Student midwife during labour & childbirth?

[Poppins2016]

One of the prompts on the birth plan template provided by my midwife is:

"Can a student (usually a midwifery student) work with their mentor to provide you care?"

I have really conflicting feelings about whether I want to give permission or not.

1. My overwhelming instinct is that I'd like be to left alone during labour to get on with it by myself. If the rational side of me thought it would be safe, I'd happily have a home birth/unassisted birth. But my sensible side rules and I'm planning to have a water birth in my local midwifery led unit (plan b is standard delivery unit). I'm planning to use hypnobirthing techniques and I'm very much on board with the philosophy of a 'calm, gentle birth' (as it fits with my natural instinct). It was emphasised by the midwife who ran our course that we should tell the MLU midwives that we'd be using hypnobirthing techniques and we should emphasise that we'd like to aim for a calm, quiet environment with a minimum of conversation. Allowing a student midwife to be present seems to go against my natural instincts... It would (surely?) involve double the conversation, checking, observation and examinations.

However...

2. I strongly believe that students need to be allowed to gain experience. In the past I have always allowed student doctors, nurses, gynaecologists and midwives to give me care. How is anyone going to learn if people like me say 'no'? My instinct is to want an experienced midwife who will be as hands off as possible... But how does anyone learn how to do that without practice?

So:

Has anyone said yes to a student midwife being present? Was it ok? Did you regret it or was it a positive experience? Any pros/cons you wish had been mentioned?

I'm going to speak to my community midwife about what I should expect (if I say yes) when I next see her, but thought I'd ask for your experiences in the meantime.

Yes, I had a student midwife who delivered my second DC. Absolutely no problems, she was supervised by an experienced midwife.

As a nursing student not specifically Midwifery I know there are so many things we are not able to do.

I think the student depending on what year of study they are will be watching or helping you get into gowns or put cold compress on your forhead. The mentor or another midwife will be present.

I think if you start off with having one and then feel you'd rather they are not there you can let them know.

My student midwife was utterly amazing, had a senior midwife there when I actually gave birth.

I had a senior midwife and a student midwife when I gave birth last year. Senior was a bit grumpy really. Student was amazing, and after I couldn't get DD to latch on she came and helped me - we've now been breastfeeding a year!

Leave your options open - there may not even be any students around at all at the time. If you feel uncomfortable at any point with whoever is in the room you can ask them to leave. On the other hand you may encounter someone who gives you exactly the support you need and they happen to be a student.

I said no students on my birth preferences notes. I agree they need to be able to learn and in most other scenarios I would be fine with it but not during my first birth no. I also wanted to give birth in the MLU preferably using the pool and hypobirthing techniques. If you want the minimal level of people and interruptions then student plus mentor is unnecessary extra. Obviously if you end up in the delivery unit there could be more people involved anyway so it might not matter so much.

I had a student for my first child. She was there for my checkups, labour and birth and she was great. She basically held my legs back for me for about 2 hours - I think I kicked her black and blue I much preferred her to the 'proper' midwife.

I did both times and it was fine

Yes I allowed a student midwife and she was wonderful! She was so intuitive and was there as soon as I needed her but otherwise left me and my partner alone. She was a third year student so was very nearly fully qualified.

In the end I got taken to theatre as an emergency and she was outside supporting my husband while my qualified midwife was getting me set up in surgery. My husband would otherwise have been sat alone panicking.

Although I allowed student midwives l refused medical students. I would have thought that a student would be more open minded and have had greater training in modern hypnobirthing ways than perhaps an experienced midwife who has been qualified longer, so perhaps the best of both worlds?

I wasn't actually asked as far as I can remember. I was just introduced to "the midwife and student midwife" who'd be looking after me - i think it's just standard practice in the hospital i was in. In fact halfway through, their shift was finished (very long labour) and another midwife and student took over. They were both absolutely brilliant, extremely competent and well able for a lot of it and the midwives stepped in for any of the trickier bits and just talked through what they was doing.
If it was an optional thing I suppose like you I'd feel a bit dubious/unsure as I would picture someone asking loads of questions and not knowing what they're doing but it wasn't like that at all

I didn’t have a student midwife with me but I did have a medical student during my 2nd birth. It was the first delivery he’d watched and My DH said he’d never seen anyone look so green

Absolutely. If everyone said no, how would they get practice.

I said no but had various ones there throughout!

I had a student midwife with me and she was amazing!

I had a student midwife during my birth with DC1. It was her first time seeing a 'traumatic' birth - forceps and PPH. Perhaps because of this she was lovely and so sympathetic. The more experienced midwife was of the 'get on with it' school of thought so I really appreciated having the student there.

I had a brilliant student midwife 31 years ago, I've never forgotten her and we always think of her on DS1's birthday.
I hope she went on to have a long career delivering babies.

Like with most aspects of childbirth keep options open as if you have very fixed ideas you are likely to be disappointed. Manage your expectations.

I ended up in theatre with a 3 litre haemorrhage after giving birth. It felt like the whole hospital was in there looking at my nether regions trying to stop the bleed, I didn't care and even if I did I didn't have a choice as I'd be dead otherwise.

I didn't have a student midwife with me for giving birth but saw lots on ante and post natal wards and they were all great. Saw one a couple of times in community antenatal care too. Future professionals need to be trained.

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

A parade could have gone through the room when I was in labour. I was out of it with pain, eyes closed etc. I'd have no problem with a student.

I was asked and gave consent to 2 students to watch my c section.
Baby came out very poorly and not breathing.
They began working on her and ushered the students out straight away.
I think most doctors/ midwives are aware when it's just inaproprate for them to be there.
You can also give consent them change you mind.
Just do what is comfortable for you. Don't worry about offending anyone.

A student delivered my first. She was retraining in her 40s, had given birth herself (which I thinks helps you trust) and was fantastic. Like other I don’t recall being asked if I minded or not.

I planned to give birth in the MLU using hynobirthing techniques and I agreed to a student midwife. My actual midwife asked if I had done a hynobirthing course as she thought I was coping very well with the pain. Neither the midwife or student excessively chatted to me, the student midwife came in every 15 mins to check the babies heart rate but otherwise they both left me alone in the birthing room with dp.

I ended up having to be transferred to the labour ward where I gave birth, midwife and student were present during the pushing stage but again pretty much left me to give birth how I wished.

I ended up having stitches. A doctor did them and trained two other students whilst he did it. The only negative thing here is that I expect it took longer than usual to stitch because he kept stopping to let the students see what he was doing plus I got a running commentary but tbh I couldn't care less at that stage, I was so tired I was quite happy just resting.

I'm pregnant again, I'm going to agree to students again as I think it's important to have an opportunity to learn.

I did for various checks, but didn't for my actual labour (not because I'd said no to, I don't really know why)

My first labour was a older midwife, so I would presume experienced. She was god damn awful

My second labour, it was the midwifes first labour in this hospital, since she had qualified. She had been in labours as a student but I was her first ever qualified birth. She was amazing and I wish my first labour was as good as second

I was the same as you, and keen to have as few people in the room as possible but babies heart rate dropped while I was in labour and I ended up with midwife, doctors and paediatrics surrounding me. There was also a student midwife.

I had intended on saying no if asked but I was so grateful that she was there. Once my son was born the midwife was off with the next birth but my wonderful student midwife was there for me whenever I needed her and was amazing. Six years on, I still think about her and hope she is enjoying life as a qualified midwife.

I loved my student midwife, she was such a calming influence. She massaged my feet and sang Igbo folk songs. It was a magical experience.

I had a student midwife for parts of my labour. Unfortunately it didn't work so well for me, each internal examination had to be done twice, after 21 hours I had to say no more, I was made to feel I was harming her training in some way and ended up in tears.