As a student midwife, I would recommend having one. You can contact the uni and ask for only a 3rd year (so almost qualified) midwife if you are concerned about having someone who is not as experienced. Having a student will mean you have a relationship with them prior to birth, and if at any time you feel they are not the right person you can end the agreement. It's completely up to you. I had a student with my first child, and was very sad I couldn't have one for my last birth because it was really nice having that extra person there to support me and my husband. Unlike the midwife, your student will have less paperwork to do and so can spend more time being with you instead.

In respose to FabFiona, I really think some of the best midwives in training are straight out of high school. They do not have to work as hard to set aside their own birth experiences and concentrate on the woman in labours own very personal experience as those of us who are mothers do (does that make sense). I get quite sad actually when I hear people suggesting my fellow students (most in our cohort have no kids) are somehow lesser than those of us who have given birth. It's not having kids that makes a great midwife, it's having empathy and understanding.