Midwives- am I mad?!

[BlackholesAndRevelations]

Hi, was just wondering if I'd be insane to consider retraining as a midwife (am currently primary teacher).

Is there such thing as a part time midwife? I'd like to try and be part time when my children are older (currently 10 months and 2.5) I don't think I'd be looking to retrain for a while yet, but I'll be teaching full time from september so to be honest I don't think the workload would be much more doing a vocational degree/whatever I need to do to qualify... Am I way off?!

Tia!

I'm a nurse, not a MW and I was able to juggle my PT shifts until the eldest started school. But with DH working irregular hours (non 9-5) it became impossible and I have been a SAHM for a few months now.

IMHO there used to be a lot of goodwill working for the NHS but it has mostly disappeared.

We've hired a nanny. DH works 8-5.30 plus 30 minute commute each way and couldn't find another option that was flexible enough. Plus with 4 dc it was the cheapest option. My bursaty wont cover even half the cost :(

inga- im guessing you're assuming you wont need full time childcare once qualified? i'm in berkshire and had a nanny for a little while but as a newly qualified and then up a band, my wages werent even covering the nanny's salary by the time i'd paid her tax and ni contributions. I had to rely on a day nursery and then grandparents to collect after hours or have the night before to drop off when nursery/school opened. I think even now with the dc being older the situation isnt much better as 1 dc too old for childcare providers but woulnt want him home alone over night, or so early in the morning and another appraoching senior school so again too old for formal childcare but still far too young to be left to get ready for school alone or to come home alone.

It is such a fabulous job when hospitals are fully staffed and running well, but sadly it seems no matter how many new midwives they recruit, the retention rate is rubbish.

Really sus out the trust that you want to work for as well. I was tied to the trust i trained with due to fmaily commitments and unfortunatley its one with a high level of bitchiness and blame everyone else.

Hi Daisy, I will have to stay within the trusts that my uni offers so a choice of 5. Anything further afield and we would have to move the family which as we are a blended one just isn't happening.

By the time I'm qualified the 3 older dc will be in secondary school and we'll only have to pay for before and after school care for ds so it hopefully wont be too horrendous.

slightly off-topic but may be useful to someone: any German speaking midwives? move to Germany!! there is a crazy shortage, more midwives are desperately needed - the profession is more respected than in England as there is a large natural/home birth movement.

And if you're part time one problem is that,any trusts won't allow fixed shifts. So you work different days every week. If you had a nursery place or a childminder you'd have to pay for a full time place even if you worked two days a week.

For a role which is woman centred it really isn't woman/family friendly :(

I'm a student mw have 2 dc it's incredibly difficult never have Romero study. Hate the bitchiness/culture of the unit lots of bullying and martyrdom and no allowance for individualised care. Shifts from 8am-8.15pm quite often no break and you rarely leave on time. Unsafe care because mws are so overworked.
Students not seen or heard. I have 3 weeks left on 2nd year and not sure I can face my final year.
My Dp is a sahd otherwise my children would spend most of their lives with strangers there are some weeks I don't even see them awake as I'm out of the house st 6:30am and not back till 9:30pm.
I would not choose to do this again. Wish I chosen another career.

Romero should read "time to' not sure what happened there!

Oh god what am I doing? :(

There are some flexible childminders, my wonderful childminder only asks that I use her for 20 hours per week, she does not mind how those hours fall, so two 10 hour days or an afternoon, a full day and a morning if I'm doing a couple of night shifts. I just let her know my off duty and take it from there. If I need her for extra then she is happy to accommodate us. I know how lucky I am to have her but even so she only works 8-6 so having a DH who can do pick ups and drop offs is essential.

but late to answer sorry, I am applying to midwifery next year, I have applied in the past and been rejected, without looking at the demands of the course and the job the first challenge is getting a place in the first place. At the only uni I can realistically apply to they had over a thousand applicants for 50 places last year. They want to see experience, it has to be maternity based, I have spent the last 8 months working at it and am just now getting to a place where my application would be acceptable, however I dont think i will get a place based on what I have managed to achieve in 8 months I think I will be looking at next year before I can get my application up to standard. That said if it is what you want to do you will do all that, I dont see it as a bad thing, just preparing me for the challenges ahead. I cant imagine how I will feel if I actually get a place, I cant let myself imagaine as last time it took me a few years to get myself back to a place where I can apply again, the rejection hit me so hard, which I guess is what hppens when you want something so much. I havent even thought about the other thinngs, money, childcare, because dh says we will deal with them when and if we have to but at this point there can be no negatives as the whole process is so intense.

So short answer I would, but be aware of the reality first.