Male Nurse Midwife

FLDoula · Oct 25, 2011

Go for it! :) We have a great male CNM at our local military hospital. I'm a birth doula/lactation counselor and birth is the most amazing thing on earth! :) Every birth is special and different.....

PsychNurseWannaBe, BSN, RN · Oct 25, 2011

Follow your dreams. If it is something you enjoy, then you should pursue it.

Al.ginger · Oct 26, 2011

I just wan to say that many cultures cultivate female modesty and prohibite males from childbirth proccess.

It can be an obsticle in your practice. However, if you really found your thing you need to go for it!

guinnysmom · Oct 26, 2011

Go for it. As a trained doula, nursing student, and MOM.....I consistently disagree with my instructors. They rarely let the male nursing students even ASK the patient if they can participate in a delivery. #1.- My favorite doctors and ultrasound technicians were males (and I never saw a male for OBGYN before becoming pregnant, b/c I thought it would make me uncomfortable) #2.-When you're in labor- any port in a storm! I would have let Ronald McDonald in the room if he was being helpful. Of course, you will need to be sensitive to the desires of the patients, and some may not want a man. But, I, for one, will never choose a woman again! They tended to pretend to "understand" what I was feeling...which I took to be a diminished appreciation for my feelings. Like, "yeah yeah, been there, done that, I know what to do, so shut up." My male physicians/nurses seemed to genuinely be using my input to guide their care. Go for it, man....it's a pretty awesome thing.....

NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN · Oct 26, 2011

I say go for for it !!! I think I may want to pursue midwifery too. I loooved my OB rotation.

Despareux · Oct 26, 2011

I would have loved to have had a male perspective on my childbirth experiences and I know of a lot of other women who feel the same as I do.

Men are always an equal asset to nursing care in all fields, but I think in many cases, men contribute a very different perspective in nursing than their counterparts.

snazzy-jazzy, BSN, RN · Oct 26, 2011

Just want to let you know that I chose a male preceptor for midwifery this year. He has such a great reputation as a midwife and was previously a critical care nurse for 8yrs, he's been a midwife for 17 yrs. I noticed in the beginning some women would be very unsure of him and would even admit that at the end of the birth, but during the birth they would build a rapport with him and thought he was fantastic... He's really good with the partners as well, remembering not to leave them out at the birth, sometimes he'll even get them to catch the baby. He is very proud of his practice and loves being a midwife. He gave me a great reference as well :yeah:

This year I also noticed a first year male midwifery student and I took him under my wing and made him feel comfortable in a sometimes awkward environment for him, he looked all of 19. I can tell he appreciated it cause I get these big welcoming smiles from him when he see's me. I really hope he sticks it out, cause to be honest some of those old grouchy midwives can be a bit scary to deal with at the hospital we're at.

Good luck, I'm really pleased you are going to do Mid.

AOX4RN, MSN, RN, NP · Oct 26, 2011

I just wan to say that many cultures cultivate female modesty and prohibite males from childbirth proccess.
It can be an obsticle in your practice. However, if you really found your thing you need to go for it!

So what? If it's an obstacle for a male nurse-midwife, then so it goes for a male OB/Gyn.

Clovery · Oct 26, 2011

I was completely comfortable with my male OB/GYN throughout my pregnancy and delivery so I don't see how a male midwife would be any different. I'm sure you know this, but just in case... You shouldn't hide it or not be open about it, but your sexual preferences are irrelevant. It's probably not a good idea to offer that information unless someone asks and you feel comfortable talking about it. When dealing with someone's sexual organs, it's best to keep your own sexuality, whatever it may be, out of the picture completely. I think it's safe to say that most women hope that their OB doctors/nurses don't have ANY sexual thoughts, attraction, or lack thereof, while they are being treated. Good luck to you and I'm glad found your calling!

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Oct 27, 2011

i had a male midwife with my first pregnancy--in 1980. no news here. he was fabulous from first missed period to delivery. (couldn't use him for my second because he moved away.)

hey ira, if you're reading this-- that baby grew up to have her second baby at home! (precipitous labor, daddy played catch with his new son a few years sooner than he planned, midwife arrived 40 minutes later, all well.)

go for it.

sandyfeet · Oct 29, 2011

Good for you! I am doing my OB clinicals right now and I am really enjoying it too! Yesterday I was involved in a case in L&D that turned into an emergency situation, and I started to think about how many different skill sets can be brought to OB: PALS, ACLS, Psych, etc. That is really appealing to me. And like you I had no interest in OB previously.

I think that like any other area of nursing, you can be effective if you are educated and confident. I agree with the other poster that your sexuality really does not play a part in your profession, but I think you may have mentioned it just to emphasize how distant you are from woman-centered things. Good luck. I say DO IT!