re: interview for midwifery course

[cazzybabs]

I have an interview for trainning to be a midwife at Homerton in CAmbridge- AHHHHHHH. I have to prepare for a discussion about "The shortage of midwives affcets the quality of care giving to women". But the other good news is that Ialso passed my OU exam.

congrats on passing exam.

cant give u any advice on how to prepare for discussion but good luck

hi, congrats on passing o.u exam.!!
im hoping to do midwifery degree at uce next sept.
i found a website which has loads of info on it.
its called "student midwives sanctuary" you may get info on there.
gud luck!!!

CAZZYBABS - congrats on passing your exam and good luck at interview

TIREDEMMA - I am also hopefully going to UCE in 2005, to do either midwifery, nursing or speech and language therapy (can't make my mind up). I'm at college now doing an access to health careers course.

I am so pleased for you - I think it's an AMAZING job. Congratulations!

Re the discussion: Mears is good on this (obviously!). I have various info on it too - let me know if you want to talk.

well done cazzybabs. sure others are better informed than me about midwife shortage but during my own labour, I tore really badly because the midwife wasn't around to stop me pushing (23 minutes second stage, can't remember exact term but think they called it third degree tear - involving muscle??). there was only one midwife to seven women!!!! luckily I was OK apart from the tear but if I hadn't had my dh and both my sisters it would have been really frightening, particularly as I have a medical condition unrelated to pregnancy that means things could have got a little hairy. gather fewer midwives = more intervention

cazzybabs, I can't help you with the discussion as such but to give you my story to use, if it is of any use at all.

I had an emergency c-section with my twins. Because of the shortage of midwives and time of year (coming up to New Years) on the post-natal ward I felt extremely worried and frankly scared at being left alone for long periods of time with two babies. Having never had babies depending on me before I was helped by the two second time mums with me in the room.

Also, because of the lack of help I quit breastfeeding. Had I realised at the time I would have expressed my milk to use via a bottle, that way the boys would still have been getting breastmilk if not by breast. Because I was left on my tod I gave up and wish to God I hadn't!

The midwives on the ward were under so much pressure it was unbelievable and I would never have complained as they did such a good job, just spread to thinly!

Good luck caz, hope you sail through it. Wouldn't mind going for something like that myself but haven't the money to do courses etc!

Well done you, let us know how you get on