Student midwife turned away..

[Tasha]

I think midwifery should stay as a women-only field. Considering what men did to obstetrics. I dunno, it just seems that women get it, on a different level. I would also be totally uncomfortable having another man other than my OH while I was giving birth. Let alone delivering.

Why should women "get it" just because they are female as opposed to a male. Not all midwifes have been through birth

I don't believe any employment field should stay gender specific. You can't promote equality in some things but not others.

I can understand how I may be coming across but I stand by it. Already this particular man has shown insensitivity towards what these women were comfortable with and he is not yet a midwife. My midwife also had never given birth, but at least she has a vag and knows how it functions from a personal level. At least she can understand hormonal flux. Men can barely understand PMS and share jokes about it and women's tendencies to mood change. At least a woman can envision herself opening up to pass a baby. Try to find one man who can pretend he can close his eyes and imagine opening his vajayjay wiiiiide, or to flip on a hypnobirthing script and say that they can relate to it. When men took over obstetrics they didn't get it at all, they introduced unnecessary tools, strapped women down, put them on their backs, and began this propaganda about childbirth being scary, being painful, and basically an illness, despite midwives managing since the birth of our species. As a wildlife biologist I know that all mammals at times seek the comfort and support of other females during childbirth if not complete privacy, but they never mosy on over to a male in hopes that they will accept her flow of hormones when they are at their highesr peak. How could they? They don't and never will experience anything even close to it, and are not physiologically equipped for it.

My opinion. At least call yourself a midhusband, because I could never give a man the title of midwife.

The bolded stood out for me, it is nothing to do with whether the person delivering is male or female, it means 'with woman'

 

[baskinps]

I think midwifery should stay as a women-only field. Considering what men did to obstetrics. I dunno, it just seems that women get it, on a different level. I would also be totally uncomfortable having another man other than my OH while I was giving birth. Let alone delivering.

Why should women "get it" just because they are female as opposed to a male. Not all midwifes have been through birth

I don't believe any employment field should stay gender specific. You can't promote equality in some things but not others.

I can understand how I may be coming across but I stand by it. Already this particular man has shown insensitivity towards what these women were comfortable with and he is not yet a midwife. My midwife also had never given birth, but at least she has a vag and knows how it functions from a personal level. At least she can understand hormonal flux. Men can barely understand PMS and share jokes about it and women's tendencies to mood change. At least a woman can envision herself opening up to pass a baby. Try to find one man who can pretend he can close his eyes and imagine opening his vajayjay wiiiiide, or to flip on a hypnobirthing script and say that they can relate to it. When men took over obstetrics they didn't get it at all, they introduced unnecessary tools, strapped women down, put them on their backs, and began this propaganda about childbirth being scary, being painful, and basically an illness, despite midwives managing since the birth of our species. As a wildlife biologist I know that all mammals at times seek the comfort and support of other females during childbirth if not complete privacy, but they never mosy on over to a male in hopes that they will accept her flow of hormones when they are at their highesr peak. How could they? They don't and never will experience anything even close to it, and are not physiologically equipped for it.

My opinion. At least call yourself a midhusband, because I could never give a man the title of midwife.[/QUOTE]

The bolded stood out for me, it is nothing to do with whether the person delivering is male or female, it means 'with woman'

Fair enough. I didn't know that!

 

[teal]

I would not have been comfortable with a male midwife. I really struggled with breastfeeding in the early weeks and if I'd went to a support group and there was a male midwife, even just observing the group, I would have left.

 

[Fergie]

If i could have the choice i would pick a male midwife. I have never had any problems with my male Drs, nurses or midwives but the women always try to force their opinion on you. I personally would feel more secure that my wishes would be followed with a male member of staff.

 

[Yammas]

There already are male midwives arent there so I dont understand why was he turned away

Im not sure if id like a male midwife on the one hand I think that Id feel a bit patronised by them as theyd have no experience of what I was going through but that may make them more willing to listen and laid back than a woman whos been through it and thinks she knows best.

 

[superbecks]

I think midwifery should stay as a women-only field. Considering what men did to obstetrics. I dunno, it just seems that women get it, on a different level. I would also be totally uncomfortable having another man other than my OH while I was giving birth. Let alone delivering.

Why should women "get it" just because they are female as opposed to a male. Not all midwifes have been through birth

I don't believe any employment field should stay gender specific. You can't promote equality in some things but not others.

I can understand how I may be coming across but I stand by it. Already this particular man has shown insensitivity towards what these women were comfortable with and he is not yet a midwife. My midwife also had never given birth, but at least she has a vag and knows how it functions from a personal level. At least she can understand hormonal flux. Men can barely understand PMS and share jokes about it and women's tendencies to mood change. At least a woman can envision herself opening up to pass a baby. Try to find one man who can pretend he can close his eyes and imagine opening his vajayjay wiiiiide, or to flip on a hypnobirthing script and say that they can relate to it. When men took over obstetrics they didn't get it at all, they introduced unnecessary tools, strapped women down, put them on their backs, and began this propaganda about childbirth being scary, being painful, and basically an illness, despite midwives managing since the birth of our species. As a wildlife biologist I know that all mammals at times seek the comfort and support of other females during childbirth if not complete privacy, but they never mosy on over to a male in hopes that they will accept her flow of hormones when they are at their highesr peak. How could they? They don't and never will experience anything even close to it, and are not physiologically equipped for it.

My opinion. At least call yourself a midhusband, because I could never give a man the title of midwife. Midwifery is personal, not textbook.

The term midwife means "with woman". The wife part comes from the women you are looking after so there is no such this a midhusband!!

I have just qualified as a midwife. I myself have been in situations where women don't want to be cared for a student etc, it's the same thing as this male, except i didn't kick up a fuss I respected the women's wishes. This has only been on two occasions. One was a stretch and sweep and one was in labour. I ALWAYS read birth plans to see their wishes on students and if nothing is written ask whether they mind. Anyhow....back to the whole male midwife/doctor thing. If i were to go to my GP for a smear, i would book in with the female dr. But in labour....it doesn't matter to me. I had two male doctors examining me and suturing once i had given birth to my daughter. I would never request a female as often the doctor who comes in is the only one on duty at the level needed. At the hospital I trained at there is a high Asian community. They tend to request female doctors however 90% of the time they don't get it. We now warn them in the antenatal period following a tragedy where an Asian lady refused a male doctor performing a c section. She and her husband refused any intervention from a male. It was explained to them the seriousness for the need for the c section, their baby was in distress. The on call consultant was female. We called her in. By which point the baby was no longer with us, because his parents didn't want a male doctor.

 

[Foogirl]

I couldn't care less if I had a male midwife. I was happy to breastfeed in front of any man. But neither of these things is the issue here and the NCT are not saying men shouldn't be midwives.

The NCT runs various types of classes, which various types of women pay to attend. If a woman books a woman only breastfeeding class, they do so because they don't want men there, medical professional or not. Would it be ok if one of the participants took their husband saying "it's ok, he's an OBGYN" as the NCT say, there are other classes he can attend which will give him the same experience, why make a fuss about this one.

Incidentally, I refused to go to my NHS BFIng class because they didn't allow my husband to come. It was a bit of a protest because I felt it was important he learned all about it too. I wonder if male midwives attend these?

 

[Peanut78]

Personally, I don't think it would bother me to have male midwife at a bf class/ group - but when I was bf'ing I was so used to whipping my breasts out all over the place anyway, I was kind of "de-sensitized" to worrying about who might see my breasts

I do, however, think that not all women will be comfortable with that and that needs to be respected.

I am not comfortable being examined by a male gyno/ obs (although I have been examined by a male doctor in the past), I now ensure that I am seen by female doctors on a whole.

 

[RaspberryK]

There could have been women from a religious background for whom it would be unacceptable for any male to attend regardless of his profession.
I agree that when any ones body parts are concerned they should be able to choose who is in attendance.
I probably wouldn't want a male midwife or doctor whilst in labour or learning to breastfeed.
I did see a male consultant during the end of my pregnancy and he did a scan and an exam (not internal) but he asked if it was ok.
I allowed the student midwife in to my house and she helped me through the first 7 hours of labour and she did 2 internal exams as well as the qualified midwife.
If I'd had to have c section etc then I wouldn't have cared if doctor was male or female.
But during labour I really don't think men have s place there, next time I don't even think I'll have my husband present. He was useless
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