one born every minute : MALE 'midwife'

[ouchwithNo.2]

Would you??
I can't get my head around that
Fair enough - why not, but surely most women, I know I would, prefer to know that their midwife has a) either been through childbirth b) at least has the same bits down there and can imagine the feelings / pain???
I wonder how many male 'midwives' (is that correct?) there are??

 

[louandivy]

I don't think it would bother to me to be honest. All I wanted was someone with medical knowledge and a friendly face when I was in labour!

 

[aliss]

Here in North America you wouldn't bat an eye to a male delivering a baby.

 

[daisii]

i would not have cared less who it was!!!!! Loved my midwife to bits though, miss her visits now they have stopped!

 

[JessdueJan]

There was one at the hospital where I gave birth and I was panicking about how to put it nicely that I didn't want him in the room if he happened to be on shift when I was in labour, luckily he wasn't on shift but I actually don't think I'd have cared when I was in labour, I swore blind I didn't want a male doctor as well and then after my labour quite happily chatted away to a nice male doctor called Nick with my legs in stirrups while he stitched me up

 

[jenkins]

hmmmm in a way it may be the opposite as a male knows he can never really actually know what it feels like.

whereas you may get a smartass midwife who *thinks* she can imagine if she has never given birth, or who had her own, of course personal, experience when she gave birth so can't actually know anyway iykwim??

 

[littlepne]

Hmmmm I don't know. On first thoughts, yeah - fine, I wouldn't care at all... but whilst your in the middle of labour, I can imagine some of the things women say to him! But then, maybe most MWs (male and female) have been on the receiving end of that! Our hospital had MW "teams" and I was lucky when I had LO that my MWs were people I'd met before, I could have been comfortable with a guy. Think it'd take my DH a few minutes to come round to the idea though!

I think the most important question is - is this better or worse than a female referee?!

 

[Narla83]

Shocked me to begin with, but suppose you get male everything else so why not a 'midwife' would that become a 'midhusband' then?

 

[LoraLoo]

I had a male student when i visitedmy community midwife. He was ok- very gentle when feeling babys position etc, think he as a bit scared lol. He came to see my after she was delivered, in hospital, but i was b/f her and didnt really feel comfortable tbh. Not sure how i'd feel about a male delivering the baby, good on them though, sure they get a lot of stick from their mates

 

[bathbabe]

It wouldnt have bothered me. Why should it?

 

[aob1013]

Wouldn't have bothered me. Especially as i had my baby at 34 weeks. I Just wanted him to be safe. I didn't care who was looking after me.

 

[aliss]

Shocked me to begin with, but suppose you get male everything else so why not a 'midwife' would that become a 'midhusband' then?

Sure, then the profession would be mishusbandry which makes perfect sense

 

[Narla83]

i would not have cared less who it was!!!!! Loved my midwife to bits though, miss her visits now they have stopped!

Yeah know what you mean, it's like losing a friend in a way!!

 

[pinklizzy]

Don't think it would have bothered me either tbh. Shouldn't really make a difference if he was good at his job.

 

[ouchwithNo.2]

Here in North America you wouldn't bat an eye to a male delivering a baby.

really..
I reckon it is quite a rare thing over here.
I had lots of male doctors doing internals and that when I was induced (and I got through quite a few shifts of midwives on that one) but no male midwife.
I just think I would prefer a woman who has been there done that to tell me whats going on or at least understand how I am feeling, I can imagine me saying 'what do you know......you're a MANNNNNNN!!!!'
The person who sewed me up afterwards was a man though

 

[BunnyFace]

I don't think it would have bothered me at the time!

 

[MRSRICHRS2K]

i had a male midwife with my 2nd pregnancy, he was very good but i really didnt want him down there when i was pushing lol.... luckily he had a c section to do as my labour progressed and a stdent midwife who was fantastic took over... my plan didnt work though as he had to stitch me

 

[marymoomin]

I dont see the problem..... so many mw's havent even had kids!

 

[MrsNovBaby]

There was a student male midwife when I gave birth, let him feel my cervix every hour (after the lead midwife) so he could feel the different dilations. Did not really bother me. He was much gentler than the female Dr who tore my inside out!

 

[LulaBug]

To be fair, you can get midwives who have been through childbirth make you feel stupid when going through your own birth and patronising you.
I wouldn't have minded if my midwife been a man, as long as he maintained the same amount of professionalism in his work than that of the lady midwives.