I’m new to this whole blogging thing, but over the past few months and years I’ve had quite a few people ask me how I am a mom, wife, full time midwife, and “runner”. I just call it life and try the best I can to make it all work. So I’m starting this first post out with the whole midwife thing, yes I know the beginning says “Run” but lately my life has been consumed by work and questions from nurses I know contemplating becoming a midwife.
This question has been posed to me quite a bit over the past year “How does being a midwife compare to being a nurse, was it worth it and did you like the program you graduated from?”
First off, nursing and midwifery are so similar yet so different at the same time. As a bedside labor and delivery nurse you take care of a patient for eight to twelve hours then they are out of your life forever, where the patients you take care of as a midwife you see throughout their lifetime, from the time of their first gyne appointment, through having children and into menopause and beyond. These relationships you build are awesome and you get to help women and couples build their family. I really don’t see a greater gift than handing a mom her baby for the first time. A labor and delivery nurse manages labor as does a midwife, helps with breastfeeding as does a midwife, gives labor support as does a midwife, does endless charting as does a midwife, but doesn’t get to “catch” that baby or really build a lasting relationship. I went into this profession to take care of women, not just for 8-12 hours, but for a lifetime since as a labor and delivery nurse I always wondered how everything turned out. I always thought that I would just like the OB aspect of midwifery, but have really come to enjoy the gyne aspect as well which I learn something new everyday.
So was it worth it? That’s the million dollar question. The answer is yes. Have I spent a lot of money, yes. Do I have to give up time with my family, yes. Can the schedule sometimes be brutal, yes. But I get to do so many awesome things and love what I do. Is it stressful being the decision maker, sure, but most of the time it works out just fine. I kinda always knew I was going to end up a midwife since my first nursing OB class, so I think you just know that is something you want. I really couldn’t do any of this without my awesome hubby, who totally picks up the slack with the kids and that I am eternally grateful for, that he supports me not just in my career but in my craziness for running as well. (that will be a whole other post)
When I was deciding to go back to school and contemplating programs, really only one came to mind. I live in the Chicagoland area, didn’t want to move and never really thought about telecommuting. So I applied to the only program in the area and got in. The benefits of the program were that it was close to home, I didn’t have to find my own clinical placements, I knew successful midwives that came through the program, and I had family support. I did the 3 year program, with the first year being on-line doing the pre-recs for the rest of the program, then having the management classes in person. It was great not having to find my own clinical placement, but I felt like I got only one experience and didn’t feel like I had a connection to any of the patients I delivered. I do however feel like I was well prepared for boards and beginning practice as a new midwife. I think you always find faults in a program because nothing is perfect, but I would not have chosen another path. I commend the NP students that have to hustle to find clinical placement, I don’t think I could have handle that stress.
This blogging thing can be quite cathartic and addicting. I can’t wait to share more about my other loves, my boys, and of course running.
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