Student midwife at the birth? - Page 2

[MegBoz]

Originally Posted by ks3885 

I had a homebirth with 2 midwives (my midwife and her partner) and THREE student midwives, plus our birth photographer.

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I agree, it's your right to choose, especially if your midwife gives you the option, but my midife never did -- she is one of the only CPMs in our state who takes on apprentices and it is never even offered as a choice, it's clear from the get-go that her students are integral to her practice. And I think both client and midwives benefit.

Whoa - OK, I can understand that it's a requirement that a MW have a student with her - and maybe even another midwife AND a student for a total of 3... but does she really not let you have any choice in the matter when it comes to having a birth team of FIVE??? Sure, some mamas don't mind and I'm glad it was so positive for you, but if I had to have a birth team of 5, NO WAY would I go with that MW. Even my hospital-based midwives were respectful of my desire to have a smaller birth team & said it was fine to have only a MW and a nurse in the room.

& I'm pretty sure a lot of mamas would have a problem with a birth team that large, so it would really surprise me if she didn't let any mamas limit the birth team to a max of 3, or at least a max of 4 if they desired.

[jksmith]

It has to be your decision for whatever you feel comfortable with. I am also a student midwife and  would never want to make a woman feel obligated. This student will have lots of opportunities ahead in her training, but if you think you might want her there if you get to know her better, don't worry about wasting her time with prenatal visits either. Every visit is good experience for her, and whether you say yer or no, be honest with your midwife about your reasons because that will help her learn. If, like you said, you are put off by her higher-energy personality, then she can get some feedback on how to tone it down a bit, or how to be less nervous. Or, perhaps she's really was just very excited to start her first placement... I know I was! Once again, don't feel obligated... she wouldn't want you to.

[goldenwillow]

Originally Posted by allisonrose 

In the situation you described, I think I'd politely decline. It's pretty late in the game, you don't feel at ease with her and you already have a student midwife who will be attending.

Agreed.  With 2 MW's and another apprentice... that would be too many folks for me.  Sounds like your gut has already made the decision! 

[ks3885]

I was never asked, but I'm sure if I had SAID "I only want you and one other person there" it probably would have been fine. She would have probably just brought her most senior student and her partner midwife, or maybe just her and her partner midwife. I'm sure some of her mamas do that, but I've never known any of them. All of us loved her birth team (I'm in touch with a lot of the mamas whose births my midwife attended). And we all agreed that her birth team rocks! They all played important roles, even if they were small, in my birth.

I'm also a student CNM, and I didn't have a problem with other student midwives being there. I'm also an L&D nurse, so I know that in hospitals so many people are in the room that you've never even seen or met before, so I guess I'm just used to it. Having 5 people, all of whom I'd met before, was awesome to me!  I'm sure your midwife is fine with you saying no, especially since she asked you! Don't worry about it. Everyone is different and many people choose home birth bc they want to have a limited number of people present. I just want to offer a voice saying that I had 5 people present and it was still extremely intimate, happened in my completely dark bedroom with just a flashlight, and could not have been a more empowering awesome experience.

[coharmony]

I think if she were more experienced I would lean more toward you having her there but since she's newer all the benefits of having an extra midwife are null so she would really just be just an extra body which you specifically don't want. So I say in your situation I would say no.