Hi Tanya! I'm Kirsten, and I am a first year Bachelor of Midwifery student too. I am at Monash University in Victoria. I have about 9 follow throughs so far, 3 who have recently had their babies and 1 due any day now, and have so far found it to be an amazing experience. Even though I am explicit with these women in that I am unable and unqualified to give them any advice, just having me there at their doctors visits and ringing them up seems to make them so comfortable - maybe not happy exactly, but something akin to it. They ask my opinion (which it is very difficult not to give, but so far so good!), and want to tell me what is happening to them and their bodies, without me even having to ask much. I think all pregnant women have a kind of feeling that they are the first in the world to have a baby - I know I felt that way! :) It is a unique experience, and you can't help feeling a peculiar pride and sense that something miraculous is going on for you, that surely hasn't REALLY been experienced by anyone else. So to have someone like you or me showing care and excitement for them and their journey just seems to reinforce to the follow through woman that she really is special and important, and makes them want to open up and share things and bring you into their life. That is so inarticulate, but I am quite happy thinking about it, so my thoughts are getting jumbled!! :)
The doctors that I have seen with my follow throughs have been really kind and supportive, and insist on helping me to palpate abdomens and listen to the baby's heart either with their stethoscopes or with the doppler. They explain everything they do really nicely and seem keen to involve me. Maybe I've just been lucky. Midwives in the hospitals have also been very positive and proactive in explaining what they are doing and why. While I can't actually be involved in assisting anyone in the birth beyond being there and bringing ice (!!), the midwives have been keen to show me the placenta or explain how to feel for contractions, bits and pieces like that which are all so important. Our 2nd years who are out in the clinical environment now also report being really well accepted by the teams of midwives they are working with - no negative feedback at all, which I was worried about too. I think we have made a good decision to do this course Tanya. At a time where midwives are in demand, a demand which will hopefully increase if midwifery led care does get the support and promotion it deserves, I think we will be really well placed to make a positive contribution to many families. Especially with the support and unofficial mentoring of groups like this one. Can't listen to them enough :) Sorry that was such a long spiel!! Enjoy, enjoy! Kirsten -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
