How would you feel about having a male midwide

[Lardlizard]

Just interested in the points of view

I'm a midwife and this thread has reminded me to check something. Midwives don't offer a neutral chaperone to perform intimate exams, I say 'are you happy with who's in the room' if accompanied or 'are you happy for me to go ahead' if not but that's all. Doctors of either sex would never perform an intimate exam without a HCA or midwife (not even a fellow doctor would be used). So I am wondering if this changes with male midwives? Seems simultaneously completely impractical to get a chaperone every time but also essential for everyone's protection?

@JessicaWakefieldSV that was my point. Others made it about the sexuality of men, so I did the opposite to show that it’s ridiculous. I am in NO WAY homophobic! But a pp upthread they would be ok with a gay midwife, but not a straight one?? Why is that!?! Who gives a shit what their sexual orientation is!!

Look let’s face it MOST women have a birthing partner and are not on there own..so I don’t see why have a male midwife would be an issue*

JFC. Whether you see something as an issue or not is completely fucking irrelevant!!!

Bodily Autonomy is the important thing here!!!

You have absolutely no right to argue against another woman’s bodily autonomy!!!

And yes, take your lesbophobia off the feminist board as I’m pretty sure a lot of the woman here are Lesbians and they generally give much more of a shit about women’s rights than you appear to do so!!!

Those of you who have issues with a male midwife, would you feel the same if a female was a mechanic for your car?

Barrel duly scraped!

I say 'are you happy with who's in the room' if accompanied

This concerns me because it is putting women on the spot and forcing them to have to say they don't want a specific person there, in front of that person.

@Youngandfree please stop @'ing me, and also stop misquoting me.

I don't want a male body around me at a time of intimacy, and that's ok. Neither you nor anyone else can tell me I do.

When I've delivered I've felt safe around women who know what it's like to have a perineum, and sore breasts/nipples. Women don't pose the same threats as men.

You are sexualising it my making it about lesbians and gay men. I didn't.

Its about feeling safe and labour progressing as well as possible. Males pose a risk that females dont. Male, to me, is male,no matter if they wear a frock, or what they call themselves

Look let’s face it MOST women have a birthing partner and are not on there own..so I don’t see why have a male midwife would be an issue, good god all they actually care about is getting baby out safely!!

You seriously cannot understand why some women might want a woman rather than a man to touch them intimately during a medical procedure, which is also often a time where they are feeling very vulnerable? I don't believe you actually, no one could be that lacking in empathy.

It's about sex (the XX and XY type) not sexuality. They're completely different.

Those of you who have issues with a male midwife, would you feel the same if a female was a mechanic for your car?

Slow handclap for possibly the most stupid post I’ve read on MN

*laboured (not delivered)

Some valiant efforts from PPs but that poster's comprehension problems are so severe that you're wasting your time.

Do mechanics routinely put their fingers up your vagina to check your cervix? Do they touch your breasts to assist with feeding?

@Bluestitch again you are assuming they are getting some sort of sexual enjoyment!! It’s their JOB!!!No more, no less!!

I had a male midwife deliver my first, I did not give a hoot at the time! He could've had 3 heads, I was all too consumed with contractions to think twice!

Please can someone explain why women mechanics are being mentioned here?!

Maybe this is representative of a person that has no personal boundaries or empathy for others or themselves either!

@Smotheroffive fine but I didn’t mis quote you!

It wouldn't bother me, I had an emergency delivery and a male gynae had to come out and deliver and stitch (vontouse but on the verge of a CS)
I just wanted baby here and safe and didn't care by that point who got her out.
I would want it to be okay for women who didn't feel comfortable with that to be allowed to say though especially for religious reasons or if they have been sexually assaulted or such.

I don’t think I’d care, after such a horrific birth with DS I would let Prince Charles birth my next if he was any good

was all too consumed with contractions to think twice!

Absolutely this....being too vulnerable

I remember reading recently that 85% of medical students specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology are now female. This proportion appears to be climbing so in the future the male obs/gynae dr could be a thing of the past completely.

I think its interesting how in previous decades nearly all gynaecologists would be male. Women would have female nurses/Carers/relatives for anything intimate but then the doctors specialising in their reproductive systems and childbirth would all be men.

again you are assuming they are getting some sort of sexual enjoyment!! It’s their JOB!!!No more, no less!!

No medic has ever assaulted anyone in the course of their job have they!!! It’s another one of those things that ‘never happens’!!! JFC!!!

Oh go away and stop tagging me. You clearly lack comprehension skills. I do not assume that a man would be getting sexual enjoyment out of it. But I still prefer a female. I booked a doctor's appointment recently to have a breast lump checked and the receptionist automatically asked if I would prefer to see a female GP. Because most people don't have the empathy of a slug.

@RepealTheGRA again have no issues with lesbians how many times do I have to say it!

I think it's very unlikely that any woman would be in a situation where a male midwife is the only one available. I've only ever met one and I spend a lot of time on labour ward in various hospitals.
(Had a sweep from a male midwife when pregnant also)
However often the case that there are only male doctors available both from obstetrics/gynae and anaesthetics. I'm curious what others views are on that? Personally I don't mind at all.

Having a male present in early labour, and established labour can stop labour and lead to interventions.

Please can someone explain why women mechanics are being mentioned here?!
Because its the Easter holidays?