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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Students at homebirths? can I say no?

26 replies

GYoIsReallyHavingABaby · 17/03/2009 17:19

Hello
Im hopfully having my planned Home Water Birth (very soon hopefully, due today!)

The MW that came to see me today had a student with her, which was fine. She did the standard antenatal checks etc which was all checked by the experineced MW.

Is it reasonable say that I dont want her at the actual birth itself? It could be that I wont care at the time but Im not so sure.

I am all for students learning and I know HWB are great for that. If I was in hospital I'd feel diffeerntly but my living room/ birthing room isnt huge and I really dont want any more strangers than necessary seeing me naked and writhing about in the water

Alternatively does anyone has some great stories as to why an extra body/student is a good thing

thank you.

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kayzr · 17/03/2009 17:22

Hi GYo

I'm sure you can say no. With DS1 I had him in hospital and I was told if I didn't want students at the birth I didn't have too. I wasn't really sure but there weren't any that day anyway.

WhereTheWildThingsWere · 17/03/2009 17:22

I don't think students are usually present at homebirths, just two midwives.

Kathyis6incheshigh · 17/03/2009 17:23

Yes you absolutely can say no. And you should do what will make you feel the most comfortable and relaxed, so don't feel bad about it.

I had a student midwife at my first hospital birth, which was actually great as it meant she stayed with me when the 'proper' mw had to go and see other women. She was actually a nurse who was career-changing, so was generally very calm and confidence-inspiring.
However, for a home birth I guess you get a mw all to yourself anyway, so having the extra person is maybe not such an advantage.

Good luck with the birth

nuttygirl · 17/03/2009 17:24

Of course you can say no.

In hospital the student mw (came in just for the delivery) was the nicest mw I experienced there so would have loved her at a homebirth.

I do understand the limited space issue though. It's an issue for us too.

Nabster · 17/03/2009 17:25

With my last birth last birth I had a student and a qualified midwife , the student did pretty much everything, but when it came to the qualified midwife leaving the room and the student delivereing me, I freaked a bit. In my defence though I have had difficult births. As it was the student did fantastically well and I found out later mine was the last one she had to do to become qualified. I feel quite proud she did so well and was now qualified as the birth was extremely fraught and traumatic. She was fab.

Original poster

GYoIsReallyHavingABaby · 17/03/2009 17:27

Thanks for all your replies. This girl was only 5months into her course and has only witnessed 1 birth so far so I dont think she will be very hands on.

Will see if it arrises, she may not even be with the MW on call

Thanks again

OP posts:

Homebird8 · 17/03/2009 17:44

It's your home. You can say no to the Queen herself (but I can't see her being that keen on coming along actually ).

I'd make sure your wishes are known sooner rather than later as it may save the poor student being dragged out of bed and being asked to leave when she/he gets to your house.

belgo · 17/03/2009 17:50

I had a student midwife with me for my home water birth, and two midives. Possibly having so many people in the room inhibited me slightly and made the labour longer, it's hard to say. I think it was a valuable experience for the student though.

LadyPinkofPinkerton · 17/03/2009 17:51

You can of course say no. I personally had a student mw at my HB. I knew her from her previous incarnation as a nursery nurse at Ds1's nursery. I didn't mind having her there. She wasn't in the way and I barely noticed her presence.

It was also a great experience for her as students rarely get to see an HB.

If you don't feel comfortable just say so

WowOoo · 17/03/2009 17:51

Yes you can say no. I wish I had. I found it quite distracting.

bumpybecky · 17/03/2009 17:52

It is of course entirely your right to refuse students. However as I've found for my last 2 births, there are very few MWs trained in waterbirth, so the more students that get to see it, the better in my opinion.

There was a student there for dd3's homewater birth, and it was absolutely not a problem

On the day I'd had a bit of a nightmare as there weren't enough midwives qualifed in waterbirth avaliable. In the end I was told I had to deliver before 4pm or after 10pm.... I very calmly explaining that I was going to have the baby in the pool and they'd better sort something out

The solution was a midwife very experienced in waterbirth, who should have been off duty (her shift ended at 4pm) who came with her student. Also present was the second qualified midwife who was interested, but hadn't actually been at a waterbirth before.

The birth went very well, presence of student wasn't a problem, bit of a distraction at the beginning as senior MW was asking her lots of questions and she kept getting answers wrong (e.g. Q. how hot should the water be? A. 60 degrees - she was trying to cook me!) I found it highly amusing it certainly kept my mind of contractions for a bit! By the time it came to deliver dd3 I was in my own little bubble and didn't really know who else was there

I found out afterwards when drinking my cup of tea (supplied by said student!) that dd3's was the first ever birth the student has seen. I felt really proud it had been a lovely calm relaxed natural birth, the way I think birth should be done - at home, in water, no drugs, no fiddling or messing about (no offence intended to anyone who doesn't birth like that, that's what I wanted for me, YMMV).

As it happened there were more medical people present for dd3's birth than for her 3 other siblings combined! dd1 (hospital after transfer from HWB) had one MW, dd2 (HWB)had one MW, second one arrived after dd2! and ds had no medically trained people at all - two MWs arrived 5 mins after him as they took to long to get here!

I don't mean to sound all preachy, sorry! I'll shut up now

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 17/03/2009 17:53

When I was a student midwife I went to a homebirth. I was in my 3rd year of training but it was my first home birth and first water birth so I just sat in the corner and watched. It was the only homebirth and only waterbirth I ever saw as a student so I'm glad I got the opportunity as once qualified I was chucked straight in to do a waterbirth with no support.

But you've got to go with what you feel comfortable with.

belgo · 17/03/2009 17:59

That's true, I hope the student I had at my dd2's birth learnt something, because it was a home water birth, dd2 was lying back to back and had to be turned by the midwives, she had the cord twice around her neck, I lost loads of blood, and needed stitches and a urinary catheter afterwards, which the student midwife did.

Reallytired · 17/03/2009 17:59

I think you have to do what you are comfortable with.

Personally I would not have a problem with a student (whether male or female) being at my homebirth. (If bump behave and puts his/her head down so the homebirth can happen)

Original poster

GYoIsReallyHavingABaby · 17/03/2009 18:02

Thanks guys, some good views there. I think I will see what happens on the day. If she turns up in the middle of the night, chances are I will be close to giving birth anyway so I prob wont care! Also, when it comes to it I might feel differently.

I think it will be a space issue only if Im out of the pool rather than in it. As I will need sofa and floor space to lean/ rock/ bounce etc. There is space in rest of house for tea drinking/ chatting etc should they wish to have a break!

Will also see what DH thinks..

OP posts:

me23 · 17/03/2009 18:05

Of course it is entirely up to you!
The pros of having a student midiwife there are the extra support/massage fetching things doing checks etc... Also it is great for students to be exposed to normal birth in order to make us better midwives when we qualify, unfortunatly my unit where I'm training is very medicalised so I jump at the chance at beng with a 'low risk 'normal' labourer.
In fact last night I was working with a fab midwife and delivered my 2nd baby all natural and an all fours delivery.

titmouse · 17/03/2009 18:38

when the MW came last week to do the labour preparation talk with me and drop the box off she asked how I felt about students being here, I also have it written into my birth plan what my opinion is, I don't think they would ever just turn up with one without checking first so when you call to declare your labour state I'm sure you could clarify it then.
Agree with others that it is entirely up to you who is there, I personally don't mind if a student comes but woyuld have no trouble with saying no if I was not comfortable cos you only get this experience once and it has to be right for you.

WowOoo · 18/03/2009 10:38

Ah, I really really wanted to help this student and if was allowed a homebirth would prob actually have another. But this lady was so nervous that it made me nervous and mood changed as soon as she arrived. Senior midwife had to calm her down when really DH or me needed the attention or just peace and quiet.

Sure it was just one case and she was just early on in her learning.

Good luck whatever you decide!

WowOoo · 18/03/2009 10:38

Ooooh. Have you had your baby yet?

duchesse · 18/03/2009 10:45

She would be there as the second named M/w I assume, and learning an enormous amount about normal straightforward childbirth. There was a student m/w present at my second hb, which I thought was fine. Admittedly I already knew her through our NCT group (she was a mature student) which made it easier. I do think its a valuable learning experience for them, but I completely understand that you wouldn't want someone unknown there.

duchesse · 18/03/2009 10:47

Must add that Lesley (the student) did not actually do anything during the birth, but just sat in the corner and observed. Obviously if main midwife Marie had needed help, she would have been to hand, but in the event she utterly unobtrusive.

Original poster

GYoIsReallyHavingABaby · 18/03/2009 11:22

Its really good to hear of other people's experiences.

DH is quite pro having a student present, so long as they arent too hands on (said that would make him edgy). I'd really love to give someone the experience but I dont want to feel inhibited by having too many strangers present. Having said that, we get 1 MW until reasonably close to the end when the 2nd arrives. So having the student there would be an extra pair of hands early on- not sure what for though!

I am still not sure and will probably decide at the moment we phone the MW to advise that labour has started, if it ever does...

I was feeling really achey yesterday and wasnt convinced I'd get through the night but Im still sat here intact!

OP posts:

Homebird8 · 18/03/2009 19:06

MY sister had a student doctor at the homebirth of DS1 (3rd child). Sister and husband handed student a camera and the photo's are amazing. Some very 'medical' and others so sensitive and touching they are a record I'd love to have of my homebirths with DS1 and DS2.

Go with your instinct but sometimes an extra person can mean extra care afterwards! Fancy that cup of tea or that bed made or that bath run?

cluelessnchaos · 18/03/2009 19:09

I bonded much more with the students in my first two births than the midwives. I would not in future allow a student to break my waters again, ow.

thisisyesterday · 18/03/2009 19:10

yes, of course you can refuse.
however, as others have said it's a great thing for a student to be at, and the more practice they get of things like this the better, it's likely that she won't get to see too many home water births after all. doesn't matter how hands on she is.

I had a student at ds1's birth and she was just the lovliest person. I also love when I get medical students instead of my GP, because they know they need to get it all right so they really listen and try their hardest isntead of just telling you you have a virus :D

I love students!

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