Requesting a different midwife?

[skiingmummy]

Hi there, just wondered if anyone has asked for a change of midwife during labour?

There is one particular midwife in my 'team' that I really really don't want as I have no confidence in her at all. She was there for part of my first labour and told me I was having pelvic twinges even tho I did my best to convince her I was having proper contractions. (Boy did they get a shock when they found I was 6cm!)

Unfortunately I've seen her for an antenatal aptmt this pg when she told me my pelvic pain was just down to it being my 2nd pg. 6 weeks later I've found out that its actually SPD thats causing the pain. Consequently I'm now dreading going into labour and having her but what are the politics/realities of specifying who you don't want? Any advice/suggestions?

[skiingmummy]

Just wanted to add that the rest of the midwives in my team are wonderful so its not a downer on midwives that I've got just this 1. And its not her as a person its more her judgement I'm worried about! Ta muchly!

[acnebride]

Haven't done this myself so hope you will have more useful advice, but my lovely antenatal teacher said - ask to see the midwife in charge of the ward and then tell them that you'd like a different midwife. Probably better discuss with any birth partner i guess as I have no idea how i'd have organised this many words in labour!

[prettycandles]

I've done this. When I went to hospital in labour with my second child, the same team of midwives was on duty as when I gave birth to my first child. I said to one ('said' - I practically fell on her shoulders and wrapped my arms around her! ) 'I want you, only you', and when she had sent another midwife off to check whether the pool room was ready for me, I told the first midwife that I didn't want the other one to come anywhere near me at any time. (I'd had both looking after me previously, one is god's gift to womanking, the other is a perfectly nice woman, but hidebound and inflexible.) No-one batted an eyelid, just accepted my request completely. So completely, in fact, that nobody other than my chosen midwife came into my room without my or dh's permission, even thought that (apparently) made things tougher for my midwife.

The easiest way to do it is to talk to the team or shift leader as soon as you can, or if you want to make the change during labour then it's your birth-partner's job.

[prettycandles]

'womanking' - now that's a nice Freudian slip . I meant 'womankind', of course.

[bonym]

Oh, interesting thread - I've also been wondering about this, but I am planning a home birth so have assumed that I will just get whoever is on call. Does anyone know if this is the case?

[skiingmummy]

Thats good to hear Prettycandles - that there was no detrimental effect to your care in raising an objection to a particular midwife.

I feel like I don't want to raise it too early in case they mark it in big letters in my notes that I'm a troublecauser (not me ) and I get treated differently as a result, however I feel like I don't want to leave it till D Day in case its too late at that point and I have to have whoever is available (which may happen anway I suppose?).

And I totally support the womanking thinking!

[prettycandles]

BTW, I had SPD with no2 and gave birth on my side with my knees bent up towards my chin and my legs barely 12-18" apart - much better for your pelvis than most conventional positions. The SPD didn't affect my labour at all, no 'extra' pain! There have been several threads about SPD, so you m ight find it worth searching them out.

Hooray for womanking!