I am a student midwife

[honeymaple]

I work full time on maternity, I see the wild and the wonderful and a really good insight into the NHS and the way students are treated.

Ask me anything!

Funny but I don’t feel I achieved a lot. I wrote a few guidelines, introduced some new clinics and initiatives. All the stuff you do when you’re young & keen. The most Memorable bits were missing weddings and birthdays and DC on Xmas morning.

I think to even survive several years in the job is an achievement in itself. Honestly and truly, thank you.

What financial incentives/support are there for midwives in training? I'm interested in pursuing this career but couldn't afford to miss out on salary for 3 years - is there an option to earn money while in training?

They couldn't offer me anything except paracetamol, because they couldn't admit me.
From what I can tell, there was simply no one to call.

This is a lot different from the way our trust works. That sounds just terrible, I can't imagine what you had to go through.

To be honest, it was fine. It wasn't what I had planned, and it was very different to my first labour, but I walked away with a healthy baby and no injuries. Birth is a painful process, that's just part of it. I was more concerned for all the poor women in for reduced movements who had to listen to me howling for hours on end.

What financial incentives/support are there for midwives in training? I'm interested in pursuing this career but couldn't afford to miss out on salary for 3 years - is there an option to earn money while in training?

They have started to bring in apprenticeships but these are scarce and usually only available to people who are already employed at the trust.

I am a single parent and get the full maintenance loan.

All midwifery students get a £5000 bursary on top of that and an extra £2000 if you have children.

I also get 85% of my childcare costs paid for, but that is based on your household income.

Thank you for replying! Is it difficult doing stitches ‘down there’ Can you see what you are doing with everything going on??

Working alongside the degree is hard/next to impossible because you are already working full time and have no control over your shift pattern.

Thank you for replying! Is it difficult doing stitches ‘down there’ Can you see what you are doing with everything going on??

It definitely a difficult skill but most people do get it. It does seem to just "click" and you suddenly understand it.

I am very strong-stomached and don't tend to get squeamish, apart from dealing with tears and suturing. You do become somewhat desensitised.

Thank you - I have had 2 babies myself (without stitches thank goodness!) so I know a bit about what goes on but I don’t want to go through starting the course if I find out that I am too squeamish in this area!

When you say it's 1-1 care for women in labour, is that just in established labour / from 4cm dilated? I laboured very quickly both times, and the first time was terrifying as I was checked at 1cm and left to get on with it without any pain relief. Nobody seemed to believe that I was in a lot of pain or checked what was happening. Baby arrived less than an hour later!

Thank you - I have had 2 babies myself (without stitches thank goodness!) so I know a bit about what goes on but I don’t want to go through starting the course if I find out that I am too squeamish in this area!

I have one and I had an episiotomy so maybe that's why it makes me wince.

Don't let it put you off; you honestly do just get used to it. When I first started I used to firmly cross my legs together and grit my teeth.

When you say it's 1-1 care for women in labour, is that just in established labour / from 4cm dilated? I laboured very quickly both times, and the first time was terrifying as I was checked at 1cm and left to get on with it without any pain relief. Nobody seemed to believe that I was in a lot of pain or checked what was happening. Baby arrived less than an hour later!

Yes I mean in established Labour, although on the midwife led birth centre of it isn't busy then we will pop in and out of a room of a woman in the latent phase who doesn't want to go home.

At our trust we keep a closer eye on women who say they have birthed quickly before and understand they are probably going to progress much quicker than the norm. Women like you, we wouldn't send home and wouldn't be leaving alone for long periods of time.

Thank you. I am sorry if that is an inappropriate question to ask but it was extremely busy in the MAU as there were a lot of ladies who were very poorly and nobody explained to me what was going on. The midwife and doctor did check the CTG though so they had a similar procedure to yours. If I have any more reduced movements I will go straight back in.

What are the hours like? How long are your shifts?

What are the hours like? How long are your shifts?

We do day shifts and night shifts. They are 12.5 hours long, but you often end up staying longer.

It's the worst in winter because all you see is darkness.

What are the good things about changing hospitals at 36wk pregnant?! I was at a lovely little local hospital where I was in every week for scans and consultant appts. I’ve just been moved to a v large hospital with poor reputation because the birth is going to be too risky for the small hospital. I’m gutted!

What will the benefits be of the massive hospital that I might not have realised (other than me and the baby will be safe!)

*What are the good things about changing hospitals at 36wk pregnant?! I was at a lovely little local hospital where I was in every week for scans and consultant appts. I’ve just been moved to a v large hospital with poor reputation because the birth is going to be too risky for the small hospital. I’m gutted!

What will the benefits be of the massive hospital that I might not have realised (other than me and the baby will be safe!)*

Oh no I'm sorry!! Are there any other hospitals that can offer the care you need, but with a better reputation?

Without knowing of the hospitals, it's really hard to say.

What qualifications do you need as a starting point to study for a degree in midwifery? GCSEs, A levels etc?

@honeymaple Fellow student midwife and single parent here. Kudos to you!

Thank you for everything you do!! Pretty much every midwife I've met since becoming pregnant 35 weeks ago has been bloody wonderful, it's such a hard job and you can tell everyone in the profession has a love for it.

My question is on reduced movements too - I was in 4 times for it last week, and was wavering today whether or not to go back in but he woke up. He's very inconsistent in the way he moves (this is my 3rd baby and haven't experienced anything like this before). CTGs are ok, a growth scan looked good (he was huge in fact, 90th centile vs my last 2 babies who were born on 20th). I know induction is considered for reduction in movements but I'm scheduled in for a c section - if he continues to misbehave would this be brought forward? (Appreciate trusts are different, but it wasn't mentioned last week when I was going out of my mind with worry)

Why are obese women much more complicated? When you say obese do you mean any with a bmi over 30? As the research I have done personally shows many of the negative outcomes and change of care are actually for women with a bmi over 40.

I have a high bmi with this pregnancy and its been no different to my first so far. I planned on losing weight but it was an unplanned pregnancy

As part of your training are you being taught to identify why BAME bloody hate that word women are more likely to be at risk for adverse births than their white counterparts? I've read and heard so many experiences from black women who have had terrible experiences during their pregnancy and childbirth and am wondering what your take on it is.
A bit heavy but you did say AMA.

How was it applying for the course?
I did Access to Nursing, and several of my cohort applied for Midwifery but only one got in. Apparently it is super competitive.

What’s your thoughts about CoC? And how many opportunities have you had to attend homebirths?

What are your hours like whilst training?