Non-Female Midwives

RN2B2005 · Feb 7, 2003

I'm still a nursing student, but I'm also a mother, so I'll give you my $0.02.

Personally, I prefer female physicians. Our family doctor is a woman, as is my OB and our family dentist. The ARNP who does my routine GYN care is female, as well. It's partly personal preference (especially with the OB/GYN--the old mechanic/car adage) but also coincidence--the vast majority of family practise physicians in our area happen to be female.

However, as far as the actual labour and delivery process goes, I found out fast that it doesn't matter what sex your OB is...he/she won't be there for most of the labour. Mine ended up being on vacation, and one of her partners (female) barely made it into the delivery room, even though the nurse was screaming into the phone that I was crowning and she'd better get here if she didn't want a nurse delivery (I was an unmedicated primipara, and the doc underestimated my desire to be done being pregnant). You probably know all about this, being a dad.

I now believe that a CNM, male or female, would be a better choice than an absent female OB doctor. Certainly, the LDRP nurse who was with me through delivery could have been any sex at all as long as she kept the pudding cups coming and kept the poking and prodding to a minimum. Postpartum care was an embarassment-inducing time, and I doubt a male nurse would have made it much worse.

As Mark said, it's all about your presentation of yourself. Be confident and professional, and I'd be surprised if your patients even give your sex a second thought. Good luck!

cindyln · Feb 7, 2003

I say go for it. I work with a male LPN on L&D and he is the best there is. He also teaches a breastfeeding class and it is so much better than when others are teaching it. He is very professional in his duties and the women feel very comfortable with him. If an OB doc can be male why not a midwive. Good for you!!

chae · Apr 19, 2003

I am a student TCN with three males in the class.Male students were not allow on the maternity wards but were expected to completethe required course in maternal and child health and present a case study at the end. The road was pave for them by a RN student who refused to complete a required course in Maternal and child health unless he was allowed on the maternity ward including the L&D. The patients concensus was the Drs are male whats the difference.

Go for it, most women don't mind and if you have a pretty face it's a bonus to have a cute nurse when your at your worst.

mark_LD_RN · Apr 20, 2003

Chae, i would have done the same thing:) it is wrong for them to prevent the males from taking part of the maternity rotation it is even worse to require them to meet all the requirements with out having been there!

but as far as the cute face i am not sure that matters much,i am to getting to old to be cute. but my patients stil love me:)

jamistlc · Apr 20, 2003

Originally posted by mother/babyRN
Mid husbands? :)

No Mid-Wife means "with women" litterally!

marilynmom, LPN, NP · May 14, 2003

I say yes go for it! I have had a male L&D nurse at my first birth. Yes at first I was surprised (I guess I just assumed all nurses were female when I was younger...lol). But he came and did an assesment on me and actually checkd me down there. He was very nice and professional.

I mean there are a ton of male OB/GYNs and a lot of women I know preger them over the women for some reason. and if your cute that is just a bonus!! LOL We love cute doctors and nurses!

Marilyn

xueer · May 16, 2003

Hi!I am a midwife from china.I believe chinese midwifes are very busy.I have delieved more than a thousand babies.However,I never heard a male midwife before.I think maybe male collage do better than us.

Do not give up!

nursenow · Aug 19, 2009

When I was in school I did not get to actually be present during delivery because the women/husbands did not want a male student present. All except one male in my class had the same experience. We just sat in the hall, answered the phone... That was in Victorville, Calif which is a little on the redneck side and a little behind times(in my opinion)

beachmom · Aug 21, 2009

One of our best baby nurses is a man. He doesn't do labor, but he does postpartum, babies, NICU and GYN surgeries.

It's different than the norm, but people accept him as they would a male doctor. If we know a woman has been sexually abused, usually he won't be assigned to her, especially right after birth.

If men are being midwives, we might need to change the name. (Like mailmen are now mail carriers. Firemen are now firefighters.) MidWIFE just doesn't seem right. Our doctors and certified midwives are all called "providers." I guess that will have to do.

morte, LPN, LVN · Aug 21, 2009

One of our best baby nurses is a man. He doesn't do labor, but he does postpartum, babies, NICU and GYN surgeries.
It's different than the norm, but people accept him as they would a male doctor. If we know a woman has been sexually abused, usually he won't be assigned to her, especially right after birth.
If men are being midwives, we might need to change the name. (Like mailmen are now mail carriers. Firemen are now firefighters.) MidWIFE just doesn't seem right. Our doctors and certified midwives are all called "providers." I guess that will have to do.

as was pointed out earlier in the thread mid wife literally means mit=with wife=woman

and fireman is someone who feeds a fire, firefighter,one who puts a fire out....

LDRNMOMMY, BSN, RN · Sep 9, 2009

I thought I wanted a female provider to deliver my baby, but then I had an appointment with the male midwife who ended up being on call the night my water broke. He was actually in the room with his lavender oil showing my husband some pressure points to try to stimulate some contractions after my water broke and my body was doing a whole lot of nothing! Thats more than I can say about some of the female "medwives" I have worked with in the past. Some women didn't care for him, but I thought he did a wonderful job.