COMMENT
1. At 17.12 on 15 December 2009, Susan Gache wrote:
I also watched the program, and was worried about how they could expect her to do that after such short training. But afterwards, it just re-confirmed my desire to become a midwife, which I will hopefully be doing next year when I apply for the course.
2. At 01.20 on 17 December 2009, Angela Davis wrote:
I have to say that I was quite cynical initially when I watched the programme. I am not a big fan of Amanda Holden. However, I have to say I was quite impressed with her enthusiasm and willingness to learn once she had got over the silly inappropriate humour stage. I believe the programme showed midwives in a positive light.
3. At 11.25 on 22 December 2009, Claire Fewins wrote:
I believe the programme really painted midwives in a positive light. I was a little dubious about her participating in births after just five weeks training! I think that by identifying explicitly the bereavement counsellor midwife, many viewers will have realised our job is unfortunately not always a happy one. And I must say the professionalism of the midwives at Kelly's birth during the resuscitation of the baby was outstanding. Rather than being a 'gimmicky' programme focussed on Amanda Holden as a celebrity, I think the programme highlighted the role of the midwife to the public, and hopefully will encourage more into their training!
4. At 11.45 on 22 December 2009, Jill Beckett - midwife wrote:
I feel it was a missed opportunity to showcase midwifery and normal birth. Yes, it did show the enormous range of skills a midwife needs, but it highlighted the medicalised aspect of birth. The sight at the end of Amanda handing the baby back to Kelly as we could see the suture in the doctors hand sticks in my mind. How on earth must expectant mothers be thinking having watched this?
5. At 12.20 on 22 December 2009, Chris Argent wrote:
I agree that the programme highlighted the role of the midwife and midwifery as a profession in a positive light. The number of midwives and consultants present at the delivery was probably due to the presence of a film crew.
6. At 14.22 on 22 December 2009, Recently retired midwife wrote:
No great fan of Amanda Holden, I was pleasantly surprised at how she coped after she got over her ‘look at me’ phase. The programme as a whole showed midwives in a very good light, especially the other side of the coin in looking after women whose pregnancies do not have a good outcome.
7. At 14.28 on 22 December 2009, madwife wrote:
Not sure about Amanda's nails though...long and covered in varnish.
8. At 15.26 on 22 December 2009, Emma Whapples wrote:
I agree with Maura O'Malley's review. I was horrified that people may feel they could train somebody to be a midwife in such a short time, yet commend the message given out that midwifery is a multi-skilled profession.
9. At 16.20 on 22 December 2009, Claire Phillips wrote:
As a year-2 student midwife I found this programme interesting, but found Amanda's comments following the show being broadcast upsetting. Amanda made a comment about how she could be a midwife with ease following her stint on delivery suite. This was probably an off-the-cuff remark, but it made me feel so angry as I am working hard to gain my degree in midwifery and it’s not easy! Rant over! I feel the show really showed how fantastic midwives are and exactly what skills are needed to be a good midwife.
10. At 16.52 on 22 December 2009, Lori Wilson wrote:
I agree. I think the show highlighted how much knowledge and experience we require to do our job. I also thought the assessment they put Amanda through was not an easy task and the fear on her face showed she didn't take any part of it lightly.
11. At 17.03 on 22 December 2009, Noelia Reimundez wrote:
I think it is a pity they left breastfeeding out or postnatal care in general. It is a big part of our job but it is usually forgotten. The labour part of it is more exciting I suppose.
12. At 17.45 on 22 December 2009, Didi wrote:
I had very similar thoughts about this programme when I watched it recently. I was so proud to see the midwives come across as very professional, skillful, calm and sensitive. They were clearly reflective practitioners when talking about their own practice and when discussing Amanda Holden's. It also made me appreciate how much I have learned and developed in the last two years and I was gratified that the range and depth of skills needed by a midwife was illustrated here. It made me feel even more excited and motivated to step into my role fully as a third-year student midwife this year, and aim high in my academic and clinical development.
13. At 20.35 on 22 December 2009, Fiona Ghalustians wrote:
I was present while Amanda was being put through her paces. I think she was genuinely amazed at they job we do and was visibly moved when she realised that some of the work we undertake can be quite hard. Hopefully the programme will have inspired some to train to become midwives.
14. At 22.12 on 22 December 2009, midwife wrote:
I was interested to see how Amanda Holden was allowed to perform clinical duties with long fingernails and nail polish! And that when she entered the room for the assisted delivery her nail polish was bright pink, and on exiting the room it was a pale frosted pink! I became quite cynical after that as it was obviously recorded not quite as it was portrayed!
15. At 22.22 on 22 December 2009, Year-1 Scotland Student wrote:
I have recently completed my first clinical placement, 4 weeks in community, and when it came to my assessment my mentor laughed and said ‘Well... compared to Amanda and she only had 5 weeks.’ I do think she did a great job and brought to the forefront the actual role of the midwife.
16. At 23.34 on 22 December 2009, M.N, practising midwife wrote:
I too agree with the comments made above, and it had a similar effect on a couple of people who have said to me, ‘does a midwife really have to know all that.’ I confirmed ‘all that and more.’ I thought the programme was better than I had expected, gave an insight in to some of the midwives skills, and if anything would encourage people to want to know more. Like many though I had been sceptical to begin with.
17. At 01.51 on 23 December 2009, student midwife wrote:
I have just watched Amanda Holden in Out of My Depth and found it amazing. I am a 1st year student midwife and could relate so well to how she must be feeling, her emotions etc. I was so pleased to see that confidence does come with hands on experience and feel so fortunate to be training for such a wonderful career!
18. At 14.59 on 23 December 2009, Pat Mcadden wrote:
Yes, I was cynical when I first started to watch but I quickly changed my mind. I thought Amanda coped with the traumatic delivery well and felt had she managed to get there earlier, the support she could have given might have negated the need for the epidural.
19. At 18.20 on 26 December 2009, Linda White wrote:
I watched the programme also incredulous that it could be assumed that someone could learn how to be a midwife in five weeks. I believe that the show demonstrated some of the very many and varied skills that a midwife needs to have, and contrary to other comments I thought it showed that Amanda Holden had not really grasped much of this at all. She came across, to me, as a self-centred, attention-seeking actress who was very practised at playing up to the cameras to show whatever emotion was deemed appropriate at the time.
She said herself she had a c/section at her convenience, as she is 'a control freak.' It seemed to me she had no understanding or respect for the miracle of childbirth and the amazing strength of women, and those that care for women at this time.
It took me three years of very hard work to get my midwifery degree and I, as well as all midwives out there, know that I shall continue to learn my craft every day of my career. I am offended that anyone thinks they can get the gist of it all in five weeks!
20. At 03.39 on 2 January 2009, Steph wrote:
The government are already looking to cut university courses down by a year, so lets hope the minister of health was not watching or the next intake of student midwives will have to complete their training in 6 months. I mean how difficult a job is it anyway!!
21. At 09.38 on 4 January 2009, Alison Edwards wrote:
I too was dubious about watching the programme and was concerned to see women labouring on the bed, even in the birth centre. Amanda did do quite well however, and as Angela says it did demonstrate, to a point, some of the vast array of skills midwives possess. It has certainly raised some good discussion points for the students I teach.
22. At 12.16 on 5 January 2009, Greta Beresford wrote:
Amanda Holden seemed to take seriously her role as a student midwife, which is to her credit. The programme really was a showcase for the skills of midwives, not a career boost for Amanda Holden, and the programme achieved this.
Pippa Nightingale was superb, highly skilled and with the safety and support for the mother always to the forefront of her mind. Not all programmes demonstrating the role of the midwife show them in a good light, this one did. It will have informed those watching of the varied skills required of midwives as not all pregnancies end in a happy normal birth. Without skilful midwives, there would be fewer happy pregnancy outcomes.
