Catching the Future

My Journal of my experience as a Student Midwife training in New Zealand as well as interesting bits and pieces I find along the way!

[scienceofeds]

What can qualitative studies tell us about the experiences of women who are pregnant that have an eating disorder?

Pregnancy is a life-stage during which women undergo significant changes to their body and can feel acute responsibility for the development and well-being of the fetus. […] An overriding concept of inner turmoil… related to the fear and guilt expressed by interviewees and stemmed from their association of self-worth with their body, concerns about their child’s health and worries about others’ response to their eating and weight control practices.

Participants reported vacillating between wanting to do the best for their child, being motivated by social pressures and feeling the need to control their body for self-preservation purposes. This created the inner turmoil they experienced while pregnant. Midwives should be sensitive to the possibility of an eating disorder among pregnant women. In such cases, practitioners could act as a conduit for any assistance required, guiding these mothers towards appropriate nutritional and psychological support. 

Source

[saidiebee-blog]

[catchingthefuture]

What are your views on circumcision for boys? How common is it in New Zealand? Do midwives have any involvement with it?

My personal view on circumcision is that it is something a boy should be able to decide on his own, when he is older and able to give his own consent for as I don't see it is much different from female circumcision in young girls.

HOWEVER, my professional stance is that as long as parents get fully informed and make the decision with all information and research that it is up to them - as with everything I am asked about in the role of a midwife. I have found circumcision doesn't seem to be a commonplace practice in New Zealand anymore. We as midwives don't have any direct involvement in circumcision and it is not funded in New Zealand. We can give information about clinics and doctors who will perform circumcision privately and give them the contact details for these places to parents who ask. 

[fuckyeahlezgirls]

I don’t mind so much getting up before sunrise for a baby but I just really can’t do it for the gym.

Josie Greaves - Midwife (via fuckyeahlezgirls)

[thewannabemidwife]

How I cope with being a midwifery student

[catchingthefuture]

10/07/2013 - My first home birth.

I wasn't expecting it, technically I am on holidays, but just when I needed it I got the reminder of why I want to be a midwife.

At 8am I got a called to say a lovely second time Mum was in labour and she was having a homebirth and was happy for me to come along. So up I got, getting there at about 8.30am. Well. Having only had contractions since 6am she was ready to push. 

There we were in her little living room, on a mattress on the floor propped up against the couch with Jazz music playing while her 3 year old Daughter sat at the dining room table eating breakfast with Dad. 

Our labouring Mother was quiet, it was warm and dim lighting, she was calm and collected, pushing as she felt she wanted to. Her daughter came to sit by her Mum, holding her head and giving her sips of water. The two midwives and myself sitting around on the floor, offering gentle words of support, and letting her know she could do whatever she wanted, listening to baby as needed.

Pop went her waters and within 4 contractions baby was crowning. 

"Is that the baby?!" asked her daughter,

"Yes that's baby!"

"Is that baby's bottom?" she asked as her Mother pushed baby to deliver the head.

"No it's baby's head!"

"Oh!"

With a swift last push out came a 4.44kg baby boy, lively, pink, perfect. Not even 2 minutes later the new Mum was expressing how happy and easy it was.

Being at home already we just helped her to do whatever she needed to do while she sat holding her baby. Up to shower, to the toilet, back to bed with Toast and a hot chocolate. 

On a rainy winters day, I was warmed to know that whenever I forget why I want to be a midwife, I will remember this morning. 

[catchingthefuture]

Embarrassed (Breastfeeding in Public) - Spoken Word by Hollie McNish

[catchingthefuture]

30/06/2013 - Half way.

I am now half way to being a midwife! Semester 1, year 2 is complete (as long as my exam results are okay) and I am really on my way.

It's been a weird time for me actually, the demands of the course have really taken their toll on me physically and emotionally. I really have to remind myself that I am taking on a lot and that I'm not really as weak as I think I am all the time.

I should now be completely all on to of the normal birth - I don't know that I am. But I'm sure it'll come. I just keep pushing through and hoping the knowledge enters y mind because when I'm there supporting and reassuring these pregnant mothers as I feel their unborn babies move under my hands and as I give my strength and belief in normal birth to a labouring mother I need the knowledge and the truth to make her believe she can do it because she can. And I need the ability to unwind at the end of the day and just turn off and shed thier emotions so that I can relax, which is just impossible, but it's important.

So I hope that I will soon uncover the confidence that a midwife needs to be great. Til then, I'm working on it. 

[catchingthefuture]

Birth is not only about making babies. It is about making mothers; strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and believe in their inner strength.

—  - Barbara Katz Rothman

[fuckyeahlezgirls]

Three of my most favorite things about being a (student) midwife:

1. Seeing a woman’s face when she hears her babies heartbeat for the first time. She just goes far away, somewhere, just for a bit and it’s just beautiful.

2. Seeing a woman go from absolute determination, pushing out her baby, to that very first moment when that baby is born and put up on her chest. Her whole body, demenor, life, changes in one second. The overwhelming tears and joy (and relief) all at once as she comforts her brand new baby.

3. Seeing a new mum happy and relaxed after a good night (and lots of sleep) after seeing her just the day before, crying and overwhelmed. It’s amazing what sleep can do! 

[catchingthefuture]

21/05/13 - Back in clinical placement and a new midwife!

I have just started this week on my 5 week placement with an Independent midwife. We get along great! Funnily enough I found out she is also gay, which gives me hope that my personal life won't get in the way of a successful midwifery career after her 27 years of fantastic midwifery! 

We have a lot to study for right now - all us students are currently studying for VIVA - the verbal assesment, our neonatal check assessment, which is done with a newborn baby in a birthing or postnatal unit (nervous only because I'm being assessed!) and then our major end of semester exams which is a test of all our knowledge! Talk about nervous!

I should be studying! Instead I'm here on the internet thinking of new things to cook....

I'm on a fitness/healthy eating thingy at the moment but I'm not doing too well. 

I promise I'll update more with actually interesting reads and I PROMISE I'll start studying and exercising!

hahaha...

[catchingthefuture]

29/04/2013 - Assessments, exams, placements and my life.

After a week of holiday in Sydney followed by three days of morning and night work at a dance competition run by my Mother I am finally sitting down to get my diary sorted out. 

It's time to get my head down and learn EVERYTHING really well.  I have a few assessments coming up - Neonatal resus, a VIVA - which is a verbal exam responding to a given scenario, and then my compulsory learning sessions for women's health, neonatal examination and I'm sure there is something else too (see, I'm losing it).

I started this week 2 weeks ahead of myself thinking I was starting back at the community midwives this week but to my delight I have this week off (Except for my compulsory learning day on friday) and the next week is for our verbal presentations (shit), So today I cleaned the entire house inside out for our flat inspection tomorrow and when my girlfriend got home she did the outside.  I sat down and started my study. What a mess - there is so much information in my head I can't even file it.  It's only there when I really need it - not in an exam either - just in practice. Which is probably less than ideal. I have a passion for this job but this course is truely a mess.

I'm broke too which doesn't help, we don't have a lot of food this week until thursday when my girlfriend gets paid because all my money goes into our joint account for rent. I feel bad not being able to help more finacially and I really do feel lucky that she puts up with my hours, my broke ass and my moody, tired personality.  If there is a course and a job that puts your relationship on the line it would be this one. 

[catchingthefuture]

12/04/2013 - The end of my placement at Women's corrections.

Yesterday was my last day working in the regions Women's Correction Facility and I really wish I could go back every Monday to work with their midwife - she really is what a midwife should be. An advocate for pregnant women.

In the prison, they have begun a new programme where low risk prisoners who have good behaviour who are pregnant when sentenced can apply to live in the self-care Mother’s and Babies unit and keep their baby with them until the baby is 2 years old (or earlier if the Mothers behaviour is unsatisfactory).  Once the 2 years are up, the baby is then placed with suitable family if possible until the Mother completes her sentence and is released.  This is done by transition – the family come to visit the baby all the time and spend time with the baby, the baby goes out of the prison with family before returning to ensure it isn’t a shock when they are suddenly living without their Mother.  Then, as the Mother comes to the end of her sentence, a transitional period of the baby coming to prison to spend whole days with her and the family they have been living with in a special room designed for this so the baby is less likely to reject the Mother when she is released and retakes her custody.

I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time in the low security medical clinic and in the Mothers and Babies units speaking with the women about their experiences. We had a lady who had had continuous reduced fetal movements, under the 3rd percentile for growth (severely IUGR) and had been in and out of hospital and had an appointment with a specialist.  In the community – this woman would have been admitted to hospital and be having a minimum of twice daily monitoring for fetal wellbeing but when we asked why she hadn’t been admitted the charge on the other end of the phone explain “it’s too expensive”.  Too expensive? The brutality of the discrimination received by the women in the corrections facility was clear then and there. They were willing to put this unborn, sick baby’s life at risk (the baby I still think is likely to pass away) instead of admitting the lady to hospital for accurate monitoring. I get that she’s in prison for committing a crime but the baby didn’t. The baby deserves the same care as any other baby.

Anyway – it’s these sorts of things that make me want to be a midwife even more –creating a partnership and being an advocate for the women who need it most – and the babies.

[catchingthefuture]

7/4/2013 - Women's prision and sick

I'm sick! I am starting my 1 week placement at the Women's correction facility tomorrow and I'm sick! I have been taking a million vitamins hoping that I'll at least be able to pull myself together and look 99% for the week. At least I don't feel too shit anymore.. maybe they're working.

I'm nervous for tomorrow, first day is at the health centre, 2nd and 3rd day is the 4th day unknown! I don't know what is going on which is exciting too.

Who knows! I have just had a week at a postnatal unit and enjoyed it, an easy work up to the prison before I go on holiday =] 

[catchingthefuture]

25/03/2013 - Year 2, Semester 1 placements

I have just received my schedule of placements for the next few months - a week at a primary birthing unit which I have a lot of experience in, a lot of postnatal work though.  A week in the Women's Correction Facility in the Mum's and Babe's unit, the health centre and with the social worker.  A sucky week at a postnatal ward in the hospital which bores me to tears, but all good experience, a week with a community midwives practice and the 5 weeks with a midwife who works in a natural health centre, holistic wellbeing and natural birth seems to be big with the practice which has homeopaths, accupuncturists, osteopaths, hypnotherapy and hypnobirth, massage, naturopathy and even general medicine all in this little central practice. I can't wait!

Bring me the mummies and bubbies!

[catchingthefuture]

21/03/2013 - Losing the plot and malpresentations!

I am totally losing the plot.  My girlfriend and I have been fighting non-stop and last night I cried and cried and she just went outside to smoke (my pet peeve).  Eventually after I went into the bathroom in search of rescue remedy and some painkillers for my splitting headache, she came in and just hugged me. I know I still love her  because I just felt better in her arms. I guess I'll see what's going on.

In midwifery news, today we talking about malpresentation and OP labours. Turns out they can't really give you any evidence based advice about turning your baby from breech, or OP position.  I will try and make an update about malpresentations and what is suggested (evidence based and not) for changing baby's position. 

[catchingthefuture]

18/03/2013 - Boring day but feeling clucky!

I thought I wouldn't feel so clucky when I'm not even in clinical placement but all the thnking about breastfeeding and all... I just want to quit and start trying! Not exactly the right time to try though, so I guess I'll keep waiting...

Boring lecture today but did touch on a few important points about increased BMI and childbirth - but I am mostly doing self research on induced lactation.  I have been collecting a lot of information on it and I really would like to try it.  My girlfriend is iffy on the subject but after a bit of explaining she seemed to understand where I was coming from. I guess that's a decision we will have to do together in the future. Until then, I will research!!!

Can't wait to get back into clinical - two more weeks. I have a midwife who gave me experience when I was younger has contacted me to give me a few extra births and I am going to go meet the ladies at clinic next week and hopefully I won't be away when they deliver!!!