Would having a male midwife bother you ?

[ChristmasRobinFly]

Just watching the us office birth episode where the male Breast feeding consultant comes along

and reminded me of having a male midwife and I felt uncomfortable but too embarrassed to say actually, I don’t mean to be sexist but
actually no, I don’t feel comfortable with this

It wouldn’t bother me, and there was a male doctor present at DS birth but I do think ideally women should be prewarned and able to reasonably request a female if at all possible.

I’d ask for a woman

Yes, it would bother me.

Yes

I guess if they were visiting to weigh the baby and give general post partum advice I would be ok with it. But I remember I really depending on MWs and Breast feeding clinics to help me with feeding and I would have struggled to be so open and vulnerable with a male MW.

How is a woman in labour, at her most vulnerable, suppose to relax with strange man attending her? Being tense & stressed is not going to help labour progress.

I'd request a woman

I would want a woman.

Mid WIFE. Mid WIFERY. Not mid person.
I've no issue with male obgyn but feel, at s woman's most vulnerable they need a woman.
However, given the shit show in some maternity wards I'd take a competent male midwife over a mediocre female

Probably not a PC answer but I had a male midwife who was fairly obviously gay and I was totally fine with that.

Yes! I’d request a female (as is my right to do so)

I had a horrible experience with a male sonographer while pregnant and while I know it’s not all men, he’s put me off having a man do any intimate procedure.

I would not be able to relax enough with a male presence, I would politey ask for female staff only during birth and I wouldn't even consider a male breastfeeding consultant.

A male doctor is fine. I was examined by one at 16 when pregnant and he couldn’t have made me feel more comfortable.

I would find a male midwife weird. I don’t think I would say anything, but I would prefer a female.

No, not at all. I had a male surgeon stitch me up after I tore with DD1 and it didn’t bother me.

I do think women should be able to request a female HCP (midwife, surgeon, anyone) if they want one though.

Yes

I would prefer and request a female midwife for labour. I had a gynae op with a male surgeon but that was fine as I was asleep!

I hd a male midwife for my fourth child, he was brilliant and this was 34 years ago

Pretty much this

Probably I'd be ok with it, I wasn't hugely impressed or comfortable with my female community midwife and don't remember the ones present at birth. I do remember the lovely male doctor who tended to the business end of the birth and ultimately pulled son out with a suction cup and he was great. He was so calm in a stressful, worrying time. So to me, I don't really see why a caring male midwife would be a problem. Quality is more important than their sex.

It would bother me. There are less than 200 male midwives in the UK. I can think of at least three of them who have ended up with assault convictions. I'd prefer my chances with a regular female midwife, thanks.

Absolutely not. I'd refuse and has it written on my birth plan for my home birth that no men were to attend.

I was in labour for so long I had multiple midwives the younger male one was the most supportive and advocated for me most strongly, rather than telling me what I should want or what I couldn't cope with! (Older female midwife) However it's should be a choice, I haven't experienced the trauma I know very well lots of women have at the hands of men. I see it daily through work.

I had a male midwife 43 years ago about didn’t bother me at all. He was lovely and gave me confidence.

"Midwife" means "with woman" (mid = with, wife= woman). It doesn't refer to the sex / gender of the health care professional at all.

Personally I'd have had no issues with a male midwife or any male health care professional in the room during childbirth. I do think it's important that choice is available for those who aren't comfortable, though I'm not sure how that works for HCPs like obstetricians where only one or two tend to be on duty at a time and both may be male.

This is a clever one as a little bit of sexism exists here.

Nurses are generally women.

There are two questions that could be asked:

"Would having a male midwife bother you?"
"Would having a male ob/gyn bother you?"

FWIW, there are two men I know of who've delivered babies in their careers and are reproductive specialists. One of them I met when I started IVF and the other did my investigative hysteroscopy.

I have a female ob/gyn for my current pregnancy and she's as knowledgeable and pleasant as the two males who've helped me in my journey to becoming a mother.

I think it would be ok as I can understand why a man would want to do this as its an amazing thing.

But I was a bit uncomfortable having male gynae. Not enough to say anything but i found it difficult talking about frequency of sex and it being painful etc. I know its just a body to them but its mine to me