Medical students and deliveries

Maya wrote: What I want to know tho is why are so many OB's male? What would give a guy motivation to become an OB and spend half his life with his head/hands up womens jacksies?

Umm... Emma, think about what you just said, and then think about all the 20-25yo men you know... what do they spend their social life doing? So why wouldn't they want to become an OB?

Yeah I dunno why a guy would want to do that job either. 

I had a a student midwife there for Ella's birth - turned out well, because she was there for my midwife appts through my 3rd trimester (so I had gotten to know her a bit), and acted more as a support staff to my midwife at the birth, freeing her up to attend to me more.  She was great there - not obtrusive at all, and just really very helpful.  Then again, I struck it lucky with her - I imagine she'll be a very good midwife. 

It's something I've often wondered too. But then I suppose I should be rather thankful since there aren't many women in that profession, so at least the men keep the numbers up! Maybe the women are having their own babies lol

So true Emma. In Palmy they are all men apart from 1 woman and she hasn't had a baby so has no idea what it is like being 37 weeks pregnant and have a toxic body and think that its ok to make you stay pregnant for at least another 3 weeks. All the men have children thou.

My BIL is a nurse (only took him 6 years and that was full time study) and he couldn't pass his maternity placement here in Palmy as noone wanted him to observe (I don't blame anyone thou) as they didn't feel safe with him (to which I don't blame them again - tall, long straggly blonde hair, looks really dodgy - would you want that in the delivery room with you), so it took him a placement out of the region to pass it.

Maybe next time I give birth (disclaimer: not any time soon) I will invited around 10 of them in... that should atleast help the cause!

RachandJack wrote: Lol nikki I had a student when I got my IUD in too and she was standing there holding my hand talking to me and then would lean over and have a wee look, man it was embarassing.

Yeah well, she was just looking. Mine was a bit more hands on than that! hehehehehe

I'm super glad it wasn't my friend tho. He'd just finished his OB/GYNAE module. Now that'd have been seriously embarrassing.

My m/w asked yesterday if her student m/w could attend our birth. I have agreed to it as I have met her and she is such an awesome and inspiring women that I immediately had a repall (sp?) with.

Anyone who can assist me through labour/birth is more than welcome to be present, but then again I am not a private person at all and have very little embarrassment with anything to do with my body, so I am pretty open to anything really.

I wouldn't have a problem with a midwifery student attending. As for a medical student... well, I guess since I study at the med school, that is my main motivation for not wanting one there (I might know them, and I wouldn't want that!) I don't think my DH would want a male student there, not for our first child at least. I wouldn't mind having one present after we have our first child and if I didn't know them.

I had to go to hospital recently after a fall, I had some bleeding etc. and I had a med student looking after me to start with. I was really p*ssed off about it because firstly, no one asked me if he could be there. Secondly, he was such a dufus. Seriously, no personal skills at all. He had to ask me about ten times how far along I was, and he made a huge deal about how the gynae couldn't find my cervix during a smear (he was really shocked about it, actually it's pretty common... anyway he made me feel really retarded like I had some screwed up "bits" or something). He talked about it for like 5 mins. And after he finished questioning me (which was very difficult because he didn't seem to listen to anything I was saying), he went into the hallway and talked about me really loudly to a nurse. I'm pretty sure most of the corridor would have heard him talking... anyway, he was saying that he doesn't think there is anything wrong with me since I have no pain anymore. I was like "helloo??" the whole reason I went to hospital is because I was in so much pain I couldn't sit or stand, I told him that... but somehow he took it to mean that I had no pain!? Anyway, he really REALLY put me off.

I was just about crying in frustration when I heard him talking in the hallway, I had been waiting for a while and then to hear him say that... I thought they would just discharge me or something.

Luckily the Reg didn't even care what he had to say, and she admitted me, gave me pethidine and lots of scans, and found out that my placenta had been bleeding and that was causing the pain. The Reg didn't seem to like the student very much at all, so maybe I was just unlucky and got someone incompetent?

I fully understand the need for learning etc. especially since I want to go into Medicine. But it is scary sometimes how little preparation that some students get. My med student flatmate is always telling me scare stories though, which probably puts me off as well

As I said though, I wouldn't mind having students present at my second birth, provided I was informed of the role they would play. And I would be even happier if it was a midwifery student, or a student that wanted a career in ob/gyn, because they are the ones that want to have a career from babies... whereas most of the med students are just on their ob/gyn run and just have to fill a quota of births.

If you get a good student, it's apparently really good because they act as another support person, making you more comfortable, holding your hand if you need it, etc. which can be useful (especially if your partner is late getting to the hospital or if you don't have anyone there to support you other than your midwife).

Sorry about my long rant

Edited by Janey77

I wouldnt mind having a student or even students present at the birth, it also wouldnt worry me if they were female, male or transgender

Ive had male doctors perform smears etc so I dont really see the big deal.....

after reading the posts I just asked DH if he would care if a male student was present to which he replied ... why would i?  its not like you are going to be at your most attractive, and I have a feeling the last thing the guy is going to be thinking about is sex! lol.

 

lilfatty wrote: after reading the posts I just asked DH if he would care if a male student was present to which he replied ... why would i?  its not like you are going to be at your most attractive, and I have a feeling the last thing the guy is going to be thinking about is sex! lol.

lol so true