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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

In praise of midwives...

20 replies

EffiePerine · 22/07/2008 20:00

Mws get a lot of bad press on MN, so I would like to thank:

the mw who booked me in and noticed one of my blood test results was a bit odd so made sure I got an appointment for further tests

the mw on the end of the hospital helpline who a) reassured me that I hadn't harmed my baby as a result of not knowing about dodgy result b) identified why I hadn't been informed earlier c) sent a rocket to the head of community care and d) rang me back, on my mobile (she must have got the number from the hospital record as I hadn't left it) to tell me what she had done and check all was OK

there are some lovely mws out there

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expatinscotland · 22/07/2008 20:01

Mine are FAB!

thisisyesterday · 22/07/2008 20:02

aww, ys there are some fantastic midwives out there.

I had the 2 best midwives in the entire universe at my homebirth back in October. They were truly inspirational women

Klaw · 22/07/2008 20:03

there definitely are, so it's good to hear the positive stories, thanks!

mosschops30 · 22/07/2008 20:03

agree there are some fabulous mw's. The midwife I had to help me deliver ds and the student with her were amazing and I'd recognise them out of a line up

PortAndLemon · 22/07/2008 20:08

A friend's MW came out for an extra unscheduled visit to help get feeding established, noticed that something didn't seem right and drove them to hospital in her own car -- the baby turned out to be in the early stages of meningitis and the MW's actions almost certainly saved her life.

PortAndLemon · 22/07/2008 20:12

(mine were nice too, mind you)

gingeme · 22/07/2008 20:22

Hi Effie (waves franicaly at an old friend from Oct) How you doing?
I had the same group of midwives with my last three boys and you couldn't have met nicer people in your life. They were/are bloody brilliant.

fairylights · 22/07/2008 20:24

my MW for my hb was heaven sent - just the most amazing woman.. she has moved to work in a birthing centre quite a way from where we live but i have seriously contemplated moving near there for the next time i have a baby

nickytwotimes · 22/07/2008 20:26

My community mw was the best. Fantastically knowladgable, practical and chilled out.

The mw who delivered ds was fab too.

Original poster

EffiePerine · 22/07/2008 20:27

not bad, apart from having to do a GTT next week (bah) and being knackered! How's the family?

OP posts:

constancereader · 22/07/2008 20:28

I like my midwife too.
She is very calm and reassuring.

WinkyWinkola · 22/07/2008 20:30

I've only ever had great midwives. All different - one was a bit indecisive, another was a bit bossy, another wore too much Opium perfume - but all were professional, took great care of me and I felt were really caring too. That's a hard mix to achieve I reckon, but they did it.

The only medical professional I've clashed with was a registrar who, when I was in labour with DD, kept popping in to check on me in case my C section scar ruptured. I asked her to stop scare mongering by giving me inaccurate figures of the likelihood of this happening. I can't think why she would want to upset a labouring woman for no apparent reason. She buzzed off when I told her to try and be more supportive instead of the Angel of Doom.

I have heard about some horrors though.

policywonk · 22/07/2008 20:34

Good thread. I agree that MWs seem to get a kicking on here (although, to be fair, a lot of posters on here seem to have had really bad experiences).

My community midwife was lovely, and the hospital midwives who delivered my boys were all calm, warm women who seemed to know their jobs well. And the labour ward midwife who took my call when I was having trouble bfing DS2 gave me really excellent advice.

hedgepig · 22/07/2008 20:59

my community mw is brill and very supportive of my hoped for VBAC. And also the mw in the hosp last Friday when I went in for reduced movements was great too, she couldn't get a good connection on the monitor so sat there holding it in place for 1/2 hr to get a good trace (I'm sure she had better things to do)

dinkystinky · 23/07/2008 09:20

My community midwife when I was pregnant with DS was really wonderful - kind, patient, calm and someone you could put 100% trust in (which made my experience with my midwife from hell in the labour ward so much more of a shock to the system!)

Most of the midwives on the postnatal ward were awful (was in for 4 days) apart from one - a male midwife - who was so kind, compassionate and patient it actually brings tears to my eyes (though those could be pregnancy hormone induced ones) remembering how kind he was to me.

crokky · 23/07/2008 09:27

I think there are fabulous midwives out there. Problem is, they are overworked. The one who delivered my DD was very competent and kind. Unfortunately, I was handed over to her far too late in a terrible condition and without crucial information regarding complications.

She was unaware she was delivering a borderline prem (37 weeks) who needed monitoring due to complications and she was unaware that I'd had a baby before. (I couldn't speak by the time I was handed to her).

IAteRosemaryConleyForBreakfast · 23/07/2008 09:28

HI Effie! I hope eveything is going well - I think you get to go hungry then drink some Lucozade for your GTT, so I will be thinking of you when you get to enjoy that pleasure! Hope everything turns out fine.

My experiences of MWs have all been really good. From the wise older lady who wiped my snotty nose as I blubbered that having a section would mean I didn't bond with my baby, and patiently explained that my hormones were evidently doing a perfectly good job , to the wonderful midwives who held my trembling hand through the aforementioned section, and the incredibly kind CMW who came religiously, sometimes more than once a day, to support me as we got BFing established.

Fabulous people, one and all.

mel2005 · 23/07/2008 09:43

my homebirth midwives were great as well. i think they are understaffed and have far to big a workload to give the care they want. mine is rushing around all the time and its hard to get an appointment to see her. i am expecting twins and i feel that i wouldnt be able to get much help if i needed some help (apart from go to the hospital).
i have had many different midwives as there is not any continuity of care here. they swap around, some are just going through the motions some really do care. it reminds me of the teaching profession.
the labour ward was something else, again understaffed, stressed and it wasnt nice.

CaptainKarvol · 23/07/2008 09:47

My community midwife was just the best. Before and after the birth, and when I was starting breastfeeding. She was lovely.

feb · 23/07/2008 15:43

had a great MW for delivery of DS, and i ended up with drug-free water birth despite being in CLU.
had real problems getting him to breastfeed but the MWs came to me every 2 hrs 24hrs a day for 4 days. at 1 point i had a MW massaging my back, while another tried to help him latch - at 4am!
I sadly lost a baby at 15wks and was on labour ward to deliver. They were absolutely fabulous and so kind and sensitive.
all of them seemed to know instinctively what I wanted/didn't want and respected my decisions.

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