What it’s like to be a Student Midwife at Huddersfield
Jaime Rhodes
Midwifery Studies BSc(Hons)
Hello, I’m Jaime and I’m a third-year Student Midwife at the University of Huddersfield.
Let me start with where it all begins...campus.
The University itself is made up of many buildings all of which are accessible, have different views and PLENTY of vending machines and coffees.
The University is diverse, easy-going and, overall, really friendly. If you were to have any issues with access, timetables, finance etc, the Student Hub is always available and accessible either on campus or on social media.
Student support
As well as that, there is plenty of support within the midwifery faculty itself (The School of Human and Health Sciences).
You’ll be given a whole bunch of new faces to familiarise yourself with. Any questions or concerns are always answered swiftly by the team.
The course tends to have blocks of placements where you attend for several weeks to study the midwifery modules.
Tutors are assigned for these and the teaching and learning strategies range from lectures, to group work, to clinical skills, so you’ll never be bored.
Learning CPR is a vital part of the courseAbout the course
One of my favourite things about learning on campus is the group of friends you make. These connections are so valuable whether it be tutors or fellow students, these are the only other people who are going through exactly what you’re going through - so make plenty of friendships and keep each other motivated.
There will also be lots of opportunities to get hands-on with midwifery props, including life-like 'pregnant' mannequins.
A personal favourite is the suturing clinical session, which is intriguing and much harder than it looks!
No matter what floats your boat, your days will never be boring and there is ALWAYS something new to be learning.
Top tip - keep your notes backed up in two places and see the Academic support team. You will never look back, they really are little angels in academic disguise.
Throughout the course there are academic assessments all applied in different ways including presentations, essay writing and practical exams. Don’t let this scare you though as they all highlight different skills that you may have never known you had - it can be such a confidence boost, so stay positive and give everything a go!
Do not be scared to ask for help, the University wants you to achieve, so access support if you need it - there’s lots of it.
How time is spent on the course
Time on campus only makes up one half of this course. The other half, which some students will find MUCH more exciting, is the clinical placements.
Uniform day is the highlight of the year. I didn’t want to take my tunic off. It made the course begin to feel so real - however these are white so be super careful and stock up on stain remover.
The blocks of placements are made up of hospital shifts and community shifts. I can’t lie, the hospital shifts are long so make sure you have plenty of support at home and within your relationships outside of the degree. These placements can be heavy going and you will experience both good and bad days.
The bad days can consist of things such as short staffing and induction delays, which ultimately puts a huge strain on the midwifery teams and management, as well as families accessing the services.
In my experience I think it's important to remember that whatever happens on that day, you have helped a family or a colleague in your role as a Student Midwife.
Maybe it’s the extra cup of tea and biscuits you took to the dad and grandma anxiously awaiting news in the recovery bay, or the extra 10 minutes you spent with a lady who had no birthing partner and endured a really difficult pregnancy - or even that hug you gave your colleague crying in the staff room (it happens to the best of us!).
All these scenarios happen, sometimes just in one day. So imagine the difference you could make altogether as a Student Midwife over three years. Everything you do counts.
Me with my first birth cardsI also feel that as a Student Midwife you may feel unheard or unseen at times, but your presence is definitely felt, even if it might not seem like it.
You are always appreciated by your colleagues, staff and families, and the feeling you get when you walk out of a 12-hour shift knowing you made that little bit of a difference to someone’s experience is just priceless and beyond compare to anything else.
Of course, amongst the bad days there are also GOOD and even BRILLIANT days. Yes it's not all doom and gloom.
There are so many learning opportunities to experience, so make sure you take in as much as you can, whilst you can.
You will be given a practice supervisor whilst on placement which will vary depending on when and where you’re working.
You will get to work with many different midwives and learn lots of new skills. Don’t be scared of trying something new. I have learnt to throw myself into it whilst there is consistent support from the midwives around you.
Also, really take the opportunity to connect and communicate with those you look after. Your confidence will build so much throughout the course and attend more and more placements. Everything eventually fits into place and the university knowledge will start to fit perfectly into placement.
Lastly, if you have read to this point and you’re still interested in Midwifery remember the following: your team, colleagues, and fellow students are there to support you. Accept the support and utilise everything that is given to you as a student.
Do not let the 5.00am wake-up calls demotivate you. Always remind yourself why YOU want to be a midwife and keep fighting to achieve that goal.
It takes a lot to be a Student Midwife so stay resilient and determined throughout, pick yourself back up if (and when) you fail, because it happens to the best of us!
Make sure you look after yourself throughout the course and make time to enjoy your hobbies. So, grab the challenge with both hands and make a difference - you won’t regret it.
A thank you noteMidwifery courses
If you're interested in becoming a Student Midwife, find out more about the options available at Huddersfield.
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