what inspired you to want to be a midwife?

I wondered how you all came to midwifery? (nosy, I know)

I had my children and when they got a little older I was at a loss as to what to do with my life, but wanted to try to do something 'worthwhile'

I have always been fascinated by the process of pregnancy and birth and am awed by the power of nature and the miracle of embryonic development, birth, breastfeeding everything.

I hope to be a good midwife who cares for her women and puts them at the centre of my care. I don't know where or how I owuld like to practice as a midwife when qualified but loved community midwifery, so hope to do that in the future maybe?

So spill everyone, interested to know!

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I married into it

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Rob (Co-founder & Technical Dogsbody)
StudentMidwife.NET
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Would love to hear what inspired everyone? Tbh, I don't really know what 'inspired' me, it is just something I feel inside me that I know I have to do... (I actually said that at interview and got a place!!) It may have come from listening to the horror stories of friends and family and wanting to make a difference and also listening to the stories (good and bad) of a fantastic person I know who has been a midwife for a looonnnng time. Like I said, I can't pinpoint what made me decide on midwifery but I know I won't be happy doing anything else... Can't wait for September!!
Sorry, I know this didn't help much but hey!?!

Anyone else??

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StudentMidwife.NET Administrator (aka The Welsh One )
PAB Support Worker

When I was very little I wanted to be a nurse as this is what my mum did, but as I grew, I decided that it would be best if I became a Nursery Nurse, so I went from school to college to do an NNEB. During this course I was able to spend 2 weeks living the nurses home at a maternity hospital to see what being a Nursery Nurse was all about. Because I showed an interest, the midwifery team got me involved at deliveries (and even took me in to watch a section). I was able to bath a baby just 15 mins old (yes it was a long time ago, before the evidence about thermoregulation was available!). I was treated very well and the midwife in charge told me I would make a great midwife.

At the time, I wanted to finish my course and as direct entry wasn't a viable option back then, I decided that although I would love to do it, I couldn't committ to training for nearly 5 years - I was only 17 and that seemed like a lifetime to me - but as I had my children the dream never went away and when my youngest was about to leave junior school, I decided the time had come to see if those midwives were right. I qualify in 100 days, aged 41 - a mother of 4 and a grandmother.
KS x

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Kentish Spitfire
Moderator, Student Services
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"It's better to be thought a fool - rather than proved a fool!"

I used to work as a physio assistant. I got the chance to work with an amazing obs and gynae physio who made talking about the most personal issues sound like talking about their shopping list.
I always was the sort of person who blushed at the sound of having a smear or talking about it.
The way this physio talked people through some very personal examinations was amazing. I wanted to put women at that ease. I wanted to have more one to one contact with people.

I would have become way too frustrated being a nurse. I love to get to know women. Get to know their familys. Spend time with women and assisting women to have a birth that they want.

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Have you just been offered a place? If so and you want a mentor please post in post this forum (also post here if you would like a mentee)

I became interested in all things midwifery when i got pregnant with my daughter. I didnt do anything about it though besause i thought there was no way i would be "brainy" enough to do it so that was that...then i got pregnant with my son and my interest just grew so i decided after i had him i would just go for it and seriously look into how i would go about it.

I enrolled onto an access course when he was about 9 months old and the rest as they say is history!!

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Have you just been offered a place? If so and you want a mentor please post in post this forum (also post here if you would like a mentee)

I cant say there has been 1 single thing that has inspired me, I have always been facinated with pregnant women. Almost to the point where I started to scare myself. Love to listen to their stories (good and bad) and want to know all the details, from start to finish. I have wanted to be a midwife for sometime and now is the right time to embark on that journey. I am so excited but still have so long to go.... hopefully 2009 will be the year for me.

i have always wanted to be a midwife since the day i went into labour with my ist son nearly 11 years ago but didnt go for it as i too didnt think it was something i could do or be brainy enough to do,i have had good and bad experiences with midwifes and when i had the bad i was determined to show them that not all midwifes are like that.i would never treat a pregnant woman badly,for example on my 2nd pregnancy i went for my 12 week scan and was so dying for the loo that a midwife said i could empty my bladder and then when i finally went in the songographer told me off rudely as my bladder wasnt full!i then went and drank another 5 cups of water and was called in,but when i was scanned i was told that my baby had actually died at 6 weeks!i was in so much shock but was also very annoyed at the songrapher for being so cold.from then onwards i felt that should not happen to other women and to show not all midwifes and songraphers are like that.if you cant support a pregnant woman then dont be in that job!sorry for the rant!!!!

It has always been a tradition in my adopted family for the girls to go into nursing. When I was 17 I was quite interested in nursing but was put off the idea by being told I had to do the nursing degree!! I rebelled and listened to a careers officer who said do a degree in Hospitality Management and you'll get to see the world.

I did the degree and didn't really enjoy working in the hospitality industry and after my first pregnancy I looked into and applied to do midwifery. The pull came back to me and I was so drawn to caring for women in pregnancy and pre pregnancy too.

I didn't pursue what I wanted the first time or the second time but I am in a place now where my family is complete and I feel ready to give what is needed to do this degree.

I love being around pregnant women, the miracle that is pregnancy and child birth and being a special part of someone else's life. I want to make the experience women have in pregnancy and child birth what it should be and what they want. I want to care for women and fully support them.

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Coffeebean xx


Student Midwife

I am kind of the same as KateD. I just knew inside but it took me a while to understand what this weird feeling and urge inside me was. I left school and started my NNEB hoping to become a nanny. During the first placement in a private nursery I observed such awful treatment of the kids that I needed to move placement before I totally lost the plot. My tutor told me to just get on with it and shut up! So being a rather strong minded 17yr old I left the course. I then met my oh and had my dd1 at 18. This is the time i realised what I was to do. However it took me another 10yrs and another dd to actually realise my dream and et into uni. I had 2 normal births but 2 totally different experiences due to the different midwives. One was awful the other wonderful. I vowed that day that I would do everything in my power to be like my 2nd mw and her amazing student who completely touched me emotionally.

Sorry to have gone on...........

Susie xx