Can Midwifery be taught?

[3GirlsOnly]

I am wondering...

Do you think you have to go through it, or can you learn it? I am half and half...

I am just in shock that there were 20 people accepted into my course to do the dual Bachelor Nursing and Bachelor Midwifery, two of us are "mature age" and have had children....and the rest are all school leavers that want to do midwifery "because they think babies are soooooo cute" (Their words... not mine.)

The other day, we are talking about birth...when no one could give a brief description of the function of the placenta - like what is the placenta- they didn't even know what a placenta was. The other million dollar question was "what does gestation mean?" O-M-G. How much more basic do you want to get?

I kinda feel sorry for the ladies that have been through birth and really want to give future mothers the support they need by becoming a midwife... as I think the field really needs it. Not to say that these things can't be learnt, I feel they can only if someone has researched it thouroughly..but that is just how I feel.

[Lulu]

Yeah, sure it can. I had a very young trainee mid and she was lovely.
I totally get the "babies are cute" thing. My eyes would have been rolling all day long - were yours?
I would like to think these girls researched what it was they wanted to do a bit more than that....

I hope it doesn't slow your lectures if you end up with bluudy questions like the gestation one. omg!

[bon]

I do think it can be taught, much like any learned skill, but they have to want to learn. My last two midwives were young and childless, but they were absolutely wonderful - better than the older midwife I had with my first. I can understand your frustration though - I feel the same sometimes since I started my nursing degree this year. They should know about things like the placenta and gestation from high school science! But it is early days yet, and these girls will soon learn what being a midwife is really about - and some of them may decide it is not what they want to do after all. Those that truly want to be there will give it their all.

[Indadhanu]

I guess the biggest thing is..... everyone has to start somewhere. Whether they are young people or even mature age who have never had kids, as well as parents of all ages. There was a stage where you once knew nothing about pregnancy or birth at all as well!

I do get what you mean though, I am doing a few human services subjects this semester, and they are trying to 'teach' open-mindedness and compassion and you just wonder sometimes if its something that can be taught... though like anything I guess it is definately a skill that can be acquired. Plus some of the most daft questions I've heard IN MY LIFE!!!

Just remember to breathe and think... they have to start somewhere! Even the best midwives once knew nothing! And sometimes its better for someone to enter a profession NOT thinking they know everything about it and just need to do this for a piece of paper to show people IKYWIM... naive and clueless students can often be a lot more open and receptive to new things, whereas those who think they know it all usually close themselves off to new experiences because they think they know what they need to and don't need to experience.

[Trillian]

I think it can, but I really think you need a good dose of passion and not just a 'ooooh babies are soooo cute' mentality. This country is crying out for midwives, but we need great ones, ones who are sensitive to a birthing womans needs. I would worry that some of the ones who are 'taught' to be midwives will be become products of the 'system' they learn through.

[Tami]

I definitely think Midwifery can be taught. With my fourth child I had a youngish midwife who had only been out in the field 6 months and did not have chldren of her own and she was brilliant, so good in fact that she inspired me to start my degree, which sadly after 2yrs I was unable to complete due to various reasons.
In the year I started training only a 1/4 of the class were mothers and those that weren't were all in their mid 20's or younger. I have kept in contact with alot of my class and most of them have gone on to be brilliant midwives.
I think if it is an area that you are passionate about and willing to give 100% to then it can be taught like most other things.