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Original poster

Experiences of student midwife

221 replies

partyskirt · 18/09/2014 14:29

My midwife asked if I would be happy to have a student midwife on board for the pregnancy and also at the labour. I said no, but now feel bad. Has anyone agreed to this and had a positive experience?

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AWombWithoutAFoof · 18/09/2014 17:42

My student MW was absolutley lovely. She was about 27 I think, had a young child of her own and was changing career.

She didn't do anything more than observe and chat to me, but her people skills were fantastic and the chatting was great after an awful birth. I was in for a few days and she was the continuity person, she was fab.

CheesyBadger · 18/09/2014 17:43

I had 4 student midwives while in labour (long) Lovely but everything was done twice and was slower

elsbethy · 18/09/2014 17:54

I had students in all my appointments. The mw would always check it was ok, but all they ever did was feel my bump and take BP. It wouldn't really occur to me to say no. How else are they going to learn?

Had a student observe my first birth. I remember not liking her much, but I think that was more the pain than anything she did. For my second pregnancy I let a student do her first ever sweep on me. She was ever so grateful! I was just so desperate to get things going I would've let anyone have a go up there.

LittleBairn · 18/09/2014 18:01

Gosh just this thread is making me feel sick with nerves. I'm really worried about having to constantly decline students, as a high risk pregnancy I will be in and out of hospital a lot.
My reason for declining is that a few months back I went in for an intimate procedure it wasn't until the aesthetic was being administered I realised there were quite a few male students at the end of the room.
No one asked for permission, none of them were introduced or acknowledged me I feel really violated by this expereince. Especially when it was traumatic enough, we had hoped it would give us answers to why I lost my DS & DD during pregnancy.
The hospital has lost my good faith on that score so it no to all students even if they do sit quietly in a corner.

DinoSnores · 18/09/2014 18:04

littlebairn, while I don't entirely understand your logic as to why you'd completely ban students, although I have great sympathy for the difficulties you've had, just ask to have it marked on the front of your notes that you don't want students. That way, everyone should see it when they pick up your notes.

LittleBairn · 18/09/2014 18:07

dino there probably isn't much logic more emotion.
It's is make a point to the hospital, that consent is important, they failed me in that respect so I want them to understand the consequences are that I don't trust them in future to ask for consent.
I was actually thinking of writing it myself on the front cover of my notes myself. But wasn't sure if I was allowed?

Humansatnav · 18/09/2014 18:08

I had a student at the birth of my ds, she was amazing, really reassuring and translated medical jargon.
I had her in a death grip during my forceps delivery

LittleBairn · 18/09/2014 18:09

Oh and the student Dr after I deliver my DC2 almost gave me an over-dosed, thankful my DH was in a straighter mind to argue with her over it and my midwife turned up just in time.

PicandMinx · 18/09/2014 18:16

I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that any women wouldn't be completely comfortable having an intimate procedure with male or female strangers - even if they are students standing and gawking.

Little - write all over the cover of your notes in big red writing NO STUDENTS. You are "allowed" - they're your notes.

awfulomission · 18/09/2014 18:19

I had a newly qualified midwife deliver DS1. I was her first solo delivery - she was a bit unconfident looking back. I was on the bed, in stirrups and monitored when the delivery seemed fairly straightforward but I didn't care!

She was with us the whole time and didn't take a break once. Lovely to have the same woman supporting us the whole way though.

I was sutured by her senior though - who did not do as good a job as the obstetrician that sewed me up the next time!

higgle · 18/09/2014 18:20

I had DS1 in a private hospital, where natural childbirth was the norm. I was asked if I would have a student doctor present because otherwise she might not see a 100% natural birth. I had a very long labour and it was agreat struggle towards the end. I was told I would have been advised to go down the intervention route in an NHS hospital. The student was very pleased to have been able to observe my hours of shouting and a fair bit of screaming and some very rude words and I was pleased she was there in the hope it might indicate not to reach for the scissors at the first opportunity.

Cupcakes123 · 18/09/2014 18:21

I had a student midwife deliver my DS (with a fully trained midwife present) she was amazing and much much nicer/kinder/more compassionate that the fully qualified midwife who was a knob

MultipleMama · 18/09/2014 18:21

LittleBairn - Don't feel bad or guilty for saying no. This is your care, your feelings, not there's.

I also have banned students. But mine is due to how I feel about labour and birthing. I only want who's necessary there. I'd feel violated/intruded on if they thought they could watch the peep show!

londonlivvy · 18/09/2014 18:31

I said ok to student midwives, on the basis that they have to learn somehow and I am not an especially private person. In the end though, I found her deeply irritating. Her telephone marketing voice made me want to punch her and saying "just breathe" about six inches from my face when I'd been waiting three hours for an epidural was the last straw. I told dh to ask her to go.

So this time, I'd say yes again, because I am fine with the principle, it's just that that one drove me mad at that point.

However if you don't want one, sod it, don't have one. It's your birth. There will inevitably be lots of things you can't control but this is one that you do.

GnomeDePlume · 18/09/2014 18:59

dino DD saw no sign so even if there was one it wasnt obvious. DD was not asked. It was only because she had heard them asking for her notes that she found out they were going to be there at all. DD was 18 and didnt want to share a discussion about her bowels with a bunch of students who were not much older than her.

yestheyhavethesamedad · 18/09/2014 19:32

I had student mw at a couple of my births but with clear notes that the student at the second one wasn't allowed to carry out an internal examination as the student mw in the first one screwed up , and told me that I was ready to push and it was only after 20 mins of me pushing and nothing happening that the experienced mw carried out another internal and realised I was only 7cm.

pickletalk14 · 18/09/2014 19:32

There was a student midwife at my birth... it was her first practical placement... hope the screamy naked lady didn't put her off!

On a more serious note another more experienced student saw me by herself when I thought my waters had broken. They hadn't and she didn't pick up on it which probably delayed my delivery and changed my risk assessment. A qualified mw did double check but she was a bit rushed. Basically I would probably insist that the student was supervised next time.

DinoSnores · 18/09/2014 19:39

littlebairn, all hospitals have slightly different AN notes, but there is probably a section on the front page where important things like allergies are written. I'd suggest you go for "no students" on it. If there's not a box, just write it on anywhere. To make it clearer, you might want to write it on a white sticker and stick it on so it is more obvious. In terms of your hospital medical notes, when you go to your appointment, ask the receptionist to write it on the folder.

If you want to make a point though about consent and not having students, no one will ask you why you don't want students. I'd wonder if you might find it helpful to contact PALS (if you didn't already complain at the time) to let them know why so it can be passed on to the relevant department so that they can think about how they deal with students etc.

Stars66 · 18/09/2014 19:54

I said no to having a student in my birth plan. I just didn't want too many people in the room and wanted to be confident etc.
But, we were readmitted due to DD having jaundice and losing too much weight. We were kept in for 4/5 days and the transitional nurse pressured me to formula feed. I was very against this and persevered with bf although I had to express and give her some from a cup, as well as feed every 3 hrs for up to an hour or more. This experience was not very nice, however there was a student midwife on the ward who I had met in the check up stage, and this girl was amazing. She sat with me throughput the middle of the night when I was struggling to feed and she gave me the time to help. I honestly could not speak highly enough of her!

My advice is go with your gut instinct, you can ALWAYS say please can I speak to the head midwife. And good luck!! X

PickledMoomin · 18/09/2014 19:58

I had a student for DS' birth. She was lovely! It was her qualifying delivery so it was a special moment for both of us!

BookWorm37 · 18/09/2014 20:03

I had a male student midwife come to my house (with my midwife) to carry out the post birth checks on me and baby. DH did not look happy when he got out his torch to check my 'wounds' . I wasn't particularly happy about it either but reasoned everyone has to learn.

redexpat · 18/09/2014 20:07

There was a student who monitored me one morning when everyone thought I had preeclampsia. She was the only hcp who listened to me. She wasnt on shift when the delivery happened, but did the weighing and testing. She was so nice. I'm not sure about it this time because I'm studying social work at the same place any students at that hospital study midwifery, and Im not sure I want to meet them in the canteen after maternity leave!

IceRocket · 18/09/2014 20:18

Yep I had a brilliant student midwife, just remember she was so caring and professional. She was early 20's and had no children, neither made any difference.

harrowgreen · 18/09/2014 20:22

I had a student present for DD1. She was fantastic: took the time to explain everything, and stayed with me for the whole of her shift, whilst the 'proper' midwife had to keep running in and out.

Unless you have a very straightforward quick birth, chances are a decent number of people will end up helping you anyway (with DD1 in particular it felt like everyone in the hospital, including the cleaners, had seen my bits...), so having a student there or not was irrelevant. They have to learn, they're fully supervised, I wouldn't dream of not letting them in.

didiimaginethis · 18/09/2014 20:26

I had a student midwife and student doctor at my DS delivery. By the time he finally came out I couldn't have cared less, there were at least 10 people in the room by then!!!

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