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Original poster

anyone a midwife?

21 replies

lulabella · 14/04/2008 13:26

Anyone here a midwife? I really really want to retrain as one in a couple of years time, my dc are 3 and 16 months at the mo and am thinking about starting a course when ds is 5 and dd would be at nursery in the mornings. would love to know the good bits and the bad bits and whether i am completely mad to even contemplate this change of career. I am a stay at homer at the mo.

OP posts:
feb · 14/04/2008 15:36

will be watching this with interest as I am in a very similar situation at the moment.

Original poster
lulabella · 15/04/2008 14:20

umm no takers so far. how about we chat amongst ourselves.
what's your situation feb?

OP posts:
feb · 15/04/2008 15:01

have a 15 month old and am TTC no 2. am SAHM at the mo.
would love to be a midwife as am a bit obsessed with the whole thing but can't afford to have 2 in childcare when i go back to uni so will have to wait til DS is at school.
i am also a bit worried i'm making a big mistake, so have contacted my local hospital as they have a work experience and voluntary workers scheme. waiting for them to get back to me. at least this way I'll know if i hate it before i commit myself to a degree!

Original poster
lulabella · 15/04/2008 21:38

ooh the work exp is a really good idea, i might try that one here. there are a couple of things though that put me off, one being i am not sure i could take blood. it seems such a big commitment though and i am worried about whether it is the right thing but s'pose you don't really know until you try it...

OP posts:
feb · 18/04/2008 12:20

i know what you mean. i also don't know how i would cope with women or babies dying...

Original poster
lulabella · 19/04/2008 20:56

oh god hadn't thought about that. i would be in pieces for sure. thinking about looking into a doula course maybe, who knows

OP posts:
feb · 20/04/2008 12:20

doula course is a really good idea. i looked into it but there aren't any in my area (yorkshire).
i only thought of it because when i had my mc at 15 weeks i delivered in the labour ward under the care of midwives.

VictorianSqualor · 20/04/2008 12:32

doula cousrse can be arranged in your area, www.nuturingbirth.co.uk will arrange one if you can find them a venue big enough for 8 people, even your living room would do.

VictorianSqualor · 20/04/2008 12:33

oops missplet sorry!
www.nurturingbirth.co.uk/

feb · 21/04/2008 10:05

thanks VS, i'll take a look.

Original poster
lulabella · 21/04/2008 14:43

Feb, am really sorry to hear about your miscarriage. i can't imagine how that must have felt. did the midwives look after you? I had a miscarriage too (although earlier at 10 weeks). and i also had a difficult birth with ds1 and textbook, would do it again tomorrow birth. in all these experiences the midwives were so lovely i just keep thinking i would to able to help someone else too.
vs thanks, will have a look at that website now.

OP posts:
feb · 22/04/2008 10:24

sorry to hear of your mc lulabella.
had a great birth with ds, really hands off which was exactly what i wanted.
when i lost no2 the midwives were fab, they couldn't have been better. this was my real inspiration for wanting to become one, even more so than the fab 1st birth.

limassol · 22/04/2008 21:28

I used to be a midwife but gave it up when my dd was 1 year old as the commitment to the job was too much. I had to do nights and on-call which I found to be too disruptive to my new life as a mum.

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 22/04/2008 22:33

I'm a midwife. I started my training when dd was 4.

Is very hard to get onto the course and the waiting lists are long. I had to wait 18months to start once I was offered a place. You need to have maths and english GCSE and also A-LEvels or access course to get on. You must be able to demonstrate recent learning as well (normally within the last 4 years).

I think in 99% of the country its now degree only, rather than diploma - so less bursary. The academic level of the course is full on tough. You basicly work 37 hours a week and then have all your assignments to do on top of that. But you do get private study days as well so that helps.

I loved the training and the job. But be warned the wards are very short staffed and it is a very high pressured, stressful job. You can guarantee if someone is kept waiting to be discharged as you are busy helping another mum b/f, etc then the woman who was kept waiting will be pissed off with you and let you know about it.

Oh yes - and the really good bit. There aren't any jobs at the end of the training Hence why I work in a call centre as I can't find a job!

But I do still think its the best job in the world. But I just think you need to be aware that it isn't all sweetness and light.

BTW - I was squeamish until I started the course and was worried I wouldn't cope with the blood. I was fine though, you have to be. You can't panic when someone is having a major PPH 'cos its your responsibility basicly to save their life.

1dilemma · 22/04/2008 22:43

Stripey that is shocking thought NHS was crying out for mw (if not it should be) what happened to the 1 women 1 midwife?

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 22/04/2008 22:55

Its all government spin.

Labour say they're crying out for midwives 'cos thats translates as "look voters, we can't force people to do the job, if we could do anthing we would".

The NHS is crying ot for midwives - well actually they're crying out for funding to employ them.

There are hundreds of unemployed midwives like myself.

So what does the gov do - say they're going to introduce "welcome back grants" to encourage retired midwives to retrain. Like that's going to help! Actually its the last thing people in my position need. Never mind its such a waste of taxpayers' money.

1dilemma · 22/04/2008 23:00

This gov has a postgraduate degree in wasting money!

wellbalanced · 24/04/2008 22:07

Hiya my friend has just looked into midwifery and its very hard to get on, As mentioned you need to have maths and english GCSE and also A-LEvels or access course to get on. You must be able to demonstrate recent learning as well (normally within the last 4 years) if you not you'll also need a pre access, so those two courses will take 3-4yrs during if full or part time also you dont get bursery for those.
She was also told there aren't many jobs at the end of the training

My boss whom is a mid-wife (i am her nanny) says if my friend can get on thou go for it.

feb · 25/04/2008 10:05

thanks for your posts ladies. I'm hoping (or just deluded) that by the time I get round to doing/completing my training the government will have sorted itself out and there will be some jobs out there.
am also considering doing nursing then converting so at least i might be able to fall back on that if no midwifery jobs. what do you think?

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 25/04/2008 13:51

There are plans to stop the 18month coversion course from nursing to midwifery - a lot of unis have already stopped it. I think in all honesty it won't be about in 3 years time.

Have you found the www.studentmidwives.co.uk website? Its very good

feb · 28/04/2008 13:44

thanks stripey, thats a really good site

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