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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Student midwives

17 replies

MrsLee · 24/05/2006 19:52

Hi all...

Im due my baby early july and plan on doing it at home, My midwife has asked if she can bring a student to the birth who iv only met once previous when they did a home visit and she seemed more interested in watching MTV! Now im all for students needing to learn and the only way to do this is through experiance but im just unsure if i want a spotty teenager at my home birth not knowing what she's doing.. iv not said yes or no yet still thinking about it...
What do you all think?

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sallystrawberry · 24/05/2006 19:54

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lexiemum · 25/05/2006 08:10

I said no at both of mine because as a student nurse i was "dumped" with lady giving birth and felt completely useless and the lady and her dh expected me to have all the answers and didn't. I didn't want the same to happen to me , particularly as a student you don't really get to build relationships with the families.

I did have post reg students at my second birth - a community midwife learning about induction and a german midwife on work experience from a german hospital. I actually discharged myself from induction as this student wanted to break waters but couldn't really get to them and i wasn't happy for her to do it - went home and went into labour normally. The german lady was lovely and a great support to dh and was invaluable at the time.

if I was at home - definately not.

happybebe · 25/05/2006 08:16

i realy wish i had said no to mine as well, when i first went into hospital i was only 2 cm dilated and they asked if i would have a student. i said yes and she wanted to do an internal to see how far i was gone, she then told me i wasnt dilated at all so shouldnt be here! then the proper midwife came in and said i was two cm and contracting very well, two hours later i was 6 cm and huffing about with a tens machine. obviously they presumed i would be a quick labour so the student hung about even after her shift finished but when i got into the water labour slowed right down and by 10pm that night i was only 8 cm dilated. i later got out and had pethidine but was really yelling on the bed and the student said to me 'if you put as much effort into pushing as you do yelling this baby would be here by now!' i was too out of it to react but my DH didnt hold back and told her he would rather she left if she made comments like that. she stayed but faded into the back ground. eventually gave birth at 3.40 in the morning, and all the student could say was i should have gone home when my shift finished. all in all a bed experience and i would NEVER consider having a student their again. worse she was a mature student, must have been at least 45.

DullBoot · 25/05/2006 09:16

I had a home birth in February and had a student midwife deliver DD. She was fantastic and it was her first delivery where she had done it all.

I had met her twice before, once when she came with a stand in midwife, as mine was on holiday, and she asked if she could come to the birth, and then she bobbed in the week before I was due to check all was well because she was in the area.

I thought she was fantastic and really listened to me. She wasn't a spotty teenager, but she wasn't as ancient as I am either.

Do what you feel is right. Tell the midwife that you get the impression from the visit that the student was more interested in your TV than you on the visit. Students need that sort of feedback in order to improve their ability.

Good luck with the home birth, mine was FAB!!! :)

tortoiseshell · 25/05/2006 09:32

I've had mixed experiences with students - with first birth which was induced in hospital, she declared I wasn't dilated at all, so couldn't go to delivery suite, when was 6-7cm (she realised this when she actually did examination), and just kept making mistakes, which is fine, but not if you're unsupervised!!!, and one lovely one who caught the baby in my 2nd birth (at home). Most of the ones who I've come across ante-natally have been lovely, but I would be anxious about seeing any without a qualified mw after my experiences with that first one...

Angeliz · 25/05/2006 09:42

I am hoping for a homebirth too.
The midwife said they will try to have an experienced qualified midwife and if they haven't another available or are short that day, a student or even someone from the maternity ward (can't remember the name) who is not qualified at all). At first i thought 'well that's fine as long as there is one' but i am actually feeling very uneasy now as what if, God Forbid, there was a problem with eithjer of us. I wouldn't want someone totally unqualified looking after the baby!
Think i will start a thread actually.

I did specify at my other 2 Hospital Birth that i didn't want students present.I know that offends some but it was my choice and my Birth!

me23 · 25/05/2006 09:44

I had a student midwife when I delievered dd last year and she was fantastic, I hadnt previously met either of the midwifes that assisted me in labour, but they were both great and I was very impressed with the student's professionalism and manner.
Of course if you have already met her and didnt feel comfortable with her that's what you have to go with, good luck.

Original poster

MrsLee · 25/05/2006 11:58

I think im going to have to say no. I want a home birth so that everything can be more relaxed and the thought of her being there is not relaxing atall.. really she only looked about 17 and didnt even try talk to me when i met her!

OP posts:

Angeliz · 25/05/2006 12:00

MrsLee, just say so!
If she makes you feel that uncomfortable then get it sorted now.
You should not have to have anyone there you don't want. It's a special time, not a time to be thinking of others feelings.

Darciesmum · 25/05/2006 12:58

I had a student in with me when i had DD and she was fantastic, she was flicking between me and the lady next door as we were delivering at the same time, and both gave birth at 12:53pm on the dot, was a good day for her a boy and a girl!

sarahlou1uk · 25/05/2006 14:59

I had a student who came along with my mw for my first pregnancy from around 28 weeks. She didn't attend the birth because she wasn't on rota but she was there afterwards to give me support whilst on the ward. She was an enormous help and a friendly face. I had problems breast feeding until she spent some time with me and helped me position ds right. I found her to be more uptodate re current issues than my mw and found it easy to talk to her.

snafu · 25/05/2006 15:06

MrsLee - if you don't want a student, just say so. The last thing you want at your home birth is someone you don't feel comfortable with. She'll have other opportunities. Don't feel bad about it, just tell your mw you'd rather not.

(Just as a rather cheeky aside, however, when I do home visits I find it annoying that people don't turn their TVs off - MTV would be very distracting )

Kathy1972 · 25/05/2006 15:11

We had a student midwife and she was fantastic, but I think in your position I would probably still say no, as you've already met her and don't feel comfortable about it.
Also mine was a hospital birth, so she was more like a friendly face among so many unfriendly ones - I can imagine in a home birth an extra person might add to the stress more.

Original poster

MrsLee · 25/05/2006 18:46

Im going to see the midwife tomorrow and I will mention that i dont feel good about the student coming, I might ask if she has been at any other deliverys and how much experiance she has before i give a straight no, she what she says first.
(i did turn my tv right down)

OP posts:

nicnack2 · 25/05/2006 19:20

i had a student midwife deliver ds2 in a MLU. She was brillant. She was a mature student. We were only in the unit 2hrs before DS2 was born. It is very difficult to build up a very intimate relationship in such a short time. I allowed her to do all internals (qualified midwife did them as well to check). However it is your right to choose whether a student is there. I would tell the midwife why you are not happy and part of their placment will be feedback from Mums and this info would be of value to her mentor

snafu · 25/05/2006 19:22

Ah, but all those bright colours and moving shapes, MrsL - very difficult for us poor students to concentrate

Good luck whatever you decide!

EmaM · 26/05/2006 18:06

I am a student nurse myself and we do fully understand if you do not want us present, however experience is always useful for us and it is the only way we can learn.

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