UK ladies, how many midwives at birth?

[xx~Lor~xx]

Right at delivery, I think I had two midwives present with my first child.

With my second child I had three midwives I think, but this was because the midwife looking after me had not done a water birth before, and then there was meconium when my waters broke with no time to get me out of the water.

 

[bumblebeexo]

I only had one midwife throughout, but just before LO was born she buzzed for another one as they like to have 2 there for delivery.

 

[Tattoo]

I had two midwives at delivery, plus a "waterbirth specialist" (I don't know what she was there for...I don't remember her doing much!). At one point I had three midwives, but I was in the MLU and they weren't busy!

 

[stephanyox]

I had one midwife during labour, but as my labour ran over the shift patterns, a lady came in to cover her, and she also brang in a student midwife, it was the same for me they seemed a bit like they were rushing near the end.. but maybe that was because she was trying to teach the student at the same time x

 

[wishuwerehere]

1 mw and 1 hca (the hca was useless. she was obsessed with trying to get me to put some clothes on and didn't do much else...) I don't know if it's relevant that it was 1 am - i've heard mat wards often have less staff at night...

 

[special_kala]

Home birth 2 midwives and a student.

 

[Hunbun]

I had one with me the whole way through and when it came to the actual birth part I had two.

 

[pinkpolkadot]

Thanks for all your replies so far, seems pretty mixed!

 

[Natasha1988]

In the uk it's normal to have 1 midwife present at birth either on a labour ward or in midwife led unit if everything is low risk, if your having a water birth usually 2 midwives will be present. It's routine at a home birth to have 2 midwives who will be on call. If you have a student present then that's because they are shadowing the midwife who is caring for you. If complications arise you can end up with doctors, student doctors, senior midwife and in theatre there are ODP's, theatre nurses, anaesthetists etc. It all depends on your circumstances x x

 

[lynnikins]

i had my first 2 on a mw led unit there was supposed to be 2mw and 1 student for ds1 but ended up with a room full of staff because i was the only giving birth that moment when things went awry and needed ventouse,
with the second i had one mw in the room ungloved reading my notes as id just transfered rooms and gone to the bathroom, so they grabbed a second MW and student from the hallway.
with my youngest we didnt even get one, planned homebirth but due to staffing issues they didnt have a second team to send out and I refused to go in so it was me and DH then the paramedics arrived 10 mins later

 

[Mummy Bean]

1mv and then a paed came in for birth as he had pooped. then another mv just to check if needed stitching.

 

[superbecks]

Oh yes forgot to say I was on labour ward, sounds like it differs then but one is not out of the ordinary.

Re the injection I have read that after having it the palcenta has to be removed quickly as it causes the uterus to clamp down hard thus trapping it if not. As I say it was all a bit of a blur but I do remember a lot of faffing during the process so was wondering if that's what happened

You can't deliver the placenta until it has detached, if you pull too hard trying to get it delivered you're likely to snap the cord.

 

[alicecooper]

For DD I had 1 midwife.

For DS1 I had a whole team of people flooding into the room because the cord was around his neck, and he was in distress, and my bp was plummeting, and basically it ended up like a sea of medics!

For DS2 I had 1 midwife and 1 student, who was only a young lad but he was very good.

 

[flubdub]

I always had two but the second midwife only came in literally as the head was coming out.

 

[pinkpolkadot]

Oh yes forgot to say I was on labour ward, sounds like it differs then but one is not out of the ordinary.

Re the injection I have read that after having it the palcenta has to be removed quickly as it causes the uterus to clamp down hard thus trapping it if not. As I say it was all a bit of a blur but I do remember a lot of faffing during the process so was wondering if that's what happened

You can't deliver the placenta until it has detached, if you pull too hard trying to get it delivered you're likely to snap the cord.

Hmm I am not sure whether it was detached or not, I remember them pulling on it like tug of war though and saying uterus had clamped down!

 

[xsadiex]

I had two at home x

 

[Robiloo]

I was induced... One midwife between four and I had to beg for someone to come into the delivery room when I could feel the head... She was there for about twenty minutes... Delivered, disappeared. Terrible. I'm having a homebirth this time round... Apparently there will be two.. But I'm currently waiting for a midwife to come round for a homebirth assessment (morning appointment) as I'm 37 weeks and no one turned up... Great

 

[kathy31]

At my homebirth almost 4 yrs ago I had 2 qualified midwives and 2 students. I am hoping for a water birth at hospital this time so will be interested to see who attends...