Who has has had a student midwife at their birth?

[Beatrix]

I had a student with my 1st birth and she was so amazing!!
She was in her 3rd year, so very hands on (with my permission) and I remember how excited she was because my daughter was her first catch!!!

I didn't have one with with 2nd or 3rd only because she was terribly unrealiable and misses so many apps I told her no to birth.

This time I have a awesome lady again. I meet her before falling pg at the baby expo and liked her so when I fell pg I rang her up. She is so excited about my birth as well, not many students have the opportunity to attend a home birth. Not sure how much of a active roll she will play in the birth as it depends how I feel being my first home birth and well i may decide just to have the qualified ladies do all the bits and bobs but I know she would be happy to just observe. She does my obs normally at general app.

[Traveller]

I had a student midwife with my first who I didn't really bond with. I kinda wish I'd just asked her to leave tbh and I didn't have a student with my next birth. I wanted a student with my last birth but it didn't happen as you can't request one in that way in the NHS.

As a student I try to ensure that if the woman I was with didn't want me there that she would be able to ask me to leave, knowing I wouldn't take offence. What I actually do depends on the setting. In the private hospital I do a lot less. I'm there to observe and anything clinical I do is up to the decision of the midwife in charge of the birth. In the public system I will do anything I can, up to and including catching the baby, because it's much more acceptable there to do so. That's not the way in all private hospitals though.