Male midwife on one born every minute

[DW1978]

Ooh interesting thread. I actually quite liked him. Wouldn't mind a male midwife at all if he was like him. I think, at the end of the day, modesty etc goes out the window. Good point about touchy feely stuff though. I think I'd be partial to a wee stroke of the head if I was feeling it! lol. x

Isn't it sad though that in this day and age things have gotten so ridiculously PC that he can't touch his female patient the same way as a female midwife could and give her the comfort and closeness that she needs?

 

[LouiseB]

Isn't it sad though that in this day and age things have gotten so ridiculously PC that he can't touch his female patient the same way as a female midwife could and give her the comfort and closeness that she needs?

I agree it's a shame. I don't think i'd mind as much as my husband probably would.

That said, i don't think it's due to PC though. Previously men wouldn't have been allowed anywhere near a women during labour, not even her husband

 

[kay126]

when i was in the delivery suite, a male consultant broke my waters (being raised on a bed so my foof was eye level for the man with legs in stirrups and the guy putting what looked like a knitting needle down my fanjita) felt like the most humiliating, degrading experience at the time, i actually had to ask my OH to leave coz i didnt want him seeing me like that! later on in labour the midwives were concerned by babies head was swelling coming down the birth canal so a doctor was called (male) and he was examining me for ages (basically they put their hand up there) he wanted a second opinion so another (male) doctor had to do the same thing and to be honest it was always worrying what my OH was thinking about me having to watch me in that state not the concern about a man doing it after all theyve probably seen it all before hundreds of times xx

 

[cosmicgirl]

when i was in the delivery suite, a male consultant broke my waters (being raised on a bed so my foof was eye level for the man with legs in stirrups and the guy putting what looked like a knitting needle down my fanjita) felt like the most humiliating, degrading experience at the time, i actually had to ask my OH to leave coz i didnt want him seeing me like that! later on in labour the midwives were concerned by babies head was swelling coming down the birth canal so a doctor was called (male) and he was examining me for ages (basically they put their hand up there) he wanted a second opinion so another (male) doctor had to do the same thing and to be honest it was always worrying what my OH was thinking about me having to watch me in that state not the concern about a man doing it after all theyve probably seen it all before hundreds of times xx

And you don't really want to be worrying about that kind of thing in labour do you? I had a male consultant at my last labour when things started to get dangerous. He was not nice at all and I know it was an emergency situation and the crash team where called etc but he was very stern and shouted a lot xxx

 

[linxminx21]

i agree with sone of you about being embarrassed but once i was in pain its off with the knickers and sort me out lol
he was lovely and really supportive
ask yourself this girlies who have had babies before and i suppose them that havent too.... would a female midwife phone ur oh off her phone all them times without been a right bitch about it, i really dont think they would....
i dont care who delivers my baby i just need a bean in ther first

 

[Olive]

Isn't it sad though that in this day and age things have gotten so ridiculously PC that he can't touch his female patient the same way as a female midwife could and give her the comfort and closeness that she needs?

Yep see your point, but I don't know that the lady that had him was too bothered about him touching her? Although he did mention the difficulties of being a male midwife. Reminded me of Meet the Fockers with Ben Stiller being a nurse and not a Dr!

I suppose it depends on the individual. Some people just dont like being touched or affection from strangers whatsoever. I think, as long as I had some kind of bond with a midwife, male or female, I wouldn't really mind. Same as Louise, not sure what OH would think though. The midwifes on that programme are all so nice. I particularly like the older lady that was talking to the wee guy the other week about his classic studies. I wonder if all midwifes are so nice!

xx

 

[cosmicgirl]

Awww yeah, that midwife is a lovely lady, she would be greet wouldn't she xx

 

[Olive]

Definitely! X

 

[littlemiss83]

I had a male doctor when I was in labour - the baby's heart stopped beating and he was there to prepare me for a section and examine baby ect. He was very nice, and really hot too - my OH asked me after wards "did you enjoy that" needless to say he got a slap. OH had more of a problem about it than I did. And we had a student midwife in too coz it was an unusual birth.

 

[glitzyglamgirl]

I'd like to think it wouldnt bother me and I am open minded enough to accept a male midwife, but in reality I think if a male midwife had turned up I would have said 'NO WAY'

I'm not even sure why, I just know I would react that way despite logic!

 

[littlemiss83]

Right enough the thought of a male midwife is a bit strange, but if baby needs a doctor and only one is male then there's no option really. I think you'd have the right to refuse if it was only a midwife though.

 

[Lander]

There was one male MW on the unit I trained in, a lot the local Ladies are quite strict Muslim so pretty much all of them refused to have him outright, they also rarely had Husband with them, mainly Mums, Aunts and Sisters for support.

(Off topic but: I felt a bit concerned for some of the younger girls who hadn't been in the UK very long who barely spoke English and were relying on MILs they had only known for a like the year or so they'd been married and then pregnant....)

There was a one really nasty female Doctor though.... Spoke to most of the younger Ladies really condescendingly...She was at the last delivery I witnessed and I knew she really upset that Lady.

I spent a lot of time with her (the Lady who delivered) after the birth as it had been a 'near miss' situation so all the other staff involved got called into a bit of a meeting afterwards and she'd have been left totally alone if I'd gone off too... (Kinda sticks with me that one...).

Lxx

 

[kedi376]

Personally I don't think I would mind, as long as they help me and support me. My OH on the other hand would not like a male nurse, he is muslim and would insist I had a female midwife. Although he watched one born every minute with me and didn't say anything about him. So maybe he will suprise me if it ever happens.

 

[Alexandra84]

I just watched that episode on 4oD and I really liked the guy. To be honest, I would prefer a male midwife, I'm not sure why but it would be part of a pattern: I've also felt happier when I've had male GPs, a male gynecologist, and a male consultant (although his last name is Jayne ). I just feel more relaxed and secure with men in the medical profession. My female friends who were studying to work in gynecology/midwifery thought that this was terribly unfair of me,.. but,.. there you are.