Interviewing new midwife

[Maggi315]

Hello again everyone:

I am interviewing a new potential midwife to come work with me next week. She is coming from out of state and staying with friends of mine for 1=2 weeks. She will hopefully be able to come to a few births, prenatals, postpartums, etc.

Any suggestions about how to work things out? How to interview? We are going to go over protocols and such, but other than that, I feel a bit: about the other details, like should we both go to prenatals or alternate, how to alternate call, births, etc.

the main reason I am hiring another midwife is because I have gotten so busy, I need to be able to have someone help do the births and prenatals so i can have some time off and be off call. I would guess that most of the births we will both be at, but also probably do 1-2/month each with only the apprentice available.

thanks!

[Maggi315]

any one out there? or all you all out delivering babies?

[Paige, CPM]

Hi Maggi,

I know how you feel , I am waiting for replies to my post as well.

I don't know how helpful I will be...but I think you are on the right track by going over protocols, philosophy of practice, experience...just hang out and see how it feels...go over communication styles...positive and negative experiences you have had with others...you will know and she will know with time spent together.

I had a wonderful partner (who moved away sadly) and we did almost all appt. together, but, now that I have a baby I am sure it would be different. If you are so busy and looking to hire someone then you might think about doing some appointments together but also some apart to give each other needed personal time...Do the initial, 28, 36 and final pp together and split the rest? What sounds right for you?

I did share a client with another midwife but it did not flow as well, not badly, but just not as flowing...as we both had different ways of doing things...my original partner and I just started off together so everything we did we created together and checked in every step of the way with how we wanted things...it was great. So, you have a practice she is joining, so maybe that makes it easy and she falls in with you and slowly she can make suggestions for change...or, maybe you could start over together?

What are you imagining?

Best, Paige

[sugarmoon]

Well, I'm not a midwife, but I can offer maybe some practical advice.

You are looking to hire her. What do *you* want to do as far as splitting the prenatals etc? Do you have some kind of vision for where you see your practice going, and how the second midwife is going to help? I think the more thinking you can do to present her with a clear picture of what you are looking for, the better she will be able to make a decision, should you choose to hire her.

That said, I think it is great that she is staying so long, and going to be able to hang out and be with you at prenatals, births etc. That seems like the most important thing, finding our how compatible you are, and how your styles mesh.

As a consumer of h.b. midwifery services, that would be most important to me -- the similar styles. I'm working with a practice of 2 m/w's now, and they alternate prenatals, but will both come to my birth. This is somewhat important to me, b/c I like to really *know* who will be showing up. That said, my old m/w had a private practice, but worked closely w/ another m/w who had her own private practice. They did all their own prenatals, but were each other's backup m/w and attended all of each others births as a the secondary m/w. That seemed like a good situation too.

Good luck!

[mwherbs]

have you talked to her before now? a 1-2 week coverage is a bit hard to screen for sight unseen
same thing I always ask- tell me some birth stories-
does she have certs? CPM, Neonatal resus, CPR-- what does she normally do for prenatals? does she do her own labs- does she take call all the time and answer promptly
what are your first impressions? what is your gut

and do you have a list of what you want someone to do for you- if she is taking call- and covering prenatals- what are your personal limits on things-- what I might do with creeping up bp and what you might do can be quite different... do you do in house glucose screening or send um to a lab?
does your population care if someone show up to a birth sight-unseen?
I cover off and on for different mws but I know them and they know me- even if we wouldn't do everything exactly the same there is enough basic understanding and trust between us--