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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

medical students present during labour?

106 replies

kittyt · 14/10/2006 14:44

I am almost certainly going to be having a c sec as I have twins, 1st one breech. Am booked it at a big student hospital, and wondering whether to allow medical students in to see the procedure. Has anyone else allowed students in during their labour, and if so, what was it like?

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tearinghairout · 17/10/2006 10:00

I would say go for it, you probably won't care either way.

When I had twins, I counted a total of 24 people in and out of the room (babes were 10 weeks prem and DS was breech). Everyone was very discreet, stood chatting amongst themselves in the corner while waiting for the action, so I didn't feel I was being stared at. However, one person was a trainee aneathsthetist (too early in the morning for spelling that one). I had a - brain's gone, can't think what it's called, needle in the spine to numb your lower half - and the a=person was teaching someone, who was embarrassed!!! I found it very funny, hell, I'd been there for hours, naked and not caring.

BTW, the birth wasn't what I'd hoped for (candles, cushions etc) due to above-mentioned complications, but I took their advice & it turned out fine. I now have two wonderful 12yo with feet bigger than mine!

tearinghairout · 17/10/2006 10:04

Kitty - have just re-read your message. One of mine was breech and I had them normally (he was manually turned just before birth). Obviously listen to their advice but don't let them rairoad you. Is there a nice midwife with experience of twins who you could talk to?

PinkTulips · 17/10/2006 10:29

there were student midwives and docs at all my ante nata visits and the practice in my hospital is for a student midwife to stay with you throughout the labour while the midwife tends to several differant woman so will come in and out.

they're lovely girls and go out of their way to help you, massage your back, fetchbirthing balls and water, fiddle with fans. rthey monitor you every half hour or so and call the midwife in if there's a problem or if your progressing well and close to giving birth. the one i had for ds even asked me afterwards to give her feedback on how she'd helped me as she wanted to get insight into whether or not woman likd being touched and talked to so she could improve the way she is with her patients.

i didn't have med students at either birth although one asked to come in for the first birth but unfortunately the midwife asked me as my d's heartrate was disappearing and everyone was going into panic mode and doctors were being screamed for. i was far too terrified for my baby and didn't want a man in the room (pregnant lady logic, i know it makes no sense!). i wish they'd asked when i was calmer as it was a good teaching case and i feel guilty for not letting him in now.

the only way they'll learn and become good doctors is to see as many cases as possible.

poppiesinaline · 17/10/2006 10:53

I had a student present at birth no 3. She was on her first placement on her first day (and was very young). She had turned up at 7 am and I turned up at 7.20 am so I was her first. She wasnt even wanting to go into obstetrics - just general nursing I think.

Anyway, I hardly knew she was there. I do remember glancing up at one point when it was all taking off and seeing the on her face.

Afterwards I said "I hope I didnt traumatise you too much. I did scream rather alot'

She had a big on her face and said "oooo no, it was fantastic. I didnt think you screamed that much"

I felt very pleased for her. What a wonderful experience. I would love to see a birth.

fortyplus · 17/10/2006 11:51

Yes definitely - go for it. I had a student present with ds1. I'd had epidural by then and apart from anything else it made it much more interesting for me. As I couldn't feel anything the mw asked if it was ok for the student to examine me and explained all that she could feel. She also asked if i'd mind the student inserting my catheter - she said that this would have a slightly increased risk of me developing cystitis afterwards, but I didn't.
I felt really happy to be contributing to the training of someone who would go on to help other mums.

bakedpotatooooowoooh · 17/10/2006 11:58

On my birthplan first time around I said, 'no one in the room unless I've said OK'
'Course a consultant barged in without knocking, trailing about 10 students, while I was having the most epic contractions
They talked over me as if I were a cow

trice · 17/10/2006 12:01

They wanted to bring two students and my GP to my home birth. No way. The whole point of my home birth was to be calm and focussed without spectators.

I think I would feel differently about a c section as you will be more together and less likely to poo.

3monkeys · 17/10/2006 12:18

Having been a medical student myself, my instinct would be to say no! But, the deliveries I did as a 4th year were fabulous and I was obviously very grateful to those mums. But when I had mine, I wouldn't have let anyone who knew less than me touch me!

poppiesinaline · 17/10/2006 12:22

I do remember with birth no 1 being asked if an 'observer from Egypt' could observe and in between trying to push DS1 out I yelled while pointing a finger at him 'THATS OK BUT DONT LET HIM TOUCH MEEEEE"

saf1 · 17/10/2006 12:49

I had a student with DD1 and she was FAB!!

She rubbed my back and was really terrific!!

Highly recommend.

lol

flutterbeebonfirebanger · 17/10/2006 13:43

I had a sdtudent midwife from begining to end of my labour, the only time the fully qualified midwife came in was when I was close to birthing and she appeared with Dr's and other people as they thought DS was going to be realy ill (he was fine)

The student midwife was brilliant and I wouldn't have wanted anyone else their.

TiggernPooh2 · 17/10/2006 13:53

I had a student midwife with me for part of my labour.

I was in labour for 46 hours in total and they were there from about the 40 hour point. Tbh i had had so many people examine me I was not bothered at all about having them there and as some have said they have to learn.

TheDaVinciCod · 17/10/2006 13:53

i had one
like a rabbit int he headlights

Iklboo · 17/10/2006 13:55

When my mum asked if she minded having students persent when she was having me she replied

"I don't care if the f*cking coalman watches, just get this over with NOWWWWWWW!!!!"

TheDaVinciCod · 17/10/2006 13:55

ooh no i vetoed any students who played rugby

EnidVorhees · 17/10/2006 13:55

am I the only person who said no?

Ellbell · 17/10/2006 14:07

kittyt, if it's an elective section you will have about 10 people in the room anyway (more probably for twins) so a medical student or two will just blend in. Honestly... I think I had two anaesthetists, surgeon, surgeon's helper (? - not quite sure what his role was, but he seemed to be a doctor rather than a nurse and he sort of held the sucker thing and checked the plancenta and stuff like that... come to think of it, maybe he was a student!?), theatre nurse, paediatric nurse, nurse who looked after me in recovery, midwife, dh ... and uncle Tom Cobbley and all!

chubley · 17/10/2006 14:14

I had one student m/w who delivered dd at the m/w-led unit, she was v nice and not a newbie - she was close to qualifying. I always said I'd allow one student,not a whole gaggle of them staring!

lpl · 17/10/2006 16:21

I had a student m/w when I delivered ds and she was wonderful. I had a difficult birth and there were a lot of people in the room including 2 or 3 (can't quite remember) midwives present. The student came and stood beside me and the only time she let go of my hand was when I was being sick!! She helped me after I had delivered and came to see me every day until I went home. She taught me how to bath ds and gave me b/f tips. She was a mother of 3 herself and was better than the "qualified" midwives on duty.

squishy · 17/10/2006 16:31

no, I said no (similar reasons to Trice) - want it to be a quiet home birth and the pool is so huge, it's going to be a tight squeeze with DH and 2 MWs!!

pamina3 · 17/10/2006 16:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Groveregg · 17/10/2006 16:37

I had one at mine, he looked pretty bored throughout and my dh said that at some points he was texting his mates in the corner (I don't remember as I had other stuff on my mind). In the early stages we were chatting about holidays but later when I couldn't talk he kept on trying to carry the conversation on... The only thing he was useful for was noticing the time ds popped out as nobody else did. But having said all that I don't think I would refuse another time...

cardy · 17/10/2006 16:37

I had a student doctor observing during my labour. I didn't mind at all. He had been refused from all the other labour rooms. They all have to learn. In fact afterwards he told me that he had found it really moving, it was the first time he had witnessed a birth. When he held dd2, he looked really moved.

As it transpired his sister had the same name as my dd1 (not a very common name) and when I told him what we were calling dd2 he said that was his mother's name....spooky!

Kittypickle · 17/10/2006 16:39

I had a medical student in the delivery room when I had DD. I felt obliged to as she was a student at the university hospital that I worked on, but I felt a bit weird about the fact she had lectures from a couple of my colleagues. She was fine at the beginning as they gave me a lovely shot of pethedine which took the edge right off the pain. Unfortunetly as that started wearing off and things started to go wrong, she got to be a bit of a nightmare, trying to have a rational conversation when I was feeling far from rational and she really really stressed me out. I had to have an emergency section and she was still prattling on in theatre. I decided if I was asked with DS I would refuse to have one present but they didn't ask. I think I was just unlucky and it's lovely to read all the other positive stories.

Boowila · 17/10/2006 16:47

I would be happy to have a med student. In a non-teaching hospital you will probably get a mid-career surgeon. In a teaching hospital you will get a senior surgeon overseeing a junior surgeon -- so, two of them. And two aneathetists, and so on. I have DS by elective at Queen Charlotte (which is a teaching hospital) and was most impressed with the surgical team.

You might, however, ask that students be kept to the role of observer if you are not comfortable.

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