HELP.. I think my new midwives are NEWBIES

 So, when I initially met with one of the two ladies, Jane, I thought she was the assistant.  On the website, she looked younger so I assumed she was the apprentice, which was fine.

Then yesterday, my appt was with what I thought the seasoned midwife, Kristin... and now I think she's even more new.

I emailed her "how any deliveries has she and Jane had since they started their business"

Her reply:

"Your question about deliveries --  Jane and I are new to practice together.  Jane has been working with Eastside Midwives at the Puget Sound Birth Center for the past several months, and has done births with them (many of which I have attended as her assistant).  I am not sure of the total number.

Eh... I know they have to start their business somewhere, but sorry for being rude, I don't want it to be with me... eek!!   I think I may be switching again... I want some old seasoned lady... I'm a little worried!!   I almost feel more comfortable just delivering at home with DH, unassisted... eh!!

I'd be looking for a new lady also,,,,maybe an old Amish lady.....LOL!!!!

lovinhug:

I'd be looking for a new lady also,,,,maybe an old Amish lady.....LOL!!!!

Wow, yeah, that's just an odd reply from them too..I mean, can't they just say: less than a dozen/more than a dozen? I hope it all works out for you...

  OK, so if it really bothers you I think you need to ask pointblank how long they've been practicing as a CNM (not as an apprentice, NOT as a student) and how many deliveries they've done. Not a rough estimate, but a pretty close estimate.

Hope you find someone you're comfortable with! 

 both of mine are youngish. but not as young as yours seem to be.. they have MANY births under their belts that they have done alone.. 

I dunno. I am not sure I would feel comfortable either with these two! if one was at least more experienced then I would. .but wow.. yeah. and how far away are you from the hospital? 45 mins? something like that?

are there midwives you could transfer to that are more.. um.. experienced?

Georgia~peach:

I think you need to ask pointblank how long they've been practicing as a CNM (not as an apprentice, NOT as a student) and how many deliveries they've done. Not a rough estimate, but a pretty close estimate.

 Yea... an old Amish lady.. that would be ideal !!!

But I wish they were more straight forward.. I realize they are new and just want an answer... so it really bothers me that they are beating around the bush about their "experience and training".

And there are TONS of midwives around my area and another birthing center 15 minutes away, just in the other direction. I feel like a jerk, transferring once again, but it's my baby, ya know?

In some ways having newbies might be nice.  Think about it- they're not jaded, they just learned all the most up-to-date information.  Sometimes I find when someone is already well-practiced they are less tolerant of answering simple questions where someone new isn't as likely to think "I've heard this a million times before!" KWIM?

urbanwifey:

In some ways having newbies might be nice.  Think about it- they're not jaded, they just learned all the most up-to-date information.  Sometimes I find when someone is already well-practiced they are less tolerant of answering simple questions where someone new isn't as likely to think "I've heard this a million times before!" KWIM?

"Hmm, you're making us count it up!  We've done 8, I think, together as a two midwife team. We've done about 10 others separately each, but I wouldn't neccesarily count those because I was just there as a birth assistant, not as the woman's midwife, if that makes sense. 

Is it too late to ask them for references? Maybe that would help put your mind at ease...

hhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm DONT SHOOT ME but newly qualified professionals i think are just as good as older ones and sometimes even better.....i was going to word it differently but knew that would bring critism.....we all have to start somewhere and gain experience xx

MissysLair:

urbanwifey:

In some ways having newbies might be nice.  Think about it- they're not jaded, they just learned all the most up-to-date information.  Sometimes I find when someone is already well-practiced they are less tolerant of answering simple questions where someone new isn't as likely to think "I've heard this a million times before!" KWIM?

That is a good point. And I finally got a real answer

"Hmm, you're making us count it up!  We've done 8, I think, together as a two midwife team. We've done about 10 others separately each, but I wouldn't neccesarily count those because I was just there as a birth assistant, not as the woman's midwife, if that makes sense. 

I think my total number of "catches" is around 180 total. Kristin has a few less, but I'm not going to guess that number, because I'll guess wrong, probably. :-) "

Eh... I don't know what to do.  I'm glad they were finally honest though.  I think I'll feel comfortable if I know Jane (the slightly more experienced one) is there.... or both there.  I probably would just want my MIL there, she had 2 homebirths and 1 birthing center birth.. and that was 25 years ago when it was taboo.

 

were they the primary midwives for those 180 catches?

I dunno.. I know I would be worried.. lol.. my midwives have had so many crazy stories and know so many other techniques now other then the norm..

do they seem very confident? or do they seem a little stand off-ish..

confidence goes a long way.. but .. the know how of knowing what might be goign wrong BEFORE it goes wrong is always good!! that would be my concern. 

I am worried that I am going to be in the same situation as you soon. At my last apointment on Tuesday I was told from now on I will have a new midwife because mine has been off sick for sometime and they have been using other districts midwifes to stand in. When I asked what she was like I was told her name is Nicky and she was finishing her induction this week and was very young and excited about having her own group of ladies "eeeeekk alarm bells" 

Like a PP said im just hoping that because she is fresh from her training she will be more interested in my pregnancy and wanting to prove she is a good midwife unlike some of the old hands that dont seem to give a hoot and make you feel like you asking a stupid question because they have heard it a thousand times before.

I think if your intuition is telling you something. My last birth I had two very young unseasoned nurses and they were quoting textbooks and really unaware of alot of different birth scenerios. I would go with that womens intuition.

 Eh... this is so hard. I really don't want to switch "care" again considering how far along I am but eh...

I mean, I went to architecture school.  But I wouldn't want to design and build someone a house right out of school.  Although I'm sure I could, there's just so many scenerios that you have to learn "on the job".   Like I learned 100xs more working 2 years at a firm than I did 4 years at school full time... 

My MIL's best friend is a L&D nurse and asked her if she knew of any good, OLD midwives. She had to ask around quite a bit because hospitals usually only see midwifery gone bad when they end up in the hospital because something went wrong (not that it's the midwives fault).  But she did end up hearing some good stuff about a lady 30 mins away... 

But I don't know if I want to switch... so hard!!  I guess I have til Monday to decide, my next appt!