Midwifery is catching

 

I went to the physiotherapist this morning and discovered that the last time I’d graced his presence had been late June. I also realised it’s been a looonnngggg time between posts. Which probably speaks volumes about where my head has been recently - buried in books!

 

This is a photo of me giving a vitamin K injection to a new born bub a few weeks ago!!! In the back left of the photo is the mum, looking very serene after a lovely, amazing, perfect birth. This bub was my first "double glove" or tandem birth (see that second photo? Those are my hands. So no, I wasn’t taking the photos!), and it finally feels like I’m getting towards being a midwife. I might work out how to write her story at some point, but for now it’s lovely and close to my heart. It’s the first true birth that I’ve been to - the other 6 have been "deliveries" instead!

 

I had a meeting yesterday with a doula and a pregnant woman and her husband. The woman is considering a vbac after 2 c-sections, and the doula will be leaving the state before the woman is due to birth. So I have offered my (free) services as birth support and advocate for this woman.

I am back in the grind of uni - this week was week 5 and I had a presentation, an essay, another presentation, and a test to sit. Blergh. Studying is hard work and it is really scary that next year will be even harder and more full on! I am still working at the hardware store, but it’s looking more and more likely that I won’t be able to continue this because of births, and study load, and inflexible managers and the realities of working retail for a business. Which would be a damn shame as I happen to like my job!