These archives contain posts from the UK Midwives and Consumers email list, a discussion group for people interested in midwifery in the UK. All are welcome to join the group. Posts in these archives express the views of the individual authors, and not those of the Association of Radical Midwives.
I am a student midwife. I would like reassurance/advice on the subject of being a midwife and being left-handed. I do VEs (vaginal examinations) and deliveries left-handed. Most of the midwives I work with are fine about this; some even prefer me to be like this as it allows them to stand where they normally would (I am training in a large teaching hospital where most births are on the bed).
However, some midwives have told me that they find it very hard to work with me and the question always comes down to 'how do I do my episiotomies?' I have never yet had to do an episiotomy, so I don't know exactly what I would do. One midwife said that nobody else would be able to suture for me if I did left-handed episitomies. I'll have to learn to suture! But surely we should be to give care from any side of bed/floor/bath etc, and if a woman tears she might have to be sutured whatever direction the tear is in. I have never been made to felt as bad about being left-handed as recently. Help!
Tania
I am a third year student midwife currently working on a 'challenging practice' module. The practice I hope to challenge is that of left-handed students and midwives being made to practise right-handed. For instance, why palpate/deliver from the right hand side of the bed? (why deliver on a bed at all?) Why perform a vaginal examination with the right hand? Why suture right-handed? My questions have so far led only to answers such as, 'We've always done it like this' and 'That's the way I was taught'. Not exactly evidence based practice! I would love to hear from anyone who can shed some light on this midwifery 'tradition' or from other students/midwives who have been taught to practise right-handed.
Elaine
I am also left-handed and not found it too much of a problem (although, as you say, I do waver to the opposite side, or