and a midwife and student midwife spent a whole 12 1/2 hour shift with me before they had to hand over. I never saw them again. If you don't get to see the birth, do you find out what happened when you're next in, or are you too busy?

@Cattenberg I’m always really sad when that happens! I always ask after ladies I’ve looked after and if I’m on shift the next day and they’re on the postnatal Ward I always go and say hello!