Midwifery...would you do it?

[xxbeckyxx]

Just after thoughts/opinions really. I wanted to go into midwifery when I left college but felt it would be too difficult/hypocritical to do so without having gone through pregnancy/experienced labour for myself.
So I'm now thinking that once OH is qualified (he's a student nurse) and earning a decent enough wage for me to afford it, maybe I will go back to uni and give it a shot.
I know there are some mega downsides in terms of stillborn babies/terrible labours etc, but on the other hand it must be so rewarding to help someone deliver their baby when all goes well.
I've got a good two years to think about it before I venture down that road but I think it's quite a big decision to make so I'm hoping you guys can play devils advocate a little bit and give me some different angles to see it from

 

[Mummy2Adam]

I would love to do it, before we decided we wanted another one, i was checking up how much courses cost. Maybe one day x x

 

[midnight]

i couldnt cope with the losses so for me i personally couldnt do it

 

[lucylu87]

I work in the nhs now but would love to do something better paid to be honest so im looking at lots of courses that would still mean I could work for nhs as i love it. Im just worried about fitting a course in with having zak as well as going back to long shifts. I currently work (well used to) a 14hr shift and three 8 hour shifts, no breaks, and alot of places do all 12 hour shifts with breaks, just dont no whether I could leave zak that long... and what kind of childcare I would have to sort out....... good luck tho x

 

[Froslass]

I had actually applied for midwifery to start in september, got interviews and everything...But then fell pregnant! I would still love to do it, but will have to put it on hold for a while x

I have no idea if I will be able to cope with the sad aspects of being a Midwife, I'm still going to give it a try as soon as I can x

 

[Me, My Girls & I]

If I wasn't a single parent I would have done it! But ive decided to go for teaching instead cos it's better hours with the kids and school holidays and that!

 

[Lander]

Once you're on the three year course you can get Mat leave same as in a normal job!!!

Yes, there is a lot to cope with emotionally, but it is also quite an academic course.

Being on placement means doing shifts, usually only 9-5 when doing community clinic/home visits.

It is a lot to take on and I had to call it quits after six months for several reasons, not being able to rent alone when my Mum decided to sell our house and move to Kent being the main one though.

But yes, it's awesome too

 

[LouiseB]

I was just looking into this just a moment ago

I was curious about an ultrasound tech position, then wondered about midwife too.

It's a bit of a shame it's a three year course because i don't think i have the staying power to go back into education for that long...

They get paid a fair whack though!

I also think that it wouldn't live upto expectations, like most things really. I love animals and went to work at the shelters once thinking that it would be amazing, but it was dull as dishwater and i couldn't hack it.

I think to enjoy midwifery, i'd have to be allocated to the same patient for the duration of their pregnancy and birth and aftercare. I don't think i'd enjoy popping in where ever i was needed.

 

[Kalamity84]

I would love to do midwifery but I wouldn't be able to cope with the emotional side of things if things went wrong. I think it would be such a good career to choose though.
I'd say go for it if thats what you want to do
x

 

[Lander]

I think to enjoy midwifery, i'd have to be allocated to the same patient for the duration of their pregnancy and birth and aftercare. I don't think i'd enjoy popping in where ever i was needed.

This was also one of my reasons, lacked continuity. And far too much of it involves medical paperwork, the sheer amount of it, especially the Birth Record (which is a legal document, to be kept on file for 25 years) which takes you away from personal interaction with the women.

Hence why I'd like to train as a Doula in the future.

 

[xxbeckyxx]

Ooh a doula sounds like a good career Lander, I never thought of that!!

 

[LilyMac]

I'll be training to be a midwife come september
When I left school I really wanted to do it but talked myself out of it cos of all the downsides to it, but last year I decided I was going to do it anyway as it was still my dream job! I think it will be really hard to deal with all the bad things that can happen but all the brilliant things will get me through