I woke up 10 minutes before I should have been going out the door this morning, so it was a mad panic to get ready and leave on time, as the next bus gets me to the hospital late. No time for a cuppa or any breakfast, so I wasn't best pleased.

The weather was awful, soooo cold, very windy, wet and miserable. I got soaked walking from the bus stop to the ward, so by this time I wasn't in the best of moods

My shift starts at 07.30am, but my mentor doesn't start until 08:30am, so I am usually at a lose end for an hour which really annoys me. Anyway this morning a different midwife was the 'lead' and she asked an assistant practitioner (ap) if I could work with her until my mentor arrived, she was only too happy to let me.

The ap looks after the ladies who come in for elective sections, and she was waiting for a lady to arrrive for a section this morning. She went through everything she does, all the paperwork etc, and she had to arrange for an interpreter as the lady didn't speak much English.

Just before the lady arrived at the ward, the ap asked if I would like to go to the delvery suite with her to watch the section, well, I didn't need asking twice lol.

Anyway, when my mentor arrived she asked the ap if she would mind me going with her to theatre, I was like 'yeessss' rofl, (my mentor had been up all night with her little boy who is quite poorly, so wasn't up to looking after me, which is fair enough)

When the ap had finished the paperwork, and everything was sorted she asked my mentor to check the baby's heartbeat, while doing this it was obvious that there were some marked decelerations, so she alerted the consultant while we made our way up.

On the way there the lady started to cry bless her, she was very nervous and anxious, and so we did our best to reassure her.

It was chaos in the theatre, so many people in there, I couldn't believe it, but the lady had an epidural sited, and the operation went ahead, she was delivered of a beautiful baby boy 30 mins or so into the operation, he was fine and started crying before the cord was even cut, which was a huge relief.

I watched while the ap checked the baby over and he was fine, no problems at all, and I watched while Mum's wound was stiched, then we took her to a side room to recover, as they wanted to keep her under observation for a little while. Baby had skin to skin with Mum , he latched on and fed perfectly with no help at all.

I felt so privilaged to have been able to witness this, and the fact it was so unexpected made it even better.

It may not have been a 'normal' birth, but it was just perfect for me, and totally amazing, I was transfixed during the whole experience.

My awful day ended brilliantly, and I will never forget such a brilliant exeperience.

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

Please help us raise funds for a bereavement room in Honey's memory by taking part in the SMNET Auction & Raffle here thanks x

glad ur day turned into a good 1 I hate goin into theater, I feel like I'm in the way n scared still I'll touch something I shouldn't by accident-so far I haven't tho,thank god! xx

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What a day!! From one extreme to the other. The weather was really bad t his morning though!! Glad you got to participate and helped reassure the lady.


LOL

Coffeebean

Thanks Tiffany,

I never even thought about that, I was too engrossed in what was going on

Pauline xx

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

Please help us raise funds for a bereavement room in Honey's memory by taking part in the SMNET Auction & Raffle here thanks x

It sure was cb lol,

I am not sure how much of what we said actually helped the lady as she spoke very little English, but I think sometimes just a smile, and a comforting hug say far more than words ever can in that situation.

Pauline

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

Please help us raise funds for a bereavement room in Honey's memory by taking part in the SMNET Auction & Raffle here thanks x

WOW Missy what a great mini reflection! Sounds like you had a great shift! I was mesmerised at my first section too, I was like a spinge trying to saok it all up but thre was so much going on at once! Just you wait til you take your first baby, scary but great! xx

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J
StudentMidwife.NET Founder & Director

"You're braver than you believe. Stronger than you seem. And smarter than you think."
Christopher Robin in Pooh's Grand Adventure

Please help us raise funds for a bereavement room in Honey's memory by taking part in the SMNET Auction & Raffle here thanks x

I had a great shift, and hopefully it will be followed by many more in the not too distant future

I can't wait until I am on delivery suite, and can work towards catching my frst baby, I am sure that next to this experience it must be the best feeling ever.

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

Please help us raise funds for a bereavement room in Honey's memory by taking part in the SMNET Auction & Raffle here thanks x