Week # 4

Wow, 4 weeks have passed now and I think I can officially say I'm in the swing of being a Uni student!

After a mild panic attack midweek about all the upcoming assessments that are due and the looming mid-semester Exams that are in 3 weeks time, I'm feeling not too bad now.

I had my mini Anatomy quiz on Tuesday, which is counted towards our overall grade. I thought I knew my stuff, but the wording and setting out of the questions rattled me a bit and I was petrified that I had failed it. After the quiz, we had our hands on experiments etc in the lab and then at the end the tutor came in to write the student numbers of the people that had failed. I was certain my name would be up there, but somehow I made it through and passed. I'm sure I only just did, but I'll find out exactly next week. Out of the 22 people in that lab, 11 failed - that's how tough it was! We have another one of those in 2 weeks time, so I'm hoping I can be better prepared and come out feeling a bit more confidant. We also have the mid-year exam for that class in 3 weeks, which I am slightly petrified of. It is just such a large amount of things to learn. It is the hardest subject we will do, and has a really high failure rate. I'm hoping that I can at least scrape through with a pass, I'll be happy with that. Because it is such a consuming course, it's really hard not to concentrate on it so much, and forget that I also have 3 other subjects to worry about.

I've had a really productive week with study and have finally got all my research together for my first essay. I'm planning on getting a rough draft for that done this weekend and then spent the next few weeks fine-tuning it. I'm not too stressed now about the essay, just getting started was the tough bit. I met another older student, who is about my age, and I met up with her study group for an all day session on Friday. Both my lectures for that day were cancelled, but I still spent the whole day at uni and feel that I achieved a lot! In the study group is a girl, that I've been curious about for a while (and I'm sure the rest of the class is to!), trying to work out if she is indeed a male that has decided to join the female side. Turns out she is quite open to talking about it, and yes she is transgender and in the process of getting everything changed to girly bits. Very interesting, if not a little confronting to start with - but then you realise she is just another person and she is just another one of us battling study.

The kids have been a bit unsettled this week. Grace was upset when I dropped her off to pre-school on Wednesday. As we got in the car she said that she was sick of being so "busy" and wanted things to go back to normal, and me home more. The poor little things has had a hard go adjusting to me not being with her all the time, and also having to be up and out the door quite early in the morning. Xav did also ask the other day if I could stay with him all day, not leave him like I have. He also tells me every night as I put him to bed that he missed me today, sweet little boy. I completely understand where they are coming from, and I'm trying my hardest to make this transition as smooth as possible for them both. We have all had it good for so long, with me being able to stay at home and be their main carer - something I appreciate not everyone gets to do.

I really struggled the first few weeks, thinking that I had to carry all the load because I was the one going to study. But Duane really made it clear for me the other day when we had a chat. It would be the same if I went to work full-time, they are both our children and therefore both our responsibility. It's just hard after being the one to mostly run the house and be with the children, to all of a sudden stop and reshuffle the roles around.

Wendy has been an absolute god-send, and I can't tell her enough how much I appreciate what she is doing for us. She is loving it though, and tells me all the time how much she enjoys spending so much time with the kids. She has gone from looking after them rarely, and never taking them out in the car, to having them a few times a week and taking them out and about. Every day she does something fun with them - either the park or cooking. They are loving it too, and the relationship they all have is so special. Trevor, Duane and I are all keeping a watchful eye on her though, making sure that she doesn't wear herself out. It's only going to be a lot for her these first few months, until Xav starts pre-school 2 days a week in July.

Right at the start of semester, one of the first year advisers warned us that around Easter time will be tough. Apparently that is when everyone gets sick and both your family and you start questioning if this is the right thing to do. Seems I am right on schedule. I'm feeling like I'm fighting a cold, so for the last week I've been dosing myself on vitamins in the hope that I can avoid it. Also, this week I really started to have my doubts that I could do this. It was a combo of the workload, and the time that I feel I am missing with the kids. I'm hoping those feeling have peaked, and I'm on the way to feeling confidant that I can do this. I just need to stay on top of things, and not get snowballed under - which is a hard thing to do.

I have been thinking wistfully back to the good old days of being a stay at home Mum, and how much of a luxury that really is. I really hope that I didn't take advantage of how precious that time is.

Week # 3

Well, another busy week where I'm only just now getting a chance to sit down and think about something apart from study.

It's been a super busy week, I'm trying to get a start on my essay that is due in 4 weeks time. I know that sounds like a long way away, but already I've been at school 3 weeks and it has just flown. Also, this essay involves A LOT of research, so lots of time has and will be spent wading through databases looking for good quality research that supports my topic. It's very boring, very tedious and something that you can quite easily brush off to the next day. BUT I have to get a start, so I've given myself till next week to get all the research done and a rough draft written up.

I'm slowly getting into a study routine. Up until now, I've kinda felt a little lost with what I actually have to do. Now I've worked out a routine, found a way to organise notes from lectures and feel like I'm actually organised. I still have to write up a few lecture notes from the first weeks, now that I have my little system happening. I'm hoping that by taking good notes and having them all filed nicely, it'll make it easier come exam time. Crap, even just saying the word makes me instantly anxious. Must work on my relaxation techniques!

The kids are still coping well with the upheaval and changes. They are being a little bit of a pain come bed time, wanting a million books read before they'll agree to sleep. I'm reading 5 cause I enjoy it, and another 5 out of guilt. Mummy guilt has certainly stepped up a notch since I'm not around all the time for them. I didn't get home till 6.30pm last night, and Duane went out to a friends house not long after. The kids hadn't slept during the day at all, so I was hoping for a nice quiet evening of study. Well, they weren't on the same page, preferring lots of Mummy time and kept requesting more books to read. I read about 10, then left them to go to sleep. Both of them kept coming out of their rooms, not wanting to stay there. I was getting frustrated, as I had a full day First Aid course today and needed to get the theory completed. In my frustration, I managed to yell at both of them and make them both cry. Yep, going for Mother of the Year. I very, very rarely yell at the kids, so both of them just turned to a blithering, tired mess and it took ages to settle them back down enough to go to sleep. A very bad way to handle it I know, and not something that I am proud off at all.

So, I had the First Aid course today and that was a mix of interesting and scary. Gosh, so many things can happen. We first watched a real life resuscitation of a man at the beach, and that was quite distressing to see. I never really understood the physical exertion needed to perform CPR, but watching very fit lifesavers struggle to keep it up was an eye opener. We had to practice and then do an assessment on adult and infant mannequins. It is exhausting. Even just doing 3 minutes of compressions on a tiny infant is tough, let alone on an adult. I know that I'll be sore tomorrow, but I now feel confidant that I'd have a fair idea what to do if I had to use it. I really think that the Government should subsidise First Aid courses for everyone, it is so important in preserving life until medical help is available. We also got to do lots of bandage wrapping on each other and I'm inspired to update our first aid kit and I'm also going to make sure that we always have one in the car and when we go camping. It's amazing how a few simple things and the knowledge on how to use them can really save lives.

I'm really looking forward to having tomorrow off. It would have been even better if Duane didn't have to work in the morning, but at least he'll be home early and we can have some family time. I really miss all our time together, but I'm determined to make the time we do spend together, quality time.

Weekly wrap up

I'm finding no time to blog, and even when I do, I am laden with guilt for not spending that time studying up on Freud and his theories or working out the significance of Covalent and Ionic Bonds - Riveting stuff.

But, right now I'm having a break. I'm giving myself an hour off the study and an hour of pure luxurious Internet time - doing the stuff that used to happen BS (before study!) So it'll be sporadic lines of blogging, interspersed with regular facebook checking, blog checking and e-mail checking!

I'll start with last weekend. On Saturday Wendy and I went to the workshop to finish off our felt sewing case. I've cut all my inside out, now just waiting for the time/motivation to sit down and sew it all up. The afternoon was spent lazing round inside, watching movies with the kids. After rushing around all week, trying to get out the door in time, it was nice to just be at home.

Sunday morning I was woken by 2 very excited little children, with beaming smiles and sweet little voices wishing me a Happy Birthday. They then gave me my present, which was a brand new phone! Very good timing too, because my old relic was starting to be unreliable in the ringing stakes - only working sometimes. I was hesitant at first, not entirely sure what to do with the new fancy phone that had a whole keyboard, but after a few days of getting to know each other, I am converted. It is especially handy when faced with a very boring psychosocial lecture, and having the ability to hook into the schools wireless network and browse. I'm also loving the calendar function, now everything I need is only one click away!

The kids had also picked out a present each. Grace chose a rather lovely and very fancy Bic flick pen, with stock standard red and black options. Xav, also chose a very practical gift - post-it notes. Thanks children, they will both come in very handy.

Wendy came up nice and early, and we had a lovely decadent breakfast of wholemeal pancakes with fresh fruit and maple syrup. I was very spoilt from the in laws this year, and they generously gave me a new Brother sewing machine!! It is so lovely, but due to time restraints is still sitting all pretty in it's box. I'll get it out in the next week or 2 and give it a test run, it's just a pity that it doesn't go itself!

Duane was wanting to have a bbq/party for me to celebrate, but I really couldn't be bothered. It had been a busy week, and the thought of having to clean and organise was just too much to think about. I really just wanted to spend the day as a family, which is what we did in the end. Nicole and Trude came over for a quick visit and to give me their lovely gifts. The Truets gave me a lovely blue butterfly top to wear over tights, which I really love and now just need somewhere to go to wear it! The Dews gave me a lucky four leaf clover Pandora charm for my bracelet, which is jangling along with the other charms (mostly from Trude and Nicole!) Trude also did up a dvd of all the footage she had of my kids, which was lovely to watch over.

We also have a great little mothers groups tradition, we all through in $10 and get the birthday girl a voucher to this spa, so I can't wait to use mine and get some pampering!

Duane cooked a very low key dinner, but surprised me with yummy apple crumble cheesecake from the Cheesecake Shop - My absolute favourite! It was a lovely, relaxing and lazy day. I also managed to fit in some sewing, and finished off 4 of the cloth books that I had been asked to make. There was a little bit of study fitted in somewhere too.

Monday was another lazy day at home. I was going to head up to craft, but the weather was terrible and the appeal of staying at home in my Pj's was all too much. We did pop out for a little bit, doing the rounds of the op-shops, hoping to find a lab coat to avoid buying a new one. No such luck, but the kids picked out some books which they were happy with.

Tuesday was to be the day that I was dreading. It was the day that me, who is petrified of rats, had to dissect one. I had been in slight denial that it was going to happen, but as the day came around I really had to acknowledge that I was going to have to do this, and work out some strategies to keep myself upright and not smacking my head on the lab floor. I thought that I'd take deep breathes, focus on the main bit and try my hardest to ignore the big sharp teeth and long slinky tail.

Tuesdays are my busy day, I have all my tutorials and labs crammed on to it. I start at 10am and have only 10 minutes after each class to rush to the next one. I then finish up at 6pm, hungry and exhausted. I had the 2 tutorials before the lab, and quizzed everyone else on how bad it was. Most people said it was fine, but a little smelly. We got into the lab, all looking very official in our stark white lab coats. I'll just note here, that the whiteness of the coat doesn't sit right with me, so I'm going to be dying mine purple. It's just one of the many ways that I'm pledging my allegiance to Midwifery and subtly putting it out there that's where I am headed.

Anyway, back to the rat. After going through all the safety precautions for the laboratory, being shown where the emergency showers/eye wash stations are, gas shut off and being instructed where to put the pins and sharps after the dissection, it was time to start. The tutor got her rat out, put it under the magnifier so we could watch on the big screen. She showed us step by step how it was to be done, stressing that we had to be very gentle so not to pierce the bladder or bowel, and hopefully avoid the real bad smell issues. I listened intently, hoping not to be the one that stunk out the room.

Then it was time for us to get our own rat and start the procedure. We had been put into groups of 2, so I kindly offered for my partner to go up with our dissection tray and get our rat whilst I busily prepared the area. I was prepared for cutting, but not for actually having to pick one up. After thanking the rat for letting us learn on it, I went in for the first nick. The first cut was the hardest. I was probably being too gentle, so it took me a few goes to break through the skin. I'm not going to go into all the details, but after cutting through the skin layer and stretching it out, we then cut into the muscle and virtually had an open flap exposing all the organs.

The smell wasn't very pleasant, and we were advised that breathing through our mouth is the best way. I couldn't do that though, the thought of all those smelly particles in my mouth was enough to make me light headed, so I continued breathing through my nose and just stepping back and taking a rest when it got a bit much.

So once Mr rat was all open, and his organs where all exposed, it got very interesting. It was fascinating identifying all the organs and realising how similar our organ systems actually are. They are obviously so much smaller and harder to locate in the rat though.

All in all, it wasn't too bad an experience and I did learn a lot from it. It certainly helps to remember what quadrants each organ is in and the general whereabouts of each one. I'd had enough after about an hour though and was ready to dispose and move onto the written work.

I'm still waiting for the rats to get their revenge on me though. We've had some larger than mouse poo around the chook house, so Duane has layed some baits out. I nervously venture out into the yard everyday, expecting to find a dead rat right in my path. I can't stand them, dead or alive. I heard a rustle the other day as I was heading out to close up the chook house, so cowardly sent the kids to close it instead.

Wednesday was another early start as I was heading to the hospital to meet with a friend who had asked me to come along to her Ob appointment with her. I dropped Grace at pre-school at 7.45am, poor little poppet was the only child there, but because of this she had undivided attention and got to play with some of the very special toys. I dropped Xav at off Nicole's house, then only just made it to the hospital in time for the appointment.

My friend is pregnant with her 2nd child and is planning to vbac, and has asked me to be her support person which I am super excited about! Her first C/s was under a general anaesthetic and she was deeply traumatised by it, so she is doing everything she can to make this birth experience more empowering and positive. I'll write another entry later about all this.

Thursday and Friday have kinda blurred into each other, both days I was at uni from about 9am till 6pm - listening to some intensely interesting and some brain-numbingly boring. It's very hard to keep your mind focused on listening and not off wandering, thinking about everything else but what you are supposed to be listening too.

I've been so tired of a night. The last 3 nights, I've had good intentions of staying up and studying, but crashing on the couch before 9pm. The night time is my only real study time, so I'm hoping that the fatigue doesn't stick around for too much longer and I can actually get some things done!

The kids are coping fantastically with being shunted around the place. They seem to be enjoying all the extra time with Grandma and getting to visit her house a lot more. Duane is being fantastic and making sure that washing, cleaning and groceries are getting done if I haven't had time. He's been exhausted too, but I'm hoping that they better rhythm we get into, the easier it will be on everyone.

Xav is being a bit challenging lately. He has always been quite specific with how he likes things, but it seems to be getting worse lately. He only likes to use plates etc if he is wearing that colour and is very particular about where the milk or honey goes on his weetbix of a morning. If these things aren't done how he requests, the tantrum is horrible. I try to accommodate his likes/dislikes but sometimes his requests are just so unreasonable, he has to suck it up. He's not even that bad, it's just these things seem to happen of a morning as I am hurriedly trying to get everyone ready and out the door. Look, I think that I may of just given myself the answer. Maybe the problem is I am rushing him, and not properly listening to what he wants? He's probably a bit out of sorts from not seeing me as much, and these little bits of routine are what he is grasping at. I don't know, but I think I'll make more of an effort to make the morning more leisurely and enjoyable.

Xav always used to ask for Daddy to take him to bed, but over the last few weeks he's been wanting me. I love it though, it's our special time together, just reading the stack of books that he's picked out and cuddling. I really enjoy our wind down time together, and hope that every night I'm home for it.

Grace is fine. She is a very adaptable little girl who is just so excited that her and Mummy both go to school "Just the girls go to school Mum, not the boys!" She has been nagging since the day I started to come visit me at school. So this Friday Duane bought the kids to come pick me up, and I showed them around. I think Grace was expecting to see the plastic dummies like we did on the orientation, and was quite disappointed when she was just given a tour of the library!
She had her 4 year old needles on Wednesday and was surprisingly fine with it. I coudn't go, so poor Duane had to take both kids along by himself. I was a bit worried how Grace would go, considering her little needle ordeal in hospital, but she seems to have not remembered anything from her stay. For being such a brave little girl, the nurse gave her a voucher for Hungry Jacks. I couldn't believe it when Duane told me, so much for all the health promotion they are banging on about at Uni. I just find that so bizarre that in a Dr's surgery, they give a 4 y/o a meal voucher for fast food. It is totally unnecessary, and she would have been just as stoked with a sticker or colouring in book.

Xav had his heart checked again, and the murmur is still there so the Dr wants us to take him for an echocardiogram, just to double check that it is ok.

I'm finding the subjects at Uni quite interesting, and already have a fair idea of what ones I'll need to spend my time on. Anatomy is definitely going to be occupying most of my study time, it is just such a large and complex subject. We had chemistry this week, and being that is something that I've never learnt, it was very difficult to follow. I've been going over and over it, and slowly it seems to be sticking, just hope it's the right bits. The psychosocial subject is mildly interesting, but I'm confused my all the theorists and their takes on how we all develop. It is so open to interpretation, and I'm just finding it hard to wrap my head around all the different theories.

Our first essay isn't due until the end of April, but it has been advised that we spend about 50 hours on it!!! I'm going to get started in it next week and at least have a rough draft done by the end of March. I've booked a camping trip for 4 nights in the week after Easter, which also is the week before 2 of my mid-semester exams, so no doubt there will be lots of lazing on the banks of the lake revising chemistry and development theories.

This weekend has pretty much been the same as last, just at home spending time together and getting things done around the house. The kids and I spent Saturday making some hand-felted Easter eggs, which we are going to pass onto the Easter Bunny to fill with special treats. Xav got bored after half hour, preferring to grab some matchbox cars and play with them. Grace loved it though, really enjoying the rubbing and massaging of the fleece as we worked hard to get it to felt. The eggs turned out beatuiful, and as soon as I get some more fleece, we will make some more.

Sunday we spent in the yard, taking a few loads to the tip and a trailer load to the op-shop. I gave the house a big clean, as it was starting to get quite messy after a week of just quick tidy ups. It has been raining on and off all day, which is playing havoc with my washing schedule!

I'm really looking forward to no cleaning tomorrow, and just spending some quality time with the kids. We are planning on some craft and baking, with a special request for muffins and biscuits.

What have I learnt so far?

Well, it's 5 days into my 3 plus years of uni and WOW what an eye-opening adventurer.
The work load is MASSIVE, and I'm really not sure there are going to be enough hours in the day to fit it all in. I'll try, very hard, but I'm going to have to let a few things slip. First to go is the housework, my house is already starting to resemble a disaster zone and it's only been 5 days. Lucky I have a wonderful husband who is doing his utmost best to do as much as he can when he gets home from work.

Anyway, what have I learnt so far?

1. That parking sucks, especially in the rain and when there is work around the campus. My first day I left home an hour before I had to be there and only just made it with minutes to spare. The traffic is shocking, I had to park a 20 minute walk away and it was pouring with rain. I sloshed my way from the car to the campus, mud flicking up my back from my very un-wise choice of footwear - thongs.


2. Carrying my books to and from the car (remembering it's a 20 minute walk each way) is about the same weight as carrying a 20kg toddler, except you can't put the books down and bribe them to walk the rest of the way. I'm considering taking the pram from now on, but not sure if that will make me too obvious to the "head flushing" gang? I carried back yesterday 3 books, trying to balance them on my hip whilst keeping the umbrella in the right position to hold back the torrential rain and not wet the books I'd just loaned from the library. I hobbled back the the car, dying to put something down for a break, but couldn't as the ground was a muddy, sloppy mess. I finally got back to the car then had to struggle into my bag to get the keys, finally getting them and unlocking the car, only to drop the library books in a heap onto the ground. Great.


3. The school leavers are in a total world of there own. I've can't help but roll my eyes as I overhear them talking about having to be "up so early", like 10am - to get to a 11am lecture. Hard to feel any sympathy for them, especially since a) I'd been up with the kids since 5 am and b) in the next breathe they are talking about having a big night in Surfers. Also listening to them giggle and chat ALL THROUGH the lectures is very annoying, but the lecturers don't take any crap and have already started putting them in their place. It's funny in the lecture theatres, the ages of the students gets progressively older the further away from the front. All the mature ager's are nice and keen up the front (or, just need to be close for eyes/ears!) and the younger ones are up the back socialising.


4. That Anatomy and Physiology are the subjects to be feared, all the 2nd and 3rd year students are still petrified by the classes, even though they never get examined on it again. It's just such a large course, with so much to learn. It's basically trying to learn another language in 4 months!
   
5. That my camera/sewing machine/embroidery machine are pretty much just going to be lovely ornaments over the semester. I'm barely going to have time to brush my hair, let alone spending luxury time getting the perfect picture or whipping up something on the machines. I have got a few little craft jobs on the go though, they should satisfy my need for creativity.
   
6. I obviously excrete some pheromone that attracts Canadian exchange students. Nicole and I met Heather from British Colombia, Canada in year 11 and then spent the next few years saving frantically to go visit. Which we did, twice. Anyway, I was waiting in line to get my student Id and got talking to the girl behind me. Canadian and over here to do the 3 years Bach of Nursing. We ran into each other a few other times, and get along really well so have decided to buddy up as study partners. She isn't in any of my tutorials, just the lectures, but it's really nice to have someone to talk to and get ideas from. She's younger than me, I'm guessing about 22, but a lovely girl who really wants to do well! Yay for a familiar face in a sea of 300!!
   
7. That is is very interesting, and I am actually excited about using my brain for something mentally challenging.
   

Weekend wrap

It's been a wet and drizzly weekend, the weather has been nice and cool - perfect for some crafts and snuggly family time before my busy upcoming week.

Saturday Wendy and I went up to Silkwood to do a craft workshop. We weren't going to, but after seeing the finished demo piece at our weekly Monday craft - I was inspired! I've wanted to learn how to wet-felt for a while now, so this opportunity was too good to pass.

The workshop is to make a fully handmade sewing case, big enough to hold all of our sewing tools. I rummaged through my sewing bags, and dragged out everything that I like handy when I'm getting crafty. I've worked out that I can fit way more than I thought in, so it's going to be exciting having a customised place for everything. I'm cramming in my dressmaking scissors, embroidery scissors, paper scissors, felting needle and spares, little note-pad, pencil roll, eraser, quick unpick, needle book, chopsticks (for stuffing things) and a few random pockets for extras. It's HUGE, but so awesome.

First up we cut out all the patterns of things we wanted to fit in, and working out what size felt we would have to make. Next was on to the felting. WOW, this is so much fun, but so much work. I've really developed an appreciation for pieces I have seen at craft markets now, realising just how much effort goes into each piece. You start with a blank piece of white batting, and then delicately layer it up with wispy bits of coloured fleece. I didn't realise the work involved, so of course jumped right in the deep end and envisaging mine to end up as a garden scene. Most of the others where smart, sticking to simple colours and random patterns. You keep layering up the fleece, which by now is getting quite high and I was starting to wonder how the heck it was going to squash down and look like felt. After the 2 layers of fleece, it was time to work on the detail. I made mine into a meadow scene, with a tree in the centre and a rainbow off to the side. I was a little rushed in the end, and would of preferred to put more detail into the flowers etc, but had to get on to the next step. Wetting down the fleece and rolling it all out. I really thought this step wouldn't take too long. WRONG. We were there for the next 3 hours, pain stakingly rolling and rubbing, trying desperately to get the fleece to felt onto itself. After, what felt like forever, it finally started to come together. To finish off the process we were told to throw it in the washing machine when we got home. Now, that was stressful. Lucky I had Wendy's piece as a practice piece and after that coming out fine, put mine in. It was exhausting and hard work, but I'm so pleased with how it's worked out.

I've heard that making felt involves breaking down mental and physical barriers, which I believe now. This might sound bizarre, but the process seems to take on a life of it's own. As each piece opens up, it evolves, develops and transforms. What I started with, was completely different to the end piece. Apparently that's the journey of felt. Amazing.

The workshop is on again next Saturday, where we will start sewing on the pockets for all the tools.

Saturday night I headed by myself to a screening of a birth movie at the Uni. It was a documentary on a woman that was wanting to deliver her baby vaginally, even though he was presenting breech. It showed her journey with trying to find her peace with the decision to vaginally birth, rather than opting for a c/s & her fight for this to happen. It was interesting to watch and then to see the birth of a baby coming feet first was awesome. Although the movie was great, it was the panel and all the other women speakers that inspired me the most. All the local and Brisbane women that are active in the birthing community were there. Fabulous midwives, those working politically for birth choices and many, many women that are passionate about preserving birth. It was inspiring and wonderful to be in a room full of so many like minded women (and a few men!) who all trust birth and have so much faith in our bodies to do what we were made to do. The wonderful Sarah J Buckley, was supposed to attend, but had to cancel. Instead she pre-recorded a talk for us all, telling us all about her breech birth and explaining why Breech vaginal birth is mostly un-heard of any more. She herself had an undiagnosed breech birth, at home!

Apart from breech birth talk, there was also a discussion on the ramifications of traumatic births, and the devastating effects that a dis-empowering birth can have. How the ripples of that flow further out and through society than we could ever imagine. And to realise that an empowering birth doesn't necessarily mean a text-book perfect vaginal birth, that also has the ability to be dis-empowering if there is a power in balance. It's mostly about giving women clear information and then supporting them in making an informed decision, and of course the long standing need for good midwife-led continuity care programs -not just for those deemed "low risk", but those that really require the extra care ie, vbacs.

There were a bunch of very passionate and motivated woman who are doing their absolute best to keep making people are that birth matters and there needs to be change in the system, and I'm hopeful that these changes can happen, soon.