Interviews with Student Midwives

Dear chocoholic
I really liked your last comments about the fact that "It isnt a competition to see who can get the best grade or who gets the most catches - we are all aiming for the same thing", it's true, to have good friends on the course can make a huge difference to your success. thanks for all of those who spent time sharing information with us. xx

What year are you in?
i graduated of 2 year Midwifery course

Whats are your personal circumstances?
i.e. married/kids/single etc
i have 3year old daughter and single mom

What did you do before you became a student midwife?
i just took up 2years of Bachelor Science in Nursing

Why did you choose Midwifery?
because of financial problem so i transfer midwifery course because it is more accessible to our budget than nursing.

How did you feel on your first day at uni and in practice?
at first i really felt that this course is sounds interesting and exciting dealing pre-natals,postnatal etc.
Please share a highlight of being on the course, so far...
on the first day of our duty at the birthing clinic i felt so nervous because i am starting myself to ready for alot of blood and the smell and everything whats inside the birthing area.

Please share a low point and how you got through that...
in every week ends that we had a duty i got through with that and knows how to deal with it already.
Do you prefer academic or clinical?
i think both .. i want to study more about maternity and same as working at clinic area..
What is your favourite midwifery text book?
Essential Procedures for Safe Maternity Care by DR. RPS
What is your favourite midwifery literature book? i.e. babycatcher
First Newborn Care
What is your shift preference? earlies/lates/long days and what time to they start and finish
6am-2pm or 10pm-6am
Are you a member of a midwifery organisation? i.e RCM/ ARM/LLL

Do you feel supported in practice? if yes/no please tell us why that is.

Do you feel supported at Uni? if yes/no please tell us why that is.

Do you prefer antenatal/intrapartum/postnatal? and why?
both. because that is all the responsible of a midwifery.

What are your future plans as a midwife?
my future plan is my family planning to build a birthing clinic near in our place so that we can also help the poor people that we can give them discount and teach the family to plan better and to have a better future for their kids and also for them.

Share your wisdom.... what would you like to pass on to other students/wanabes?
"Desire and hope will push us on toward the future."

I've only just stumbled on this thread and it is great Thanks Josie for starting it Xx

What year are you in? Beginning of 3rd year

Whats are your personal circumstances?
i.e. married/kids/single etc
Long distance relationship, No kids.

What did you do before you became a student midwife?
Admin assistant
Why did you choose Midwifery?
Because it's clinical enough but also has that emotional, with woman, supportive role. Also you are generally not caring for sick people, the majority of women are well and healthy - going through a normal, physiological experience.
How did you feel on your first day at uni and in practice?
Scared, nervous, apprenhensive but excited!
Please share a highlight of being on the course, so far...
Caring for a woman on the Midwife led unit that I had cared for antenatally in community - supporting her through a waterbirth, physiological third stage and helping to establish breastfeeding
Please share a low point and how you got through that...
I can't think of one defining moment. Just times when you feel like you can't do it, you don't know enough, you're not good enough, not gelling with mentors makes it hard too.
Do you prefer academic or clinical?
They are just different. I like both as they complement each other.
What is your favourite midwifery text book?
Myles - it has everything you need to know!
What is your favourite midwifery literature book? i.e. babycatcher.
Midwives by Chris Bohjalian and of course Jennifer Worth's call the midwife.
What is your shift preference? earlies/lates/long days and what time to they start and finish
We only really work long days but it's nice as you spend more time with one woman and are more likely to get births.
Are you a member of a midwifery organisation? i.e RCM/ ARM/LLL
Nope
Do you feel supported in practice? if yes/no please tell us why that is.
Depends on your mentor, Don't really see our link lecturers or uni lecturers when on placement but I just send them an email if I have a problem and they are usually quite quick to reply.
Do you feel supported at Uni? if yes/no please tell us why that is.
Yes - lecturers give good feedback on essay plans.
Do you prefer antenatal/intrapartum/postnatal? and why?
I like all aspects but if I had to choose probably intrapartum - love supporting women through their labour and of course the moment of birth!
What are your future plans as a midwife?
not sure, at the moment just looking forward to qualifying and hopefully getting a job!!
Share your wisdom.... what would you like to pass on to other students/wanabes? Don't worry if you don't know something - Just ask! as my mentor says - You wouln't have to train for 3 years if you knew it all!

What year are you in?
second year


Whats are your personal circumstances?
i.e. married/kids/single etc
single with no kids

What did you do before you became a student midwife?
Went to school/part time waitress

Why did you choose Midwifery?
It chose me! Couldnt imagine doing anything else.

How did you feel on your first day at uni and in practice?
Excited to get started in uni and absolutely terrified to start placement.

Please share a highlight of being on the course, so far...
When women thank you for making a difference to their experience All worth it!


Please share a low point and how you got through that...
Being unsupported and belittled by one of my mentors on placement.
Feeling overwelmed by academic work

Do you prefer academic or clinical?
Clinical- feel much more comfortable and useful!

What is your favourite midwifery text book?

Myles textbook for midwives

What is your favourite midwifery literature book? i.e. babycatcher.

Babycatcher

What is your shift preference? earlies/lates/long days and what time to they start and finish
Have never done long days. prefer days to nights.


Are you a member of a midwifery organisation? i.e RCM/ ARM/LLL
RCM

Do you feel supported in practice? if yes/no please tell us why that is.
Most of my placements yes

Do you feel supported at Uni? if yes/no please tell us why that is.
Yes

Do you prefer antenatal/intrapartum/postnatal? and why?
I like them all- I love antenatal tho.

What are your future plans as a midwife?
Who knows......

Share your wisdom.... what would you like to pass on to other students/wanabes?
Dont give up, take every opportunity going and make friends on the course- they know how you feel!

What year are you in?
Just about to start my final year....eeek!


Whats are your personal circumstances?
i.e. married/kids/single etc
I'm married, have been for nearly 12 years and have 2 children anged 5 and nearly 7.

What did you do before you became a student midwife?
I worked in sales and marketing for many years before being made redundant in 2005. I decided it was time for a life change so started as an MCA in 2006 did that for 3.5 years before starting my training.

Why did you choose Midwifery?
Having my own children showed me what a difference a midwife can make to a woman's birth experience. I was already very interested in reproductive health have struggled with infertility and when I became pregnant I found the whole process absolutely amazing. This interest and the wonderful midwives who helped me inspired me.

How did you feel on your first day at uni and in practice?
My first day in uni I was petrified. I was sure I'd be the oldest there and wasn't sure how I'd cope with the academic side having been out of education for so long. My first day on placement wasn't as nerve-wracking, I am training at the hospital where I worked as an MCA so it wasn't an alien environment for me and I knew the staff which was really helpful, however it was strange making the change from MCA to student midwife and I think I struggled with the transition for a little while.

Please share a highlight of being on the course, so far...
Passing my OSCEs was a real highlight. I was absolutely terrified and soo nervous on the day. I think the enormity of it really got to me, I think of all the exams I felt this was the one I had to nail to be a good midwife as you need to know how to react in an emergency. Luckily I passed well and the day of the results was a real highlight for me.

Please share a low point and how you got through that...
Dealing with my first intra-uterine death was definitely challenging. It was a twin pregnancy and one baby dies but the other was born healthy and well. it was a really surreal and unusual situation, so much joy at the birth of a healthy baby, yet such sorrow over the loss of her much wanted sibling.

Do you prefer academic or clinical?
I actually really enjoy both aspects. When I'm at work I absolutely love it, I get a real buzz from it. I love being with the women and delivering babies is amazing, but I also enjoy the challenge of the academic work and the huge sense of achievement at doing well.

What is your favourite midwifery text book?
I really like "Skills for Midwifery Practice" by Ruth Johnson and Wendy Taylor. It's one of the very few books I've actually bought, the rest I borrow from the library or I tend to use a lot of journals.

What is your favourite midwifery literature book? i.e. babycatcher
I have 2 that I've enjoyed - Birth: A History by Tina Cassidy and A Midwife's Story by Penny Armstrong.

What is your shift preference? earlies/lates/long days and what time to they start and finish
I prefer doing long days (0730 - 2030) it gets a large chunk of clinical hours out of the way and also gives you an opportunity to see a woman through her entire labour and delivery. I HATE doing lates, spend the morning doing housework and then have to go and do more hard graft in the afternoon/evening!

Are you a member of a midwifery organisation? i.e RCM/ ARM/LLL
RCM

Do you feel supported in practice? if yes/no please tell us why that is
I absolutely do feel supported. I get on really well with 99.9% of the staff at my unit and also feel supported by my personal tutor, lecturer practitioner and the other girls in my cohort

Do you feel supported at Uni? if yes/no please tell us why that is
I feel supported but have to say that the support is really only there if you proactively access it. If you need help with assignments or any guidance my advice would be to ask for it. Many lecturers will look at draft essays etc and help you which really gets the best from you.

Do you prefer antenatal/intrapartum/postnatal? and why?
Like most students I would have to say my favourite is intrapartum. I love being there with a woman and helping her through something that is so scary and traumatic but has this amazing end result.

What are your future plans as a midwife?
I think my future is in hospital based midwifery. I love the challenges and the variety and also the support and friendships. I'm not sure I could be an independent midwife or even out in the community as I feel I perfom best when I've got a good team around me.

Share your wisdom.... what would you like to pass on to other students/wanabes?
I know everyone says this, but the time goes sooo fast when you're training. You'll end each year thinking you're not ready to start the next, but sometimes you have to stop and think; compare the midwife you are now to who you were a year or even six months ago and you'll see that you're growing and developing all the time.

These are really insightful thank you Can't wait to come back in a year or so and lay down my pearls of wisdom! ;-P

subscribing so i can find this again

Subbing to this one too

What a fab thread going to trail through the other pages when I have more time and I amnot suposed to be finishing my biology