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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Medical students

39 replies

Zahrah5 · 27/02/2015 12:56

our midwife at antenatal class advised to think about agreeing or disagreeing to having medical students and students midwives present at birth.

Im booked to give birth at birth center and will aim for waterbirth so far.
She said that the advantage of student midwife will be that she will be with us 24/7 and will not look after other ladies nor attend medical emergency alarms. Regular midwife might leave us alone while she tends to her other patients.

I had couple of appts at antenatal clinic with student midwives and found the experience positive, they were much more willing to listen and spend more time with me.

My concern is the lack of privacy and intimacy if she will be with us all the time during labour what can be a long time.

I am inclined to say no to medical students- junior doctors who come to birth center to observe more natural births. I dont want observers.

Anyone can advise, and has experience with this?

Also I feel like I would not want a male student, how likely is there be a male midwife student? Do you think its OK to put in birth plan only female student midwife?

OP posts:

2015isgoingtobeBIG · 27/02/2015 13:19

It's for you to say what you do/don't want. I don't think the student would expect to sit and stare at you for hours on end (they have to eat, drink and poop after all!) but they will be at your beck and call and only your beck and call rather thAn you having to wait your turn if she's shared with somebody else. Does that make sense?

As for the male midwife, I have only seen my two male midwives in my antenatal appointments so they do exist but are small in numbers. If you don't want a male midwife or male student I'm sure this will be fine-after all some cultures wouldn't want a man in the room full stop.

It is great they're encouraging you to think about this as there's nothing worse than students being sprung on you at the last minute. I'm definitely with you on the medics though

PenguinPoser · 27/02/2015 14:13

It is totally up to you, you can say female only or not at all and it won't affect your care at all.

My personal opinion would be that they have to learn, no good having a doctor never having seen a normal delivery or a new midwife not having had the chance to deliver a baby. But it's a personal decision and depends how you see your whole birth experience happening. Personally have never seen a male midwife or midwife student but plenty of male medical students.

TarkaTheOtter · 27/02/2015 14:21

I had a student midwife for dc1's birth. It was a positive experience. Only downside was that dc1 was her first delivery and I found it difficult to understand what the senior midwife was saying to her and what she was saying to me during the actual delivery. This might have been exacerbated by the fact that dc1 was in a bit of a hurry though and essentially popped out without any pushing.

cowbiscuits · 27/02/2015 14:24

Personally I think I'd be fine with this. They've got to learn, and sometimes, having a student, means there can be an extra person to just hold your hand, and help out etc, which could be good on a busy labour ward. As a healthcare professional myself I've been a student and had to learn and they are always well supervised.

Let's say they were really annoying or had terrible personal skills, if I was in labour I'd probably ask for them to leave, but it was just an antenatal appointment I could probably put up with it.

I would prefer a female student midwife for the physical examinations etc, but wouldn't mind a bloke for all the "top end" stuff, attaching monitoring, giving me drugs, form filling etc.

Overall it would be their skills and personality that would make the difference. I would rather have a kind and sensitive male midwife than a horrible female one.

neversleepagain · 27/02/2015 14:35

I had 2 student doctors and a student midwife in the room (along with 12 other people, 14 if you count the babies) when my twins were delivered! I agreed to it, they have to learn from somewhere. It was such an intense time at that didn't notice anything and all I was concerned bout was the babies wellbeing. When then times come you really won't care who is in the room!

GoooRooo · 27/02/2015 14:52

I wouldn't have noticed if the entire England rugby team had been in the room, personally. I wouldn't have a problem with it and I really think you probably won't care much by that stage.

I wouldn't mind a male midwife either. Maybe I have no boundaries.

RevoltingPeasant · 27/02/2015 14:59

Op I said student MW fine, but not to actually deliver or stitch - just in case they made an error!

But I said no to student drs. People will say things like "I wouldn't have noticed a circus troupe in the room" and that's likely true for lots of people but personally I did notice who was there. I was quite compos mentis between contractions and aware of whether I was naked or not, etc. Actually I gave birth at home - but I know a male student doc would have really bugged me. I tore off my shirt and bra before delivery and paced the hall, dropping to my knees naked to push. I think I would have felt inhibited by a young, inexperienced man in the room so I said no in the event of a hospital transfer.

curlykale · 27/02/2015 15:02

I had a student midwife and thought it was a real plus - think she was at end of the first year. Extra pair of hands for monitoring (in the pool), helping get me out of the pool to deliver, running around afterwards getting me sorted. Maybe odd though it sounds, having the midwife actually teaching and talking someone through how to stitch, I'm convinced meant the job was that little bit better . Both midwives were unobtrusive during labour-one or two in the room, wouldn't have made a difference from that standpoint. As for having a male midwife, not sure but think I would have been ok with that- guess you just have to say if you're not.

bananas4kate · 27/02/2015 15:16

Both of my Dds were delivered by student midwives. The first time was overall a very good experience but the student wasn't very experienced and had never seen a baby delivered kneeling before.
The second time the student was near the end of her training and she was amazing. She put me totally at ease and made Dd2's birth a lovely calm experience. She also did my stitches under instruction from an experienced midwife and did a great job.
I'm not sure I'd have been as happy with a male student though - although I realise that they all need to learn.

zebrapig · 27/02/2015 15:53

I might be unusual but students, male or female, don't bother me at all. They all need to learn and if I can help that in any way then I'm glad too - my experience is that they're often more nervous than you are! I had one when I had a colposcopy and she was so nervous she couldn't answer the questions asked by the (male) consultant who was doing the procedure, I felt so sorry for her!

prettywhiteguitar · 27/02/2015 16:02

Honestly in labour you will not notice one extra person in the room, you will be totally oblivious !

countessmarkyabitch · 27/02/2015 18:37

You can say what you like. I doubt you'll care much at the time, but its up to you.

I feel really sorry for male midwives. I got talking to a student when I was on a maternity ward last, he was telling me that he is frequently asked to leave by women, often even doing very routine things. He was very downcast about it, it seemed to be really getting in the way of his training.
Of course I support every womans right to refuse a male midwife, but I wish fewer would.

thereinmadnesslies · 27/02/2015 18:43

I had a student present - initially she was just there to fetch drinks and coo over DS when he arrived. Then I had to have a 2nd degree tear stitched. In my post-birth haze, I didn't realise the the student was doing the stitches.

Long story short, the student messed up the stitches. She stitched too deep and the stitches went through to my back passage . So I had to wait for a consultant to be available to undo the stitches, and restitch. Somewhere along the process the local anaesthetic injections wore off but it was told I'd had the maximum available, so was in absolute agony being restitched on just gas and air. And the end result wasn't great due to swelling etc, part caused by the drawn out stitching process. DO NOT EVER LET A STUDENT DO STITCHES!

CaTsMaMmA · 27/02/2015 18:47

I had a student midwife, she was very obviously new and of the fluffy bunny ilk, I really did not need or appreciate that sort of manner, but she was usually with her supervisor in tow so we went with it.

However it all went a bit pete tong when she airily mentioned with a giggle that she could "not find baby's heartbeat" and I apparently growled at her and said "she'd better find someone who could and be bloody quick about it"

The real midwife came in pretty pronto and we saw no more of MissFluffybunny.

Sooooo to sum up, I'd probably say its not wise if it is your first and everything is new to you too.

Chillyegg · 27/02/2015 18:55

Not at the birth stage yet but ( this is my first) I've had students in my booking in appointments and they've all been really nice. They just dipsticked my wee and listened. I wouldn't mind a male midwife, because I wouldn't refuse a male dr or surgeon. However I would ask for another female to be present when he was doing internals. I would not allow any student to "practice" on me, maybe when it comes to subsequent children I won't give two fiddles.

Buttercup27 · 27/02/2015 19:05

I allowed it but didnt end up with a student at the birth, but I did have a student take my blood and she was the best ever! Couldn't feel anything and it wasnt rusged.

UnexpectedItemInShaggingArea · 27/02/2015 20:00

I had a medical student observer at my DDs birth. She was so appreciative of being allowed in. It was her first birth and she cried

LooksLikeImStuckHere · 27/02/2015 20:08

If you are feeling uncomfortable about it enough to ask, I would just say no.

Plenty of people will say 'oh you won't notice or care' but I did notice and I very much cared.

My student midwife was told to watch me and she certainly followed instructions. She sat at the end of the bed, staring up my gown. I hated it but was too polite to tell her to piss off.

I also had a male doctor and felt extremely uncomfortable with him being there.

Everyone feels differently when labouring but if it's bothering you now then it will still be at the back of your mind. Plenty of others don't care so let them have the students.

expatinscotland · 27/02/2015 20:16

It's entirely up to you. Don't feel bad about your own desires or guilty. Just make it clear and stick to it.

redcaryellowcar · 27/02/2015 20:23

I think your initial thoughts are good, I had a really good experience in my first labour with a student midwife who kindly followed me around the room and kept the monitoring trace working, I had been induced and had to be continuously monitored but felt more comfortable jigging about. I felt very supported by her, and would have gladly had another student midwife for labour two, but ds came a bit quick.
As for student doctors, the only thing that would put me off would be quantity, ds1 was ambulanced to hospital at four weeks old and we were met at a&e by what felt like half the hospital staff, there were a group of students who I found a bit intimidating and could have done without as things were already pretty tense. If I'd been asked specifically about just one, I'd consider that, but agree and like you, I'm not really a being observed type.

Pico2 · 27/02/2015 20:29

We had a student MW when I had DD2 by ELCS. She was great - answered all if our questions, remembered the name we had chosen if we had a girl and stayed with us in recovery. I remember her more than the other MW.

MonkeySeeMonkeyDooo · 27/02/2015 20:31

I had a male mw do a home visit after I had DS. He was great, helped me with feeding and was really good with DS.

Buttercup27 · 27/02/2015 20:32

And thinking about it, it was a male doctor who stiched me up after he delivered ds1, he made a much better job of it than the female midwife after ds2.

Mumbledore · 27/02/2015 20:43

I had a male student doctor observing with DD1 and it was fine. I'm glad I agreed because I ended up having an emergency c section and afterwards he thanked DH because it had been really valuable to experience and see. But don't feel bad if you're not keen, you should feel comfortable. Someone else will agree! I just felt like everyone else had had a look by that point so why not! Do what you feel ok with and don't worry about anyone else.

Scotinoz · 27/02/2015 20:55

You can have who you want present - students, makes, females, whatever. Entirely up to you and no body will mind either way.

For what it's worth, my Obstetrician is a male and brilliant. He had a medical student in his clinic just the other day when I saw him (also a male) who was also very nice. OB said all pregnancies and deliveries were interesting and good teaching cases. I personally don't have a problem with students...they've all got to learn.

It's up to you though.

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