Do Midwives or student midwives deliver babies?

8

Once a midwife qualifies, do they still deliver babies or is that job always given to students to allow them to reach the 40 births? Do qualified midwives usually deliver babies or only under certain circumstances?

Reply 1

Kingston Sarah

Official Rep

13

Original post

by sxniathefirst

Once a midwife qualifies, do they still deliver babies or is that job always given to students to allow them to reach the 40 births? Do qualified midwives usually deliver babies or only under certain circumstances?

Hello,

Qualified midwives still deliver babies after they qualify and they also lead the delivery. Unless if they move into a different position that isn't labour wards.

-Sarah (Kingston Rep)

Reply 2

Kingston Trenyce

Official Rep

11

Original post

by sxniathefirst

Once a midwife qualifies, do they still deliver babies or is that job always given to students to allow them to reach the 40 births? Do qualified midwives usually deliver babies or only under certain circumstances?

Hi, students will always be under the supervision of the midwife so you are helping with the delivery of the infant with the help of the midwife you are working alongside. Unless you are handed over the woman and she delivers, at placement you aren't just called to enter the room to gain a delivery you would need to demonstrate skills of care during the labouring process (40 cared for in labour needs to be signed off). As a midwife you cover intrapartum (labour and delivery), antenatal (during pregnancy), postnatal (after delivery of infant) areas so it is based on where you are rotating when newly qualified. Midwives deliver unless the help of doctors is needed and consented to ( C-section or instrumental which we do not carry out).

Trenyce (Kingston Rep)

Reply 3

Tracey_W

17

Original post

by sxniathefirst

Once a midwife qualifies, do they still deliver babies or is that job always given to students to allow them to reach the 40 births? Do qualified midwives usually deliver babies or only under certain circumstances?

As a qualified midwife you will be resting for delivery of babies on maternity unit but as a newly qualified midwife you'll be under supervision for about a year or less ( part of your preceptorship, as it is strongly recommended by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and is considered a structured and essential start to your career. Preceptorship provides support from an experienced midwife (preceptor) to help you build confidence, develop skills, and transition your knowledge into practice over a period that is typically over a 18 month period but can be reduced if ward sister and manager are competent enough... Usually you start your preceptorship in your last 6 months as a student midwife with it being continued into your new job as a newly qualified midwife.

Generally like what reply 2 has mentioned regarding your other midwife duties - you will work on all areas of the maternity unit not just delivering babies, as a student you need a minimum of 40 babies delivery as part of the NMC regulations - you will watch initially as a new student and eventually you will be given a opportunity to start delivering babies yourself under strict supervision from either your mentor/ supervisor or a qualified midwife, you will be told what you need to do and hopefully you will do it successfully , not two days are the same on maternity unit as you might get a sort of quitish day and next day it could be very hectic with loads of deliveries and emergency C-section to deal with. You will be given the op to join your patient you attend to during your shift into theatre if they having a C-section, you are there for the mum to be for support, eventually you'll be asked to write things on the White board.

NHS band 7 senior charge nurse midwife.

Do Midwives or student midwives deliver babies?

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