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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

did you have any students at your birth?

111 replies

ranirani · 21/01/2009 22:28

I am at watford general. 37 weeks PG this Friday.
Do not think I want to have any students poking down there, definitely not. maybe to be present, and one only, not the whole group of them staring at my bits.
did you have any experience with students?
i know they need to learn but do not feel all that glamorous somehow with all this extraweight etc... having my Dh there would be enough embarassment for me
and NO photographing either!!!!!!!

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Chalkpink · 22/01/2009 14:32

I had a student doctor when I had DD1. He was fine, he kept out of the way and just observed. To be honest by that stage I couldn't care less who or how many were in the room with me.

Then I had a lovely student doctor in with me when I had ds. She was fab, I think it was her first birth and we both cried when ds finally arrived!

LBsmum · 22/01/2009 14:39

I would consider there is a difference between a student midwife and a general medical student - the first being more likely to be of assistance to you the latter may just be on the maternity ward for a few days and has probably never seen anything like it!

I would consider being supportive towards the presence of a student midwife, as others have said I didnt care who was there by the end - see how you feel and say if you don't want anyone there

clarabell16 · 22/01/2009 14:42

Yep, i put on my birth plan STUDENT MIDWIFES WELCOME. I had a student midwife throughout my pregnancy, she also did two internals after midwife when i went overdue, and was very gentle. I also had two students during my labour and resulting c section and they were amazing and really focused. My midwife was also just newly qualified and stayed way past her shift to help me breastfeed my baby, when she could have just left to be with her own family. Having this experience id always have students in with me now.

Donkeyswife · 22/01/2009 17:37

I had a student midwife for ds1 and she was fab - reaaly practical and i'd never have known she was a student had she not told me - she was that good.

For my second baby who was born breech and very quickly, there was a student doctor there who was quite frankly i think a bit scared by the whole proceedings. She made lots of small talk - bless her.

Like lots of others have said here, I didn't care who was in the room, i was so focussed on giving birth. Modesty went out the window pretty damn quickly!

DisasterArea · 22/01/2009 17:45

had a student DR for DD2s birth. statred out with being asked if he could just watch, then would i mind if he had a feel, then would i mind if he had another feel. this was before full blown proper labour. waters broke and DD born 20 minutes later. poor dr chappie stood with his back to the wall mesmerised by my thrashing and shreiking. . DD popped out and he continued to stand rooted to the spot with a look of horror on his face. he couldn't even speak poor bloke. think he probably works in a bank now.

FrannyandZooey · 22/01/2009 17:46

yes, she was completely unobtrusive and wrote me a lovely letter afterwards!

FrannyandZooey · 22/01/2009 17:46

yes, she was completely unobtrusive and wrote me a lovely letter afterwards!

madwomanintheattic · 22/01/2009 17:46

i had a student mw for dd2 (dc3)

it was to be her first delivery. (note 'was')

she did all the monitoring.

we decided to deliver standing.

she was briefed.

she fannied around so much that the real midwife elbowed her out of the way (literally as she was worried dc was going to hit the floor - head had crowned and she was supposed to be in 'catch' mode lol) and put her hand 'under' to gauge how close to deleivery we were, then crashed the paeds straight away as dd2's head was cool to the touch.

thrown on bed, senior midwives, docs, large scissors and paeds, cpr, vent, scbu. etc.

cue solicitor.

i actually still believe students should be present and active (lead if nec), but swear that every move they make needs to be shadowed by someone qualified.

dd2 has brain damage and cp due to birth hypoxia. we don't know how long she had been short of oxygen for.

Lizzzombie · 22/01/2009 18:30

The Dr who preformed my vonetuse (sp) and sewed me up afterwards was a student - I swear I had knickers older than him. But I had no issues with him doing it, as long as I knew there were 'higher powers' around if he needed them.
Not sure if I would like a 1st year medical student doing something important on me, but the one I had was near the end of his training.
There was never any talk of photography!

tigger15 · 22/01/2009 19:23

I had a student mw for most of my labour and she was great for the simple reason that she was with me the whole time as I was her only lady. When she had a concern she asked her superior. In the evening the mw was stretched between 3 other women.

LaundryFairy · 22/01/2009 19:28

I had student MW and she was dreadful. During the contractions when I was pushing, she kept telling me to "Get really, really angry!", somehow thinking that this would help me . In fact, I just found it upsetting, and I didn't want the birth of my baby to be an angry time! I tried to ignore it but eventually I had to ask her to cut it out.

beepbeep · 22/01/2009 19:29

I had a student MW for my second birth - was her 1st birth at a birthing centre - she'd only ever been at huge hospital and her first water birth. She just did the monitoring (checked by MW) and when being examined by MW she had a look (!!). She was brilliant and I actually learned alot myself because things were being explained to her - it actually helped DH cause he was quite nervous about waterbirth, but cause it was explained to her about baby breathing etc it learned too. Feel quite honoured that DS was the first baby she saw born under water.

nickytamoshantertwotimes · 22/01/2009 19:30

I had a student as well as a qualified mw.
She was fantastic.

thisisyesterday · 22/01/2009 19:39

I had a student midwife looking after me for most of my labour with ds1. she was really, really lovely and I felt that, because she was learning she was extra attentive and really keen to do everything properly. she stayed with me for most of the time she was there (until her shift ended) whereas my actual proper midwife only came in every 10-20 mins.

she was great and I'd have loved if she could have seen the actual birth as well!

as it was I had a different student midwife watching the birth, and 2 medical students who hadn't seen a ventouse delivery yet!

BakewellTarts · 22/01/2009 21:40

I had a student MW (as well as more experienced ones) with me when I had DD1. Had seen her with my community midwife while planning my homebirth. She was lovely and so excited as I was her first birth. Made lovely hot buttered toast too...

I was really pleased that she was there, she was a lovely positive person and it helped that I'd met her before. The only way for students to learn is to be involved in births. However I recognise that its very personal and you and you partner are the only people who can decide whether you are comfortable having a student present.

mum4ever · 22/01/2009 21:42

Had a student for second half of 1st birth with DD1 and she was lovely but when I got whisked to the theatre for forceps and possible ceasarean they asked if it was OK for the student to watch and my DH flipped and said no! Don't know why as the rest of the hospital seemed to be in the room at the same time lol!

I spent the next day apologising to her everytime I saw her as I felt so bad - she was so supportive before and missed the main action.

fuzzywuzzy · 22/01/2009 21:48

I had a student mw right the way thro, along with a qualified one who would come and go. That was fine and I had given permission.

About twelve hours into labour, an entire troupe of students walk in and the teacher (I assume it was the teacher), started discussing my case as if I was not there, she then went on to enquire as to what pain relief I had had, and upon hearing nothing, she went 'oh well you'd better have an epidural it's going to get much worse....' I pretended to be asleep, and hoped she'd go away.She eventually did.

I had not given permission to have the class walk in, I have to say I don't actually mind, I did mind the comments aimed at me tho, and I did manage to have the baby without an epidural (I have needle phobia).

mybabywakesupsinging · 23/01/2009 00:46

To the best of my knowledge no one from the health service can take a photo of you unless you sign a specific photograph consent form and it then applies only for that particular picture.
Family are a different matter...
I had a student doctor for ds2 - only asked to watch - he didn't have long to wait, either. Really didn't care if he was there or not.
The very senior (and lovely) MW who delivered ds1 is the only person ever to miss my enormous veins with a cannula. Pot luck, I think. Fortunately it wasn't required...

expatinscotland · 23/01/2009 00:51

I had three students at DD1's birth, a Height-Ferguson forceps delivery.

They were there for observation and hand-chosen by the senior consultant doing the delivery. She asked if they could observe. I was more than willing to agree.

They were fantastic and all thanked me and came to visit after the birth.

I had students when I tore the ACL in my right knee practicing the exam for ACL breakage and in the surgery as well.

I think, 'They have to learn somewhere.'

I am ballsy and said to all, 'You better be thanking me before touching me/seeing me and you're welcome,' and then laughed and I've not hard a problem with it.

I had students touch me and again I am okay with that and tell them off when it hurts.

I lived with/went out with a couple of doctors so I'm more than happy to volunteer.

ScattyStudent · 23/01/2009 07:53

Yeah I had one, she was lovely.
When I first arrived a guy walked into the room and said "Hi my name's Andrew and I'm your midwife, and this is "erm girls name" she's a student and this will be her first delivery" I just blinked at him, it had never occurred to me that it would be a man, dont know why. After a little while of course I wouldnt have cared if he had brought a marching band in with him lol
Anyway, they were both sooooo lovely!
I was in labour for so long (about 36 hours) that their shifts finished, they stayed about 3 hours longer because they didnt want to abandom me, and I kept saying to the student "I'm so sorry, I wanted you to do your first delivery" she just said it was ok
They had to leave eventually sadly and I got 2 old bags who I hated on sight lol

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 23/01/2009 08:00

I had one, she was nice ..but she was with another young midwife and I was going through a very very difficult labour and they were standing talking about which club they were going to that night.

Sweetie34 · 23/01/2009 08:59

I had a student midwife during my booking in appointment. It wa great to see her smiling face when I came in to deliver my DD. I felt like her teacher/student. It was the smallest full-term babay she had delivered!

AmIOdetteOrOdileOrABagpipe · 23/01/2009 11:31

Had students for all of them. Actually my labour with DS1 was so long, and so many people came into the room to "have a look" that I nearly ended up asking the tea lady of she wanted "a feel"

DS2 had a student doctor
DS3 student midwife.

They need to learn somewhere. And honestly, you will be so caught up in the labout you wouldn't care if the whole thing was being broadcast live on MN!!

whatironing · 23/01/2009 11:36

When i was at uni i knew a few medical students. One was particularly "laddish" and tbh i would have been reluctant to have him observe, but he spent some time in obstetrics (sorry for spelling), the night after he saw his first birth he was in tears and he was always extremely grateful to and respectful of the women who let him be present. I was never asked about students - but i would have one.

bristols · 23/01/2009 12:16

DS2 was actually delivered by a first year student midwife who was brilliant and, of course, fully supervised.

As a nurse whose DH is a doctor, I probably give a biased view but I do know that it's vital for their education.

Having said that, you don't have to have them there, just make it clear on your admission.

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