I've thought about midwifery on more than one occasion through the years. As a child the idea of birth fascinated me. As a teenager it developed into a keen interest through watching medical documentaries and studying child development for my GCSEs. I sometimes wonder why I never considered this route when I decided what to study at university. I guess it was because I always had my heart and sights set on becoming a teacher and once that went out the window I was so lost I just latched on to the first passion I had at the time - languages.
But as my degree came to an end I considered it once more... yet the thought of doing another 3 year course kinda repulsed me. So I considered doula work, but on a single income it just wasn't practical. So again I went for any job I could get out of desperation and I hated it! Then I got to the nursery and I loved it and knew I was meant to work not just with babies but their parents as well - it was just so natural for me.
Now I don't want to return to a nursery situation because the pay is poor and it is so rife with illnesses that the babies get and spread around that I quite like not being sick every couple of weeks!! And when I found that job at the maternity ward my heart leapt with excitement. I spoke to my dad about it and he agreed that he thinks it would be the perfect career for me and I wonder once again, if I knew this, why did I take the other paths earlier on? Perhaps it is a case of needing to experience what I don't enjoy to fully appreciate what I do, even when I have bad days? Or maybe the reason is one I will never fully understand...
But the question is now - do I seriously want to consider a change in career (not that I currently have a career to change, mind you!) If nothing comes of this job application I will be gutted and that realisation made me think maybe I should put more thought into the idea of retraining...
I opened the newpaper today to read an article on the shortage of midwives and the pressure they are under and it was almost like a sign - my dad said the very same thing! I believe quite strongly in receiving answers to your prayers like this - in the seeming coincidences! So is this a sign for me? However tough the work of a midwife is in theUK right now, am I passionate enough to disregard that and want to help new and expectant mothers so much that I would cope? I'm beginning to think I might be.
In response to the news article (which you can read here) the following was submitted to The Royal College of Midwives:
"There is no doubt that this Government has invested heavily in the NHS after decades of under-investment. However, maternity services have seen little of this investment, and too often maternity services are the last to get the investment and the first to suffer cuts.
"Our own survey of Heads of Midwifery last month showed that three quarters had seen an increase in the birthrate on their units, and over eighty per-cent did not have the staffing levels they needed to cope. Almost forty per-cent of midwives are set to retire over the next decade and not enough new ones are being trained to make up the shortfall. And all too often we are also seeing newly qualified midwives unable to get a job.
"We have seen too many service cuts, too many midwives lost, and too many mothers and babies getting a service that should shame the fourth richest country in the world. .
"The Government's own ambitions for an extra 3000 midwives by 2012 are being built upon very shaky foundations. Action is needed, and needed now, to put the resources and effort needed into maternity services. If that is not done I can only see women and babies getting a third class service in a country that can afford a first class one, and that is not acceptable."
Do I want to make a difference? You bet I do!! Right now I'm researching various roles within the maternity wards to see what options I have because although I have no doubt that three years of work is well worth being able to help women and babies I don't know if it's quite right for me at this time... what I do know though is that I don't want to ignore my heart's call and my inner sense of purpose any longer!
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