Feel free to reflect on the births that you attend here.

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J
StudentMidwife.NET Founder & Director

"You're braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem. And smarter than you think."
Christopher Robin in Pooh's Grand Adventure

Please help us raise funds for a bereavement room in Honey's memory by taking part in the SMNET Auction & Raffle here thanks x

righto! baby no 16, closely followed by 17.

Handover at 7.30 am, we are handed over a lady who is fully, G3 P2, just commenced pushing. The baby's position is direct OP, there is doubt here that she will manage to have this baby, but the midwife handing over is very confident and reminds us both to and have lots of PMA! (pos mental attitude) We are introduced to Emma (name changed and won't mention other identifying details, in accordance with NMC confidentiality) at 8 am, she is withdrawn and completely focussed on her body and her baby, her partner is nice (slightly bonkers, but hey!)

She has had an epidural, as has had a difficult night with the typical backache associated with an OP baby, but she is tired but stoic and looking forward to getting to meet her third baby.

She is contracting 3/4:10, strong to palpate and by the CTG are huge too, the epidural was topped up one hour previously, fluids running too. Emma is of moderate risk as has been diagnosed with a condition in the final three weeks of her pregnancy and has had two previous homebirths with no analgesia. Despite this unplanned type of labour and birth, she is positive.

She voices that ahe is finding it hard not to push, as she has been trying not to so as to talk to us a little! we reassure her she can push and to ignore us! (felt guilty about this, and is sometimes a problem taking over right at the last minute of a woman's labour as we're trying to bond quickly)

She uses Entonox for these now, but less and less as she is listening to her body and knows it will soon be time to concentrate, she requests to turn around and kneel leaning over the bakc of the bed, she is still a little numb from the epi, but we encourage and assist her and assure her this is fine, as long as she is safe. Emma was amazing, ably turning herself around, especially with venflon, CTG and her IV lines to worry about!

Time now is about 8.30, I remember time badly, but know this as I took some obs, which were fine, and began getting my pack ready (I love the excitement you feel when you get to open it !)

Contractions coming 5:10 now, strong, we see vertex!!

I am trying hard to keep quiet now I am with another mentor and don't have to say much, so quietly encouraged, hands-poised to catch and pondered the maneovures this way around (most of my previous catches were lithotomy) Emma was doing brilliantly, vertex advancing slowly, my mentor encouraged me to place my fingers on baby's head to control this, I quietly said to Emma that with the next contraction to breathe the baby's head out, which she did beautifully slowly, cord was around the neck so I passed baby through it underneath to Emma.

Placenta was delivered ten minutes later after syntometrine (Emma wished for a physiological, but was advised against it due to her condition) mother and baby very well.

On perineal examination, Emma had sustained a second degree tear, it would've been possible to leave it unsutred, but my mentor advised Emma it would not take long as the sides came together well. Suturing took thrity minutes, whilst I tended Emma and baby boy Mike (name change) woh were both well.

Lovely (will do baby 17 in a bit!)

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Awww, lovely.

My first ever witness was a homebirth, just one week into my first ever placement.

The woman was a G2 P1, and lived on a farm. She laboured in her living room, with the tv on, a fire roaring in the hearth (it was the end of october). She had her mother, husband and two year old daughter in the room with her, although as the evening and the labour progressed, the little girl was put to bed.

She did so well, using a TENS as her only pain relief and mobilising lots. She was very patient with me when i attempted my very tentative pulse and fetal heart observations, to which I am eternally grateful to her.

Eventually, she said she felt the urge to push, and she leant over the kitchen worktop, with her mother by her side.
The baby's father had been asked earlier in the evening if he wished to help deliver the baby, and he was ready there on his knees with his gloves on!

The midwife I was with encouraged the woman, ensuring a slow delivery of the head, then seconds later, the father was asked to come forward.

The father then, with the midwife's hands on his, delivered the baby, wrapped him and passed him up to mum.

Mintues later, mum and baby were settled on the sofa for a bit of skin to skin, as we awaited a physiological third stage. Placenta delivered around 15 minutes later with no concerns.

The atmosphere in the room was so intensely happy and joyful, and the delivery itself so calm and controlled. I could feel myself welling up, as the woman's mum congratulated them, and thanked myself and the two midwives for our help, although it felt that we'd done nothing.

It was a fantatic first experience, and really showed me what true "normal" deliveries are like and that they do exist. At christmas, I was given a card with a thankyou note in and a photo of us all sat on the sofa together shortly after the birth. It was truly amazing, and a real precious memory to me. I feel truly honoured to have been part of such a beautiful birth, and the memory of this delivery will stay with me forever.

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Student die Hebamme und ich liebe es!
(Student Midwife and I love it!)

This is my reflection of my first 'hands on' delivery.

I took over the care of a lovely lady who was doing really well, her contractions were regular and quite strong, however she was 'holding back' from progressing any further due to a problem she had with her last delivery that had been quite traumatic for her.

While my mentor went and got a few things ready, read the notes etc, I stayed with the lady and monitored her and baby every 15 mins, reassured her, and generally told her how well she was doing.

My mentor was just trying to assess whether or not the Waters had broken when she came back in the room, when there was a gush of Liquor, no need to check that then lol. She asked me to document it and put the time of the SROM. Within a couple of seconds she was yelling to me to 'put some gloves on quick' and pass her some.

We just literately had time to put the gloves on when the vertex was visible. My mentor quickly explained where I needed to put my hands, explained what to do and why etc. and with the next contraction baby was delivered. Mum just had a small tear which didn't need suturing.

It was so quick, and so amazing, I can't believe I actually did it, the baby was a beautiful little girl and she was fine at delivery. My mentor then helped me deliver the placenta, explaining what to do and why etc, and it was delivered perfectly.

Baby was put into skin to skin with Mum, and we left them and Dad to get to know each other for a while, and when we returned to the room, baby had latched on the breast and was feeding like a dream.

It will be an experience I will always remember, and one I am very proud to have been involved in.

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

Please help us raise funds for a bereavement room in Honey's memory by taking part in the SMNET Auction & Raffle here thanks x

Ignore me! was gonna ask what the S stood for in SROM but googled it... spontanious!

Yes it is ukcyberchick.

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

Please help us raise funds for a bereavement room in Honey's memory by taking part in the SMNET Auction & Raffle here thanks x

One of my deliveries that i will always remember is a lady who ahd learning difficulities and was slightly disabled. She was a primip adn when my mentor and i took over her care she was 8cm. She progressed well and suddenly decided she needed the toilet. We allowed her to go and whilst she was on the toilet she said she needed to push i said lets get you back to your room where it will be better for the baby. She refused and said she was going to push.

I managed to get her up and back to the room wher she then decided she was going on her knees on the floor so i laid cushions round and prepared as by this time vertex was visible. As the head was crowning she suddenly stood up and said she was going back on the bed what a time to decide to do that.

She got back on bed and pushed a beautiful baby boy into the world with no effort at all. I worked so hard for that delivery i was shattered when i came out.

What was really nice was 2 days later there was a card and choclates waiting for me saying she couldnt thank me enough for all i had done and she was sorry that she had been trouble. She wasnt trouble really just a bit stubborn now and again.

Yesterday early morning around 3am I was called to my first home birth
I am now currently in my second week of my first ever placement, and I was finally going to start witnessing births (after having missed one the week before with 4 miles to go)

I had arrived, the lead midwife was there, mum's Waters had broke, she was on the toilet and making all I can describe as pushing noises, the midwife joked to the dad, if she delivers in the toilet you can fish baby out! this made even mum laugh
We managed to get mum into the bedroom and kneeing at the side of the bed the position mum felt most comfortable, kneeling beside mum and rubbing her back she was definitely at that pushing stage, on observation I could see the head crowning, this was a Gravida 1 mum, having a very quick delivery, our mum was a real star, as was dad.
Baby girl was delivered just 1hr after we'd arrived, with no pain relief; it was a truly amazing first witness and one which I will always remember.

This was a very normal straight forward labour and delivery, the babies head did arrive with the cord rapped round her neck and as the lead midwife tried to slip the cord over the babies head, mum closed her legs! (Very helpful although you have to laugh about it now!) But on second attempt all was successful. This was a beautiful birth and one I am glad was my first!

I am always truly grateful to these women and their families for allowing us students to be part of there pregnancies and births.

Thank you family and baby witness number 1....

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Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.

These all sound delightful! Making me very DS hungry and I've prob got until Mid 09 before I get there! Awww

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took over the care of a primip, who had attended earlier last night and been sent home. I was on my own for a while as we were busy..

She had been examined and was fully and starting to push.

Lovely couple, we had a chat and started to get to know eachother a bit better.

I won't go into specifics, but she was doing very well, with lots of quiet encouragement from me. After about an hour though we could see no vertex and both mum and baby were starting to tire...so we had to get the doc in..he assessed again, on parting of the labia, the fetal head was visible. The fetal heart was lowering, but recovering well, Alison (name change) was pretty exhausted and the doc discussed with her about an instrumental (her and I had chatted about this as the midwife went to get the doc, she was so tired and just wanted the baby out)

I was and always will be a bit mortified at some events here, as I usually am, so won't detail them here. Suffice to say her eyes looking at me over his shoulder will never be forgotten.

It was decided to empty her bladder, and then give her an Episiotomy, so took off the bottom of the bed and was told to draw up the lignocaine (OMG) so I did anyway and pretended I was a pro (hahaah)

so she had her Epis and he watches and shouts and waits and coaches etc etc... (previously I had been trying not too hollar at her, I can't stand it)

He asked if I wanted a normal delivery so I said yes please, he grumbled but did step aside (I had put my sterile gloves on just incase)

no pressure though, he said it better be a good one! (omg)

so got told offf a little for not apply fetal head pressure, but did so and discussed with Alison, that I would want her soon to listen to me and breathe the baby's head out slowly, so she did and then we did little pushes to gradually ease out the head, with the next contraction, baby boy was born!

The cord was tightly round the neck so unwound that, cut and clamped and congratulated the lovely couple

When I went to say good bye I said 'I'll see you both for the next one?' to which they replied they would ask for me

That made it all worthwhile, and always will. Blimey it brings a big ol' tear to the eye. What an honour

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