Student midwife due to qualify this year. AMA.

[Anonymous2003]

Thought this may be fun :)
Please no questions seeking medical advice

Unfortunately there's now direct entry midwives that don't do nursing degrees first. Think it's a real shame (most obstetricians/anaesthetists feel strongly on it as the knowledge difference is huge and I'd encourage anyone considering to do nursing first

Depends how late they present, I've seen 3 in the last 8y

You don't go to labour ward till active labour (>4cm) and antenatal wards don't have nitrous is why most likely. V few reasons medically not to

No. Just some units had too high levels to make it safe to work. It is temporarily withdrawn while scavenging systems are installed. The rates of epidurals went v high during that time

Nothing "happens" is decline abx that's an individuals right to. They just get told risks and benefits and baby will be more closely monitored post delivery. If you really wanted could ask to have the dose thrn cannula removed

Yes I see what you're saying re Braxton Hicks but surely there is a way of knowing when someone is in agony vs slight discomfort.

@Anonymous2003 @Mama05070704 I have another question if you don't mind! Do you see women refusing vaginal examinations often?

I feel like I was dismissed last time because I was only 1-2cm at arrival despite the regularity of my contractions and my pain. I didn't advocate well for myself because although I knew I was in a lot of pain, I didn't know I was going to be 10cm and pushing two hours later.

I'm thinking if I refuse an examination, they will have to just trust in what they can see and what I'm telling them, or could it have the opposite effect?

Not that often to be honest but I think that's because a lot of women aren't aware they have the right to refuse! I always make it clear on why I'm offering the examination and that they can decline. I tend not to do them, unless it's clinically indicated and/or the person requests an examination. There are lots of other external signs to look for in terms of progress in labour, that don't require us to examine you every few hours.

How common is it for women to need gas and air for sweeps and for insertion of pessary/gel during induction?
How often do inductions fail and what's the main reason?

@SparklingJoyous some women do ok without it for sweeps but others need it. Almost everyone uses the gas for pessaries, in my experience.
It's hard for me as a student to say how many inductions 'fail' but I think being induced too early plays a part.

How old were the oldest and youngest women you have looked after?

What do you think about women who go against medical advice in their pregnancies or births? Does it make you feel nervous? Do you judge them? Or do you think they are brave for standing up for themselves?

Can CTG monitors cause harm to babies? My now 16 year old was always very quiet with not much movement during pregnancy apart from when they but the CTG monitor on me and then he always started leaping about and moving loads more than any of my others did. He was moving continuously with no moments when I couldn't feel him moving. He was later diagnosed with autism and sensory processing disorder and I have always wondered since then that the monitor may have somehow upset him.

When I was a student nurse, doing my Obs and Gynae allocation, and was on the Labour ward, I flicked through the register of births, and found one 11 year old girl listed as having given birth, @elliejjtiny. This was in the mid-80s.

Horrifying. I hope she got help.

@elliejjtiny youngest 16 oldest 43.
Second question, it depends really on what the medical advice is.
I don't believe that CTGs have long lasting effects on babies after birth.

This is a lovely thread! I was lucky enough to have two textbook labours, my first my local hospital and second in a midwife - led unit nearby and I would say the experiences were worlds apart emotionally, just in terms of the care provided by staff. You could tell the hospital ward was a lot busier, staff were more abrupt and less available, I was left in bloodied bed sheets all day, nobody was bothered that I had missed out on meals, breastfeeding advice was brusque and minimal to the point I gave the baby a bottle just so I could leave and try again at home in peace whereas at the MW led unit where I assume they had more time, I was treated with so much care, had my own room with a double bed for my husband to stay with me to help care for the baby, helped to the shower, breakfast brought etc, they were really amazing. Would you consider a midwife led unit for your own birth if you were low risk and there was space available or would you always have one eye on the risks as a professional and opt for hospital instead?

@YouAgainDamnIt wow those sound like two very different experiences. Because I have never given birth I don't know how I would react to pain, and obviously on MLU you can only use gas and air, so I don't think it is something I could decide until I was in labour.