When I was a nurse, I was stereotyped as an "angel" or a "naughty stocking clad nursey". There were times indeed as a young 20 something nurse that just by telling men my profession, their pupils would widen as if I had told them I was a lap dancer! If the truth be known, there is nothing less glamorous than hard graft nursing. Collecting sputum, cleaning catheter tubing of old men and passing NG tubes is hardly erection inducing (despite the fact that I used to wear stockings).
But now, same person, same values, same passion for caring and people and yet I am stereotypically viewed as a fat, man hating bully with hairy toes,an unruly bikini line and proud moustache! OK, I don`t wear stockings anymore but I am a cosmetic junkie and get regular pedicures.
See NHS blog doctor http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/ and Doctors.net for views on midwives by our medical colleagues and The Telegraph for regular vitriol by Christine Odone et al just like her.
I sigh when I read the above as I know that in the main most midwives are genuinely caring, dedicated and committed to making sure that women have the best birth experience they can help give them. I have never had a bad experience with junior doctors who do their 3 month stint on DS. Quite often they are freaked out by the power of labouring women and need lots of support from us. Now the SHO`s often come out with us in the community too especially those doing their GP training. They are usually great company and learn a lot about the role of the midwife as well as getting to see a few homebirths/waterbirths too.
Either, it is only a few vocal docs that truly hate us, or the ones I have had the pleasure to work alongside and train up in the art of accurate V.E'ing are trained actors. And doctors, we don't hate you or invent silly names for you or think that you are all Shipmans or Ledwards because a couple of crazy's happened to be members of your profession. Quite a few of us are in fact married to you doctors (not me despite a few near misses in my younger days). Some of us have parents who are doctors, others have off-spring who are doctors. That means that quite a few of you have midwives as mums, wives and sisters. Some of you GPs even have us as patients treating our hairy toes!
We do need to stop the multi professional slagging off. For most of us health care professionals, we go to work, we come home and we switch off. We should not all be defined just as one role. I am not only a midwife. I am mummy, wife, friend, daughter, sister, customer, patient,MSc student,writer,lecturer. Don't get me wrong, I love my job. I chose my career and probably could have chosen a completely different path with my exam results. I have siblings who earn far more than I in the media and the legal profession. I chose midwifery because I have a passion for it and because I really care about how women experience pregnancy and birth and entering parenthood. The money is crap. My husband, a successful company director has always thought I was nuts to do a job which gives such little financial reward, but hey, we cannot all be capitalists!
I digress, must be my pregnant brain wandering. I will return to this subject but for now I need a pickled onion and jam sandwich.
But now, same person, same values, same passion for caring and people and yet I am stereotypically viewed as a fat, man hating bully with hairy toes,an unruly bikini line and proud moustache! OK, I don`t wear stockings anymore but I am a cosmetic junkie and get regular pedicures.
See NHS blog doctor http://nhsblogdoc.blogspot.com/ and Doctors.net for views on midwives by our medical colleagues and The Telegraph for regular vitriol by Christine Odone et al just like her.
I sigh when I read the above as I know that in the main most midwives are genuinely caring, dedicated and committed to making sure that women have the best birth experience they can help give them. I have never had a bad experience with junior doctors who do their 3 month stint on DS. Quite often they are freaked out by the power of labouring women and need lots of support from us. Now the SHO`s often come out with us in the community too especially those doing their GP training. They are usually great company and learn a lot about the role of the midwife as well as getting to see a few homebirths/waterbirths too.
Either, it is only a few vocal docs that truly hate us, or the ones I have had the pleasure to work alongside and train up in the art of accurate V.E'ing are trained actors. And doctors, we don't hate you or invent silly names for you or think that you are all Shipmans or Ledwards because a couple of crazy's happened to be members of your profession. Quite a few of us are in fact married to you doctors (not me despite a few near misses in my younger days). Some of us have parents who are doctors, others have off-spring who are doctors. That means that quite a few of you have midwives as mums, wives and sisters. Some of you GPs even have us as patients treating our hairy toes!
We do need to stop the multi professional slagging off. For most of us health care professionals, we go to work, we come home and we switch off. We should not all be defined just as one role. I am not only a midwife. I am mummy, wife, friend, daughter, sister, customer, patient,MSc student,writer,lecturer. Don't get me wrong, I love my job. I chose my career and probably could have chosen a completely different path with my exam results. I have siblings who earn far more than I in the media and the legal profession. I chose midwifery because I have a passion for it and because I really care about how women experience pregnancy and birth and entering parenthood. The money is crap. My husband, a successful company director has always thought I was nuts to do a job which gives such little financial reward, but hey, we cannot all be capitalists!
I digress, must be my pregnant brain wandering. I will return to this subject but for now I need a pickled onion and jam sandwich.
4 comments:
Great post, had me in stitches. Time the doctors left those midwives alone! I hope your hairy toes get better soon.
Great post - glad to see stirrings of revolt against what I feel is an obsessive, and actually, increasingly mysogynistic, gaggle of midwife haters.
The two midwives who helped me deliver my massive 9lb8oz baby (I was a first timer) are always in my thoughts. At no time did they bully, belittle, patronise me or make me suffer. They attended to my every need, and made sure to involve my husband.
Also referring to the article DrC has picked upon on his blog - I would actually have relished the opportunity for some massage, a bit of aromatherapy, and some holistic parentcraft chat...what on earth is 'tosh' about that?
Thankyou Anon. You never forget your midwife and it is great that you had such good experiences of birth.What a big baby! My no. 2 baby was a 9lber. I believe that the majority of women have fantastic midwives attend them in labour. Many are frazzled as they are having to work the job of 3 but most will try their utmost to give good care.
I agree that much of the postings from Dr C and the like are misogynist in tone (to say the least) and damaging to public perception.
And yes, bring on the massage! I hope I get some lovely oils when I am in labour! Adrenaline is contra-indicated in the first stage of labour thus relaxation is paramount for labouring women for their oxytocin to flow. Basic physiology!
TPM
Nice to see that not all midwives are "mad bullying childless lesbians" as per Dr Crippens views (not that I have anything against childless lesbians!!!!)
Post a Comment