Today I want to look to all the midwives who have inspired me and continue to do so on a daily basis. These include lecturers, mentors and researchers. I think it is fair to say that midwifery is definitely a “work of the heart”. We do what we do because we are passionate despite all of the challenges midwives face on a daily basis in the modern healthcare system.

Today we had the privilege of having a lecture with Denis Walsh and Mark Harris. It was refreshing to hear a male’s perspective on feminism and its role within midwifery. It was interesting to hear about Denis’ thoughts about how midwives are expected to gain experience in a consultant led unit before being able to work in a midwifery led unit despite midwives primarily focussing on normality.

Mark also kept us engaged and reminded us how important it is to give power back to the women we care for using language. He also discussed how ‘orgasm and birth are the same event separated by time’, looking into how our environment and hormones play a part in birth. Mark also gave us all a brilliant insight into how we can incorporate partners in the birthing process and gave a males perspective on birth.

Our very own Michael started off the lecture by telling us what midwifery meant to him and talked about THAT connection we make with the women we care for and the power of just one look. Michael’s words really struck a chord with me and summed up perfectly how incredible it is to be a part of midwifery. Also, a huge well done to all those who ran to the bake sale and raffle, a fabulous £245.46 was raised for Maternity Worldwide.

I hope midwifery continues to have the recognition it deserves, I will forever be in awe.

The post Happy International Day of the Midwife! appeared first on Delivering Midwives.

My first week on labour ward is complete. I think it is fair to say that I felt somewhat like a fish out of water this week. It has been challenging adapting to long shifts, meeting new faces and understanding the dynamics of labour ward. However, I feel I have learnt so much in such a short space of time already. The weight of the responsibility that midwives have on their shoulders has become even more apparent.

I often stand back wondering how I am ever going to acquire the skill and knowledge to be able to carry the responsibility without letting it get to me too much. I have been told that what seems overbearing now will eventually become second nature. Yet, others have said that even when qualified, the role is still scary. Whilst I required a degree of resilience on community placement, I feel that I need it even more on labour ward. I feel incredibly lucky to have a mentor who asks if I need debriefing after a difficult shift but sometimes the reality of what has been experienced does not always sink in until the adrenalin has worn off and I have had time to reflect. Don’t get me wrong, I love placement, but it is at times somewhat bittersweet.

I think over the rest of placement I will make it my mission to become more resilient and work on techniques which help me to debrief and reflect on difficult shifts proactively. I think some of this difficulty comes from not being able to know how to help or understand everything that’s happening, something which I am sure will come with time. To improve these skills, I am going to try and debrief with my mentor after every challenging shift, even if at the time I don’t feel I need to. Also, I will try to reflect on what happened so that I can gain a better understanding. I will also try to maintain a good work life balance so that I can de-stress and not take what has happened home with me.

This post may seem a little negative but I have honestly had a brilliant first week and having the privilege of being there when new life enters the world is an indescribable feeling. I have just become aware of the toll that this placement takes on your emotions, both good and bad. This job is physically, emotionally and psychologically demanding yet it is also full of the most beautiful moments. I have come away even more in awe of the power of women and I look forward to the weeks to come.

The post The Reality of Labour Ward- Week One appeared first on Delivering Midwives.

What a busy six weeks! We have now successfully submitted our first assessment in anatomy and physiology. I hoped in this module that some of what we had seen in practice would click when learning the theory behind it. Nearing the end of the module I am happy to say that everything has clicked in to place. It is surprising how much you can learn in six weeks. I now feel I have a much better understanding of the physiological changes in pregnancy, the puerperium (still getting to grips with how to say it) and changes in the neonate.

Writing essays is definitely not my strong point but I looked forward to writing a different style of essay which focused on explaining processes, something quite different to the discussion-based essay we have done previously.  I cannot lie, there were times when I would stare at my computer screen and wonder how on earth I would ever get the word count down but eventually I got there. Unfortunately, staring at the word count does not magically reduce it as I found out after a good 20 minutes of trying. I know there were many of us who shared this experience yet somehow our moral support for one another when we doubted ourselves got us through.

Assessments submitted, we started our final week of theory. I think the final theory week is one of my favourites.  The pace is a little slower and gives us the chance to look at topics not previously covered such as changes to the breast as well as reflecting on the module. Also, we have the opportunity to prepare for practice. Myself and the rest of the cohort are incredibly excited to be starting our first labour ward placements next week. There will be lots to learn and times when we probably feel a little overwhelmed due to being in a completely different environment to the community setting we are used to. Despite this, I look forward to all of the new experiences we will have and all that we will learn over the next six weeks.

It is strange to think that after a period of seeing each other nearly every day, we now won’t be together for another seven weeks. I look forward to seeing everyone soon and being able to reflect as a group and wish the 1701 cohort the best of luck in their first community placement.

The post The End of the Theory Block appeared first on Delivering Midwives.

What a relief, we did it! Our first ever debate and we lived to tell the tale. Whilst it was a daunting task, it was also an exciting one. Each group had different topics, all of which had their challenges. For some, it meant debating something that they did not necessarily believe in and that in itself is a skill. Sometimes when you can’t convince yourself of something, you wonder how you will ever manage to convince others. Researching something from another angle really shows that there is always more than one perspective and that sometimes there is no right answer, just a different one.

I have to admit that when first presented with the task of doing a debate I didn’t quite understand the reason why, but now I do.  As future midwives there will be times when we don’t agree with people’s points of view or opinions. In completing the debate we learnt that there is often an equal amount of evidence to support an opposing view.

As midwives we will need the skill and ability to work with others and present the evidence but also be open to hearing others. There may be times when we still don’t agree with the other person but cannot dismiss the valid points that person is making. This results in a situation when you realise there is no right answer and therefore someone must compromise. It’s important when working as a team to remember that both of you want the same outcome, you just might have different ways of achieving it.

I was so impressed with the whole cohort and how each and every one of us rose to the challenge and did so well. There were even points when I started to question my own opinions. Even more impressive, was the fact that many pushed themselves out of their comfort zones by speaking in public. There were certainly moments when my own heart was pounding with nerves.

Now it is time to write the essay and I have every confidence that we will all do well and excel in our first assessment in anatomy and physiology.  One down, one to go!

The post The Great Debate appeared first on Delivering Midwives.

It’s that time of year again when my favourite programme comes on TV, Call the Midwife. The first episode aired last Sunday and as usual it failed to disappoint.

While some may say the programme gives an unrealistic view of midwifery, I do believe it provides an insight in to the midwife’s role during the 1950’s and 60’s, showing us just how far the profession has come in a reasonably short space of time. However, I can’t deny that I do love the aesthetics
and soundtrack too!

Petticoats aside, Call the Midwife never fails to show us key events within midwifery as well as highlighting important issues. Before Sunday, writers of the show had revealed the series would look at domestic abuse a
nd female genital mutilation (FGM). Sunday’s heart-wrenching episode threw us in at the deep end and told the story of a woman who suffered domestic violence during pregnancy. It also looked at the difficulty of leaving one’s husband in that era as a result of sexism.

It seems as though there’s a lot more awareness of domestic abuse and the different types of abuse; yet it’s occurrence is still very much prevalent. After completing my community placement I saw first hand how midwives still have many of the same barriers to helping women today as they did in the 1960’s. It is almost impossible to discuss the topic when women attend clinic with partners and if women feel unable or do not wish to disclose abuse to their midwives, abuse can go unnoticed. This results in leaving women and their babies vulnerable.

As with all difficult subjects there is a lot for midwives and student midwives to learn. Therefore, I have decided that after watching each episode I will do some extra research on the topic presented that week in the hope of becoming more knowledgeable and better able to support the women I care for. It is very easy to see the programme purely as entertainment yet a lot can be learnt from it and it can also inspire us to research and promote change, so that we can continuously develop the profession and the care we provide.

The post Call the Midwife is Back! appeared first on Delivering Midwives.

Well the first week back at university was definitely intense. After all of the Christmas festivities and feasting on food, getting back into a routine has been a shock to the system to say the least.

However, it has also been a time of diving in at the deep end. This module is assessed through a debate and an essay, both of which are on separate topics. This in itself requires the ability to multi-task, something which I occasionally struggle with. Nevertheless the cohort has risen to the challenge. We were given three days to prepare presentations on public health topics, whilst having full timetables, and by the time Friday came around everyone’s presentations were informative and well structured. It is times like these that you realise you are often capable of more than you believe.

Also, some of us had our moving and handling sessions on the Wednesday and as a result I now feel a lot more confident using hoists and sliding sheets should the women we care for have any difficulties with mobility. The day also involved working in teams which was not only enjoyable but lovely to see how as a cohort we can all work so well together.

I would also like to take the opportunity to congratulate Olivia Butler on getting through to the finals of the British Journal of Midwifery Student Midwife of the Year Award, we wish you luck!

I hope the other cohorts had an enjoyable week too and I look forward to seeing what the rest of the semester brings.

The post A Busy Week appeared first on Delivering Midwives.

Today was the first day of the Spring semester. While the torrential rain on the walk to university made it feel like anything but Spring, there was definitely a great deal of excitement amongst myself and my peers upon arriving at the first lecture of the day.

Coming back after our first placement meant a few things. Firstly, that we would finally get to see each other after a whole eight weeks when prior to this we would see each other every day. Also, it meant getting the opportunity to hear everyone’s wonderful experiences of placement. Lastly, it meant the launch of the next module. The combination resulted in a feeling which could only really be compared to starting back at school after the summer holidays, which as a child always felt like a lifetime.

Seeing everyone again was lovely and having the opportunity to reflect on practice is something I feel everyone benefitted from as each of us had experienced a wide variety of things on our very first placement as student midwives. We concluded at the end of the session that everyone had thoroughly enjoyed their first placement and in all honesty this showed on everyone’s faces. I feel incredibly proud to work alongside so many who share such a strong passion for the profession, a passion which has only grown throughout placement.

After lunch we had a module launch on Normal Midwifery Practice in Contemporary Society, that left me feeling both excited and nervous. The module covers a wide variety of topics and I am really looking forward to looking at both the psychosocial aspects while learning anatomy and physiology to bridge the gap between theory and practice. This module also brings about the exciting task of working as a team to debate. It will be a great opportunity to work on a project as a team but perhaps also push us outside some of our comfort zones when it comes to public speaking.

The next six weeks will certainly be busy but I cannot wait for things to ‘click’ when understanding the theory behind something I’ve seen in practice. I hope everyone has had a restful holiday over the Christmas period as the work begins again and a big welcome to the new cohort 1701, I hope the course is everything you hoped for, it certainly is for me!

The post First Day of the Spring Semester appeared first on Delivering Midwives.

At the very end of my first semester as a student midwife, it is important to reflect. There have been a lot of “firsts”. Our cohort has completed the first module, submitted our first assessment and completed our first placement. A part of that has meant pushing ourselves outside of our comfort zones at times and trying something even when you know you are likely to fail first time. However, this has allowed for a great deal of triumph when things go from a ‘first attempt’ to a ‘successful attempt’. In my first placement a personal triumph was the first time I lead a postnatal visit with only supervision, so much so that I did a little happy dance afterwards! We have all had those moments where we have succeeded as well as the moments when things didn’t go entirely to plan. Looking back, it is important to embrace the times when you fail at something or get it wrong, these are the times when we grow.

In order to grow, we learn. Yet this does not always mean from our lecturers in university, but also our mentors, colleagues, ourselves and the families we care for. My own mentor has taught me that the most important things we will learn will be from the women we care for.  Over the past six weeks the midwives I have worked with have shown me the kind of midwife I would like to be. Also, lecturers have shown how as the future of midwifery we can use research to improve maternity care for women. While at times it can feel as though being the future of midwifery brings a lot of pressure, it also gives us opportunities to learn, ask questions and challenge.

Students aren’t the only things that have grown over the last semester though. We have seen ‘bumps’ grow and in turn families grow too. It is a true privilege to be a part of and something which never ceases to amaze. Personally, I like to think that not only do student midwives and midwives help women and families to grow, they help us to grow too. So I hope that you have all had successes this semester and tried to embrace your downfalls. The journey we are all on is one long learning curve and the support we can give to each other is not to be underestimated.  For now, it is time to relax, reflect and look forward to the next semester.

The post The First Semester – Growing appeared first on Delivering Midwives.