Midwifery Education

Barb's blog has a new post entitled Midwifery Education , a spin-off from a conversation that has been happening over at another blog (which I have to admit I haven't had time to read at all).

I have so much to say to this post, including the desire to read the referenced blog to discover where the origins and thought processes are of these two midwives.

Access to midwifery education and the homogenizing of midwives is something I feel very passionate about for many reasons, most rooted in feminism, entitlement and classism. Unfortunately, I'm in the midst of laboring women, getting over a cold, being up all night and getting ready for the Trust Birth Conference. Suffice to say I think it may take me a couple days to organize my feelings, my thoughts and my words.

Spoke at a statewide mini-conference yesterday about Autonomous 2nd and 3rd stage. It was a nice training for the Trust Birth Conference, even though I was suffering from a cold with DayQuil on board. Overall the response was positive and it reinforced issues I want to cover at the conference in California.

I leave for the conference on Thursday afternoon with my dear friend, Linda. I'm thrilled she will be joining me at the conference - and sharing a room with me, a client of mine and a wonderful doula from Seattle.

I'm so excited to be in an environment of people who are truly passionate about changing the world by speaking birth truth. It is a bit like that fantasy slumber party scenario I wrote about years ago...only I'm missing Sara Wickham and Cornelia Enning. Rixa should also be on that list, but I wasn't aware of her gifts at the time I wrote the entry. With some chocolate and a glass of red wine perhaps I can gather them all in my room for a brainstorming session. You can bet I'll be taking ALOT of pictures and blogging along the way!

Was up late last night with friends, celebrating the receipt of a grant which one of our good friends will use to produce an exhibit about an artist friend of ours (does that make sense?). Had a wonderful dinner of Macademia nut-encrusted MahiMahi with mango sauce...came home at 2am and was called to a labor at 4.30am. We came home almost twelve hours later since the labor was easing in and out - and surely our watchful eyes were not helping anything.

Slept for a bit, went to dinner with my girlfriend and then to Target. Now I'm here, knowing that I need some serious down time instead of getting all those swirling thoughts put out on this blog. Once I feel articulate and concise I will be back to share some of my feelings.

There is a mom that was due around Valentine's Day that hasn't birthed, two VBAC moms waiting in the wings (one of which is doing labor work), a first time mom and two other moms planning their second babies, second homebirths, all due within the first two weeks of March. While it's not within my control, I selfishly want these women to either birth before I leave or wait until I return. I realize that either way March is going to be a busy month, followed by a full schedule all the way through August. We knew that I had this time scheduled for the conference when they hired me, I'm always knocked over by the level of attachment I feel towards my clients and how very difficult it is to leave them - even if they are in wise, caring hands.

Off to snuggle with my girlfriend and watch some junk TV.

Happy March!