am i being an old fool

This may not be totally PC, but, I'd far rather have a mature MUM, nurse/midwife, with life experience helping me deliver my baby, than someone with a zillion paper qualifications, but who actually doesn't know what I'm going through. Go for it, enjoy this new adventure. Good Luck

All those life experiences are transferable skill and a huge value in any work place. Its heartwarming to know that despite all the negativity around nursing and NHS that someone with a genuine passion to nurse may soon join other trainees.

How fabulous- go for it - my retirement age will be 67 so you would have over 10 years left anyway to share your expertise ❤️

Have a big think after reading these posts then if you still want to "Let them reject you, not you them" before you even apply.

Go for it I qualified as a nursery nurse mid 40’s never looked back.

Absolutely go for it!

Do it!

Definitely go for it. The life skills you'll have acquired will equip you well for the role

I so wish I had retrained as a midwife twenty years ago when I began working as a doula in my early 40s. Promise me you won’t hesitate to start training now!

Fill out the application and don’t look back!!! You won’t regret it and will thoroughly enjoy the journey!! I’m proud of you!

Go for it if that’s your dream and it’s possible. Wishing you the best of luck

Same here! 53, always wanted to be a psychologist. Would qualify when I'm 57. Applying now.... if I can do it, believe me, so can you! Go for it!

Love this …Go for it ..,If it doesn’t work out hey ho 🩷💜💚

53! You are a spring chicken. And there is a shortage of midwives. You have a duty to the nation to train.

Absolutely not , I had 3 children , first one delivered by an older midwife and it was a most positive experience . Go for it , you'll be fab

I’ve recently been a birth partner to a young friend and while the midwives were wonderful I can also see how much as a new mum my friend valued her Doulah. She had day and night Doulahs who were both mature women with lots of experience supporting the choices she made and helping her make those voices work. Doulahs are wonderful and if I was ten years younger ( 58!) I’d take it on a my third career!

Before you commit yourself to 5 years of study, it may be a good idea to see whether you can get work experience in midwifery where you shadow a midwife and see what the work really involves.

I looked online and there is a company which provides 2 weeks pre med work experience in London or Thailand.

My younger sister, living overseas, worked as a nurse but she has recently retired age 58.

She started nursing very young. After her O levels she joined the school of nursing and did a three years nursing diploma.

I know someone who started training at 58. Go for it

I started my mental health nurse training when I was 34 and there were plenty of people male and female who were in their 50s doing the same.
People have to work for much longer these days so no way are you to old.
Personally I think women giving birth would prefer someone more mature who has gone through it themselves rather than a young midwife with no experience of going through pregnancy and childbirth.
I would say go for it don’t spend any longer regretting not doing it,
The achievement you feel when you now how much you have helped someone makes you so happy
Good luck 💐

Do it

naughtynanny

This may not be totally PC, but, I'd far rather have a mature MUM, nurse/midwife, with life experience helping me deliver my baby, than someone with a zillion paper qualifications, but who actually doesn't know what I'm going through. Go for it, enjoy this new adventure. Good Luck

I have heard this so many times. In real life it doesn't stand up to scrutiny. I have worked with and mentored many, many young midwives who are intelligent, empathetic and flexible and have great ability to stand in someone else's shoes awhile. I have similarly encountered many who believed that because they had been through the experience of motherhood, they knew and understood it all. Sadly, many of them really did not: they were often rigid in their thinking and not always very kind.

Thankyou All for your input ! i have tried to respond previously but my posts have vanished !

Thankyou

Helping patients is the most rewarding thing in the world,you literally change people’s lives by helping them at a stressful time,you sound perfect for the job.

You need to speak to some midwives who are currently working in the NHS. From what my friend tells me about her daughter who is a midwife, it’s hugely stressful, high degree of responsibility and unsocial shifts. She has been left alone with patients to deliver babies when she should have had a more senior midwife with her. She didn’t have the right A levels to start her degree so slogged through a foundation course beforehand. It’s certainly no walk in the park.

You won’t get the state pension until you’re 67 so you’d have over 10 years in the field inc training. That is to be worth it!! Go girl 👧🏻