Meet Canada's 1st male midwife!!

[aliss]

I used to read discussions in the tri's about "would you use a male midwife...?" and the thought seemed bizarre to me - you HAVE male midwives?!?!?!?

Not that I would mind one. But it turns out here in Canada, there was not a single one until now!!

https://www2.macleans.ca/2012/05/23/meet-canadas-first-male-midwife/

I think this is a great step for midwifery here in Canada. It was an illegal profession in my province until 13 years ago!!! Many girls who wants midwives are being shut out, the vast majority still use OBYGN (mostly through choice but also through being denied a midwife).

 

[MollyWeasley]

I think this is great, thanks for sharing!

I wouldn't have an issue with having a male midwife. In my experience, male caregivers have been more compassionate and gentle when it comes to my lady bits. My male gyno was WAY better than the female gyno I once saw. My GP is also male, and I'm quite comfortable with him.

 

[minties]

Illegal, for real? What was the reasoning behind that?

I wish I could find a male midwife, that'd be cool.

 

[MollyWeasley]

There is at least one male midwife in New Zealand!

While we were there on vacation in September I saw part of a television feature about a male midwife there. He has been working as a midwife for many years. He seemed very experienced, kind and compassionate. I remember thinking I'd love to have him as my midwife. Try looking him up! He probably won't be hard to find. Chances are he won't be near you, but it's worth checking. If you can find the tv special about him it would be nice to watch anyway.

 

[MindUtopia]

I personally wouldn't want a male midwife, but I wouldn't want a male ob/gyn. That's just a personal preference (though I did once have a really awesome male ob/gyn - he was like 80 and an old fashioned doctor who had real bedside manner, so he was wonderful - but I wouldn't be comfortable with another now). But it's interesting! There are actually a few male midwives in the UK and I've actually heard wonderful things about them and some women loved them so much they request them.

To answer the question about midwives being illegal, I'm not sure if it's the same in Canada as in the U.S., but there are a number of U.S. states where midwifery is illegal in one form or another. It has to do with the power of the American Medical Association and the American College of Ob/Gyns. They lobby very strongly to protect their claim to be the only people who can deliver babies or provide antenatal care. They have a lot of money and they feel very threatened by midwifery. This all started way back at the turn of the 20th century, when the physicians organized to push midwives out, in some places make home birth illegal or very difficult to do, and move birth into the hospital where it could only happen with doctors. Once insurance developed, it became a lot easier because the insurance companies worked closely with doctors and hospitals as well to make sure that births by midwives couldn't be reimbursed by insurance, making them all but impossible except for the rich (or of course, the very poor who couldn't afford any trained birth attendant). These laws still exist in some places and I think I remember there was actually a push recently to make them illegal again somewhere where they had been allowed to practice. It's kinda weird and scary, especially when you live somewhere where midwifery is just such a normal thing.

 

[pinklightbulb]

I had a male MW after Liam was born

 

[maisie78]

I personally wouldn't want a male midwife, but I wouldn't want a male ob/gyn. That's just a personal preference (though I did once have a really awesome male ob/gyn - he was like 80 and an old fashioned doctor who had real bedside manner, so he was wonderful - but I wouldn't be comfortable with another now). But it's interesting! There are actually a few male midwives in the UK and I've actually heard wonderful things about them and some women loved them so much they request them.

To answer the question about midwives being illegal, I'm not sure if it's the same in Canada as in the U.S., but there are a number of U.S. states where midwifery is illegal in one form or another. It has to do with the power of the American Medical Association and the American College of Ob/Gyns. They lobby very strongly to protect their claim to be the only people who can deliver babies or provide antenatal care. They have a lot of money and they feel very threatened by midwifery. This all started way back at the turn of the 20th century, when the physicians organized to push midwives out, in some places make home birth illegal or very difficult to do, and move birth into the hospital where it could only happen with doctors. Once insurance developed, it became a lot easier because the insurance companies worked closely with doctors and hospitals as well to make sure that births by midwives couldn't be reimbursed by insurance, making them all but impossible except for the rich (or of course, the very poor who couldn't afford any trained birth attendant). These laws still exist in some places and I think I remember there was actually a push recently to make them illegal again somewhere where they had been allowed to practice. It's kinda weird and scary, especially when you live somewhere where midwifery is just such a normal thing.

This is a very similar story to the British emergence of midwifery. Thankfully in this country the midwives won the battle If anyone has read the book 'Call the Midwife' there is a section on this subject in there and how the Royal College tried to push the midwives out. Another reason to be proud of our NHS. Without it we would probably be in the same position as having babies is big business. It just seems so outdated to make midwifery illegal

On the subject of male midwives, my sister had one with her first child. Her normal midwife wasn't on duty when she went in to labour so she had a male. She said he was great and looked a bit like Liam Neeson apparently I'm not sure I would be that comfortable but as long as he gets my baby out safely I don;t mind who helps me really.

 

[Pixles]

Think maybe my OH would be happyer with a male midwife than I would. If i was still with it and i had the choise i would ask for a woman. but, when i had first baby, and we went to the hospital I told my OH i needed to be checked? He said,, what? Fingered by the midwife? Dont they have men to do that? >.<

 

[Shadowy Lady]

hahah ya hubby and I read that in MacLeans last month or so. I think it's awesome that there are male midwives out there (even just one). I'll still prefer a female one though, not really sure why

 

[skc22]

When I used to work worked on the maternity ward when I was doing my nursing degree, there were 2 male midwives and they were awesome! Much better than the female midwives. One of them looked after me after Alexia was born. For whatever reason, they seem more sympathetic and understanding, even though they had no idea of what it is like to actually give birth

 

[NDH]

When I was pregnant I remember those would you have a male midwife threads. My answer was always that its not something I'd be comfortable with. But then guess what? I ended up with a male midwife (not the main one, but the second one who came in just for the birth) and i didn't care, or truly even notice. And i was completely starkers the whole time too, again not something I thought I'd be comfortable with as a very modest person.
The same male midwife also was the most help with breastfeeding than any of the females.

 

[morri]

I think it is the same Q as wanting to use either a male or female Gynaecologist. I think it is strange that canada forbid midwifves? seriosuly why?

 

[aliss]

I think it is the same Q as wanting to use either a male or female Gynaecologist. I think it is strange that canada forbid midwifves? seriosuly why?

It's terribly archaic, isn't it!!?? Yes, this province legalized it in 1999, not sure about the others. Home birth with midwife is still illegal in the state of Nebraska (unassisted is not). North America went so far in the medical direction that home births are less than 1% in most places here and that many women can give birth without even knowing a midwife exists.

I personally did not even know what a midwife was until about 36 weeks with my 1st!!!

Not only is there little choice, but many women have no idea such a choice even exists.

 

[morri]

Wow that sounds ridiculous-- we have here a jointed system-- you have a midwife for birth and the weeks (8 weeks normally) after birth, and you can also choose to have midwife care during pregnancy (otherwise your Gyn does all) but birth in a hospital is always with midwife and doc , there are some which only have midwives and you can give birth in midwife run birthing houses or at home, similar to the UK.

 

[MaskedKitteh]

A male MW (or a midman as I so loving called him when off my tits on g&a) delivered my second baby!