To think about training as a midwife or

[Bearwithmeplease]

Do I need to give my head a wobble? Tell me the good, the bad and the ugly.

Depends?

• previous education?
• do you need to do an access course?
• married/partner?
• children? If so how many and ages
• health?

-mental health?

• any adult dependents? Or possibly in the future?
• do you drive?

I’m not a midwife but I understand it’s a 3 year degree (unless you’re already a nurse), which would be pretty pricey. Plus there’s intense competition for places in degree courses.

Hard to tell with no background information

I know someone who did this and, while she did finish the course, actually decided mid way through it wasn't for her as a career.
Studying when you are older is, in my experience, really hard.
Could you get any relevant work experience before you decide so that you can get a feel for it?
But if you think you can manage it, and you really want to do it then hope it goes well.

Why put all that effort and disruption into a getting a job that will be shitty hours for shitty pay?

Not a midwife but a student nurse at the tender age of 49. Absolutely love it. It's challenging at times, financially difficult and what social life?? But I'm so glad I'm doing it.

Cons:

• >£30k of debt to do a midwifery degree as the tories did away with bursaries and jacked up tuition fees
• A year of study to get onto the midwifery course if you don't have relevant further education qualifications
• slim chance of getting on to a midwifery course anyway as they're hugely competitive
• no say in where your placement hospital is, could be anywhere in the trust so might be 5 miles away, might be 50
• expected to work shitty hours for free alongside studying
• expected to work shitty hours for crap pay once you're qualified
• you'll be overstretched as the service is woefully understaffed and underfunded so you probably won't be able to give the care you want to to the mothers you look after
• stress
• bureaucracy
• crappy management
• working for a service currently being used as a bargaining chip by the Tories who want to sell it off to the highest bidder

Pros:

• you might love it
• cute squishy babies

Up to you OP- I pondered it for years but the cons list got way too long after the tories fucked everything up, wouldn't go near it now!

I’m a student midwife. If you have any questions, feel free to fire them my way. About to go into my final year at the grand old age of 36.

Amy Childs reckons she's gonna be one a private midwife so no reason why you can't.

Do you like filling loads of details on computer?
NHS computers.

I work in NHS (not a MW) and I have to say the whole paperless records is a Godsend and a major pain in the arse at the same time.

I often feel half my work is patient facing , the other half is screen facing .

Are you able to work 12 hour shifts on days, nights and weekends?

Honestly never thought I’d say this but don’t do it. I loved being a midwife, have never wanted to do anything else.

I’m now applying for new jobs outside the NHS because the system is so underfunded and so understaffed that i start every shift thinking “is today the day I make a mistake that kills someone?”

The anxiety is unbearable because you KNOW that sooner or later you will make that mistake, you see it happen every day to colleagues that are fabulous midwives and more experienced than you but they are human and the system is broken.

Studying when you're older is extremely rewarding. Education is lost on the young! Did my nurse training in my 30s and it was the very best thing ever. Go for it.

Have a friend who trained quite a few years ago but can’t wait to leave, many midwives off sick with stress means staff shortages are worse than ever She feels woman she looks after get very poor minimum care and that she really can’t do the job properly any more. Add to that 12 hour shifts where she’s lucky to get a break would it be worth retraining? I

My midwife friends are all burnt out. You work on your feet all day, have multiple women all in labour, don't eat, drink or wee for 12 hours and if something goes wrong at the birth you can sued for years (21 or 30? I forget.) One of my friends was amazing at it, but having two court cases hanging over her head for years (neither her fault) finished her off. Plus, at the trust where I work, there is a massive problem with bullying. You will spend all your time doing accurate paperwork to cover your ass and not looking after the women in your care. Sorry but this is what 20 years of friendship with midwives has taught me.

Wow, I'm not gonna lie, I've been put off! It's so sad the system is so broken. I can't see how it's ever going to be fixed? I didn't realise it was quite that crap for midwives. Very sad and grateful to the wonderful ones that brought my two beauties into the world.