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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think there must be midwives that smoke

22 replies

WonderWorm · 22/04/2019 02:39

...and if so how the he'll do they do their job if the guidelines on sids is full change of clothes and child avoidance for 2 hours?

Has anyone ever experienced a midwife who had clearly smoked. I can't say I have but given the number of other types of nurses I know who smoke would it be unreasonable to think some are obviously doing so.

OP posts:
FluffySocks123 · 22/04/2019 02:49

My best friend is a midwife

She smokes on her way to work - she has a 2.5 hour car journey; gets changed at work. Doesn't smoke all day on her shift; then smokes on her drive home

StillCoughingandLaughing · 22/04/2019 02:58

Maybe they smoke, but have some self-control?

kamelo · 22/04/2019 03:03

There are medical professionals in all specialities who smoke, not just midwives. As there is such a shortage of midwives I don't think they get the time to disappear for a quick smoke at work as most (all?) trusts are a non smoking site and have uniform policy preventing wearing uniform off site.

PregnantSea · 22/04/2019 03:10

I doubt they smoke on shift. They can smoke as much as they like when they aren't at work

Original poster
WonderWorm · 22/04/2019 03:12

I'm aware of other medical professionals who smoke and disagree with it during work hours as even with clothes change you can still smell it, I wondered about midwives particularly because of the link between sids and smoking, the close intimate proximity to someone giving birth and guidelines given to parents of full change, wash, avoid baby as chemicals still present on breath for hours.

OP posts:
SinkGirl · 22/04/2019 03:12

Yes, I work in the maternity service and a few of the midwives smoke that I am aware of - not on shift though.

ourkidmolly · 22/04/2019 04:08

Most NHS Trusts will have a no smoking policy within a certain distance of the hospital to prevent staff standing outside puffing so even on shift break it would be a challenge. Are you worried about it?

Megan2018 · 22/04/2019 04:38

I know several!
Some of the community midwives smoke outside the clinic...
Not sure about hospital though.

Passthecherrycoke · 22/04/2019 04:42

Yes, we’ll they just smoke. I think your worries are unfounded because sids is extremely rare, and it being caused by someone who smokes and only briefly has non parental contact with a newborn probably non existent. Have you ever heard of babies dying from SIDS whilst in the hospital? I can’t say I have tbh

mindutopia · 22/04/2019 04:55

The irritation that smoking/third hand smoke caused to the airways is created by routine exposure. It’s not just one time and then your baby dies of SIDS. The concern would be with repeated/daily exposures, as in a parent or other caregiver.

imbluedabedeba · 22/04/2019 08:30

@FluffySocks123 no way does anyone drive 2 1/2 hours there and back for a midwife wage!!

Newyearbollocks · 22/04/2019 08:46

@imbluedabedeba
I work in maternity and know plenty that do.
I know loads who smoke. They don't on shift though, no time for that. They always get changed before and after shift and regular during (scrubs, theatre).
So your worries are unfounded. None of them would handle a baby after a cigarette, I know this much.

TheWernethWife · 22/04/2019 08:50

My DP is a NHS manager (not maternity) and says that some staff regularly travel over 2 hours to get to work. You can't always afford to live near where you work.

imbluedabedeba · 22/04/2019 09:03

Wow that is eye opening, I've just decided not to apply for a job as it's an hours commute and I felt it was too far, I'm really surprised that 5 hours driving or travelling is the norm for some.

12pinkchairs · 22/04/2019 09:11

I had a health visitor turn up to see my newborn baby stinking of smoke one day 🤢

Prequelle · 22/04/2019 09:15

They have to put long jackets over the top of their uniforms and zip them up

To be honest they don't really touch the babies all that much. They're there for the mother mainly.

Bambamber · 22/04/2019 09:16

Where I used to work staff weren't allowed to smoke in their uniforms and also weren't allowed to smoke on site. If they were caught they faced disciplinary action

FluffySocks123 · 22/04/2019 10:10

@imbluedabedeba yes she does .... she finished uni and the hospital she done her last placement in offered her a job - so she took it.

It's not uncommon to travel for that amount of time - sometimes it takes her longer depending what time her shifts start / finish

We live in London so it's ridiculous traffic

CupcakeDrama · 22/04/2019 12:32

This is ridiculous. Ofcourse some smoke!!

Cornettoninja · 22/04/2019 13:06

I imagine some do yes.

Personally I’m more bothered that the flu vaccine uptake is ridiculously low in my local maternity unit than I would be about having a midwife who’d had a cigarette then washed her hands/face and changed her top.

neverhadanymarblestolose · 22/04/2019 13:45

Yes, when I had just had my first baby, one of the midwives that came to check on me afterwards, had clearly recently smoked, as she stunk of smoke. Luckily she didn't need to touch my baby as I was unsure of what I was going to say to her to tell not to touch my baby.

DeloresJaneUmbridge · 22/04/2019 13:54

I don’t know many midwives who smoke....none of my midwife friends do.

I am sure some do though but as others have said they barely have time to pee never mind head out for a fag break.

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