One born every minute

[oldme]

Yay it's on now! God I love this, am I the only one who nearly always cries when this is on!!!:)

Awwww midhusband!! You were a star. I have met many male midwives and every single last one has been a superstar. Great to see you are totally true to type too.

You have a fan club here

P.S. Dumbledoresgirl I could absolutely only birth my 1st lying on my back in McRoberts position. STranded turtle describes in perfectly. It really worked for me too.

2nd on my side in pretty much the same position, just flopped over. Couldn't push standing or kneeling, just couldn't find the sweet spot!

Oh you were so very lovely Chris.

Amelia was fab, I loved her. I had to resist teh urge to leap off the sofa and do a happy dance when they showed her bf.

I had my first on the bed (my bed at home but still the bed). I had really wanted an active birth and dh spent quite a long time trying to persuade me into different positions but I just wanted to be on my left hand side and not move. The second one was born in water though although I kept thrusting my hips up in the contractions so I was basically lying on my back in the pool . I guess the most important thing is to encourage women to listen to their instincts.

midhusband has anyone ever told you you have the most lovely eyes?

Chris - you definitely did some good PR for the midhusband cause.
you are certainly in the right job and i thought you were lovely

.

Midhusband!!!! Is that you????!!! Wow, I feel a bit star struck.

You came across brilliantly on OBEM - calm, collected, caring and in control. Fancy transferring to the Cambridge area?

lol just been redirected her from the thread in pregnancy. loved it last night and I really think that you were a great midhusband.

although have to admit being eight weeks pregnant that programme freaks me out a bit.

I thought Lucy was ok - just very anxious and trying to hide that.

Amelia obviously was fab and her mother - what a woman! When she said 'your struggle has paid off' I cr8ied like errrr a baby.

Oh yes and the midwife chap - he was ok I s'pose. hardly noticed him

Oh and Midhusband, congrats for the relatively straight face you managed to keep when Amelia said that she was calling the baby "Russell"...

I was convinced that she said "Croissant"!

NorthernLurker - I agree about Lucy. She made me almost want to switch off last night, such was my reaction to her singing and repeated endearments to hubby, and the puppy eyes she gave him all the time. But I watched the programme again this morning, and I decided a lot of it was pure nerves on her part, esp during the section. I have a tendency to gabble when nervous too and I recognised that in her.

I still think saying "love you babe" every 2 seconds is nauseating, but each to their own.

I did say when it came on 'I've always wondered about male midwives'

At LEAST half the midwives I have birthed with have NOT had children. I don't see the difference between them and a midhubby

Good on you!

midhusband you are a credit to the profession and have totally changed my 'no way' thoughts on letting a man anywhere near me in birth. Your compassion shines through. Keep up the good work.

Thank you again for the nice words. It is great hearing about some positive experiences had by some. I think a few people agreed with my inpatiemce towards Amelia's other half, birth partners are so important and it was lovely that Amelias mum could be with her. She did a great job! I think I need to organise some time to do a web chat so i can hopefuly reassure some and hear the stories of others.

Re-watched it too and agree about Lucy, she was nervous and it must be hard to be calm and natural when you are so worried and with a film camera on you. Good job she had the c-section given the cord was around baby's neck x3.

And Chris, Amelia and her mum were amazing, a really positive birth, really emotional and uplifting.

My own experience of having men involved in the birth of my children has been overwhelmingly positive & tbh it never occurred to me that their being male was an issue. The only negative attitudes I've ever seen towards male mw and male doctors has been from female mw, including a senior mw when having my first, who was incredibly anti men and anti any kind of medical intervention.

Thought your feelings re Amelia's other half were spot on but also very professional & supportive of Amelia. Her mother was right when she said she was very fortunate in having you as her mid-husband, although thinking back I think she called you doctor, which is what you said you often get mistaken for in that setting.

I have had a little bit of that ill feeling over my short career. One of the senior midwives i worked with once, questioned whether i should be able to do examinations. I got the guidelines out and politely discussed the issue. On the flip side, i get spoilt when Im working in the hospital from most of the females so it balances it out.

How ludicrous that anyone should question your suitability to do examinations. You are a professional like any other midwife - I presume anyway! We don't question the suitability of male obstetricians. Or maybe some people do. There is another thread current here from a woman insistant that she has no male attendants at her labour. Perhaps she didn't see OBEM last night!

Have you had any negative reactions from patients before? I've never been pg or given birth so obviously can't speak from experience but I can't imagine that when in labour I would really give too hoots about whether the person looking after me was man, woman or, I dunno, horse.

(Okay, I may object to the horse)

*two. Durr.

chris - im sure mumsnet HQ would love to facilitate a web chat - and im sure you would attract a crowd!

are you in touch with HQ at all?

midihusband - well done you, i hope you inspire others to follow your career path.
A friend of mine had a male midwife and she said he was fab, especially at encouraging her husband to get involved with the birth.

Back to last nights programme and the minute I saw Lucy she reminded me of Miranda Hobbs, I notice reading back someone else said it was like an episode of Miranda too. Maybe she could cameo in a future episode as Miranda's cousin

Horses don't catch well!
I do get some people who object to having a male when im working in the hospital. Every one has a choice who they would rather have caring for them so i don't get offended. At the momnet i work in the community where i have been for a while, the patch i look after treat me like one of the family. Most of the mums i look after know some one who i have helped birth so they are not as shocked when i meet them.