Men as Midwives

[Steelgoddess]

Ok this isn't a question but thhought we could start a bit of discussion.

What do you ladies think of them? Would you have one or would you prefer a female.

If not why? If so why?

Discuss...

 

[Tadpole]

While in theory I have absolutely NO problems - in practice I want a woman. And not just any woman. I want a woman who has given birth. Just because I would feel more confident knowing the person who is helping has been through it themselves. And really that would only be for the actual labour. I wouldn't be fussed who I saw for all the ante-natal etc.

 

[gangofgin]

i don't think i'd be best pleased if my midwife was a man, only because id feel uncomfortable dropping my pants infront of him, same goes for male doctors.
as for the advice, bloods being taken, scans and measurements etc, id happily see a bloke.

 

[Krystal]

I would feel more confident and comfortable with a woman, for same reasons as Tadpole as I think only a woman who has been through it can understand.

 

[Mrs_Jay]

i have to agree with the above really, i just think a male one would make me feel uncomfortable

 

[Steelgoddess]

Something interesting to read.: http://www.radmid.demon.co.uk/malemidwife.htm

What makes me wonder is what makes a man become a midwife in the first place?

 

[clairescunny55]

i had a male midwife with millie, he was great! really understanding and caring, even asked if i wanted a woman instead. He didnt get to see many patients as they mostly prefered women

 

[Squiglet]

both my midwives never had kids of their own... and personally I don't think you should be allowed to become a midwife unless you've had a baby yourself... especially as my first midwife said labour doesn't hurt that much when I was in Labour Nancy was great (my midwife with Serena) but she wasn't very sympathetic to my pain... the other midwife was though but she'd had three kids...

I don't think I could cope with a male midwife although I know that I wouldn't care when it comes down to it.. .as long as he gets the baby out.

 

[Tadpole]

That was an interesting article. Like I said, I'd be fine with a male midwife for all ante-natal care - and I wouldn't even mind him attending the birth - but for understanding the emotional as well as physical process I would just prefer to have a woman who has given birth. My midwife at the moment has not long been back from maternity leave herself and it is very useful as she can advise on all sorts of thing.

Also - I am not very good at taking instructions from a man! If I am in the throes of agony and I have a man telling me to 'just breathe through the pain', I am likely to castrate him!

 

[grace]

i wouldnt like a male midwife or male gyneacologist (sp? - totally gone out of the window with mummy brain) i dont understand why they would be so interested in it anyway.

if you havent got a floo floo then how could you understand?

same with the midwife, if she hasnt given birth herself i would feel a little uneasy.

 

[lfc_sarah]

Id rather a woman...

But i dont think i would mind THAT much if it was a male

 

[Becky]

If you'd asked me before I had Lucy I'd have said that I'd prefer women all the way. However because of complications of my labour & birth (3 pessaries to be induced + emerge c-section etc.) I ended up having no choice and had more than one male doctor/nurse etc seeing my best

I had so many internal exams during labour by different people I'm not bothered anymore.

I think it was the point when I was lying on my side in theatre as the anaesthetist was putting the spinal in I had that random thought that he could see my bum and I didn't even know his name!

So my attitude is "whatever"!! 8)

 

[Minxy]

Couldn't care less either way TBH. As long as he was doing a good job.

My midwife didn't have any kids and don't see how it affected her ability to do the job. She'd have been a wet lettuce anyway

I wouldn't expect a chiropracter to have a bad back or an oncologist to have had cancer. So I don't see why midwives should be mums. Everyone'e experience would be different so it's not like she'd know exactly what you were going through anyway, even if she could remember her own births.

 

[Lou]

I've got mixed feelings about this

I've had a male gynacologist in the past which didn't bother me. I had pre cancerous cells on my cervix that resulted in several operations and procedures carried out by male doctors. When I was pregnant my hospital consultant was a man and he did a really painful sweep on me which I'm sure wouldn't have been half as horrible had a woman done it and when I gave birth and had to go to theatre for an assisted delivery it was a man who delivered Isaac with forceps and stitched me up. He was lovely and friendly and put me totally at ease. We even cracked a few jokes

So yeah I'm not really sure what I think about it to be honest

 

[Tadpole]

I wouldn't expect a chiropracter to have a bad back or an oncologist to have had cancer. So I don't see why midwives should be mums. Everyone'e experience would be different so it's not like she'd know exactly what you were going through anyway, even if she could remember her own births.

True.

I don't think it would affect their ability. It's just my preference.

But when it comes down to it - I'll have whoever is available; male, female or trained monkey.

 

[kellie80]

I really wouldn't mind at all. I think at appointments I would prefer a women when I would be happy discussing anything at with them. But to actually be at the birth I wouldn't mind if it was a man at all. Once your in labour anyway I don't think most people would mind. I have never seen a male MW before but when Aimee was born cos I has some problems I had a MW holding one leg and a male doctor holding the other. He also delivered the placenta. Can't say it bothered me who was in the room.

 

[mags]

This is a really interesting debate. I come from the US where most obstretricians are men, we don't have midwives there. In my personal experience, I've found that male doctors have taken me more seriously. I've seen both male and female doctors for a variety of problems, and each time I left a woman doctor's office, I've felt that I've been fobbed off. (For example, when suffering from severe PND after the birth of my first DD, the female doctor told me I just had the blues and told me to buy some vitamin B12, exercise, and I'd be right as rain.) I think because us women are tough, and we do sort of forget the childbirth pains, we think it can't be that bad for other women. A man has never felt that pain before, so maybe he's liable to be more concerned and supportive...?

 

[Lou]

Couldn't care less either way TBH. As long as he was doing a good job.

My midwife didn't have any kids and don't see how it affected her ability to do the job. She'd have been a wet lettuce anyway

I wouldn't expect a chiropracter to have a bad back or an oncologist to have had cancer. So I don't see why midwives should be mums. Everyone'e experience would be different so it's not like she'd know exactly what you were going through anyway, even if she could remember her own births.

Yeah thats a really good way to look at it and I agree.

Recently when I found a lump in one of my boobs I made a doctors appointment and asked for a lady doctor when I made my appointment but when I was pregnant it never crossed my mind to ask for females only to see me at my appointments I was quite happy for a man to examine my cervix but I only wanted a woman to feel for a lump in my boob

 

[Jade&Evie]

I'd be ok with it- men as midwives makes sense really... how many of us had/are planning to have our partners as birth partners?? my OH will be useless but I still want him there- a man wh actually knows what he's talking about could be quite appealing As long as he didn't look like Brad Pitt... just in case I poo'd

 

[Lou]

I'd be ok with it- men as midwives makes sense really... how many of us had/are planning to have our partners as birth partners?? my OH will be useless but I still want him there- a man wh actually knows what he's talking about could be quite appealing As long as he didn't look like Brad Pitt... just in case I poo'd

Yeah after all the stretch marks, leaky boobs, varicose veins, piles, grunting, sweating and feeling your cervix opening a bit of poo would really turn him off