midwife experiences

[laura109]

Just wandered how you found your birthing midwives. Was they reassuring and supportive? Helpful and encouraging? Negative? Just fem with millions of questions. So nervous about the midwife at my birth being what I need xx

 

[mummytobe_93]

I had an amazing midwife but I personally knew her. She was very supportive and encouraging and was everything I needed in a midwife. I honestly think most midwives are nice but they are over worked and stressed so some might not come across as caring and compassionate. If you have a midwife you don't like you can ask to change

If you are in the uk you will more then likely have a few different midwives and I'm sure you will like the majority of them x

 

[Tulip]

I had a 2nd year student triage and admit me and get me settled in the pool. Then qualified midwife. She read my birth plan and was brilliant - stayed right in the background until waters went and they were full of blood. She calmly persuaded me to get out of the pool (I was pretty pissed off at that idea) and switched rapidly from trying to transfer me to delivery suite to catching the baby when he shot out LOL

She was also very flexible and super interested in - and supportive of - my birth choices (hypnobirthing, delayed cord clamping, placenta encapsulation, umbilical cord tie, cloth nappy).

If you know what is important to you and annotate it clearly in your plan then the mws will know better how to interact with you. If you need coaching or you need hands-off - just say so xx

 

[alex_22]

The midwife I had with dd was absolutely Amazing! She was 18 weeks pregnant herself, with my son I started pushing a little earlier than they wanted me too, could see baby wasn't coming down and so just left me to get on with it and walked out the room the midwife with dd never left my side from entering the room (apart from her break which she told me if I was ready to deliver before her break was over she would come straight back) i didn't really care much for my midwife with ds she was older and got the feeling she didn't really care too much but midwife with dd was young and you could just feel all the passion she had for her job she made the experience absolutely wonderful she even sat with me for an hour or so after the delivery when I was showered and settled just chatting with me, my partner and mam x

 

[Eleanor ace]

With my DS I had 1 MW who wasn't so good, she didn't believe I was in labour (but in her defence she'd checked me an hour before when putting a pessary in and I was totally closed unfavourable for labour so she had reason to doubt me) so was quite short with me. Once she checked me and saw I was in labour she was nice but she left me to call L&D and didn't come back for 45 minutes in which time I progressed a fair way so I felt a bit worried being on my own. When I got moved to L&D my MW was great, really supportive without being overbearing. There were some concerns about my LO during labour and with his delivery but she was really calm and that was what I needed. There was another MW who was in and out when my main MW had to pop out to talk to the doctor and she was lovely too. We couldn't get hold of my DH because he'd left his phone on silent dohh: ) and the second MW and another MW drove to my house to tell DH to get to the hospital, it was so kind!
With my 2nd LO I had 1 MW and again she was very nice, she was always in the room but let me labour in peace and just sat back making sure everything was ticking along .

 

[MindUtopia]

The midwives I had were really pretty lovely. I didn't really talk or interact with the second midwife, but the main midwife was fantastic. I had a home birth, so they send two midwives, one actually works with you and the second is just there to take notes and help if needed. They only arrived when I was nearing being fully dilated (my choice, I didn't really want them just hanging around) and for the most part were quiet and just left me alone, which is what I requested. They really trusted me and just let me do it, following my birth plan even when it would have been really easy for them to just intervening and getting in the way. But they were really great. I will personally hire an IM next time, just because I want more postnatal support (antenatal and birth support was great, postnatal care sucked). But I was very happy with the NHS midwives who supported me at my birth.

 

[emyandpotato]

My midwife was a right bitch. She made me feel humiliated and just was not worth her being there since she didn't help in any way apart from to weigh LO after he was born. Home birth this time so fingers crossed I'll meet my MW beforehand.

 

[Feronia]

Where are you located? Depending on where you are, midwives seem very different!
I love my Canadian midwives! They're super supportive of everything I want to do, don't pressure me into everything, and were amazing at my last home birth. I wouldn't go with any other care provider!

That being said, if you are feeling in any way uncomfortable, try to switch if you can. I think it's important that you resonate with your midwife.

 

[laura109]

im located in the uk. I have heard the odd person say there midwife was rude or not very helpful but most people seem happy. I guess its because to me I know how much im relying on this person to get me through the scariest thing I have ever done. I want to feel comfortable around them and feel encouraged. its very daunting thinking about displaying myself and that's why im hoping I get someone who is bubbly and supportive. im sure most midwives are this way xx

 

[Lauraxamy]

I went to a Midwife led unit in my town with both pregnancies, it's a very quiet unit and all the midwives are absolutely lovely and extremely supportive, they also really listened to you and couldn't stress enough to you that they were there at any time if you had any concerns, I delivered my second baby there but unfortunately couldn't with my first as I had to be induced. The midwives at the hospital where I gave birth to my first weren't that great, the first midwife told me several times she didn't believe I was in pain so wouldn't check me over or anything, the shifts changed and a new midwife came on her shift, checked me and I was 4cm and able to go onto the labour ward :/ - the midwife on the labour ward was nice but the poor girl was so busy she was in and out like a yo-yo so didn't really interact with her that much. I didn't stay in hospital after birth long enough either time to comment on midwives on the wards but they seemed nice too.

 

[minties]

We get to choose our midwife here in NZ but I managed to pick a right bitch with Thomas. Cold and uncaring. She yawned and made fun of me a lot through labour.

My midwide with Sophie was amazing! She hugged me often and felt like my best friend. She added me to facebook and we keep in contact still.

 

[emyandpotato]

We get to choose our midwife here in NZ but I managed to pick a right bitch with Thomas. Cold and uncaring. She yawned and made fun of me a lot through labour.

What I cannot understand is why on earth would people like that even want to go in to midwifery? Eurgh.

 

[laura109]

If she laughed at me id report the stupid women after. Glad 2nd time round was better x

 

[MrsKChicago]

I love my midwives, but I haven't gotten to the birth part yet, so I'm enjoying the stories here. I rotate between four at my prenatal appointments, and I'll get whoever's on call when I go into labor. We have a favorite - she's very easy to talk to, she and DH are like holistic care soulmates, she never makes us feel like we're taking up too much time even though she owns the practice and is probably crazy busy. I'm hoping we'll get her for the birth, but I think I'll be happy with any of them - and to be fair to the others, I just haven't had as many questions when I've had them, so they haven't been given the opportunity to make the impression G has.

Around here, OBs are the standard and midwives are rare, so for the most part, the women who go into midwifery are really great because they're the ones who are really passionate about it.