So why midwifery?

When I told people I was going to be a midwife I got a mix of reactions..."oh I'd love to do that" or "rather you than me" but many people wanted to know why.

I've always loved learning about pregnancy and birth. I found that I remembered things I'd been told, read or watched without any effort at all and whether I needed to know or not. I'd watch every program I could about pregnancy and birth, and would daydream about what kind of midwife I would be.

With my first child, I was induced in hospital. I won't say it was a bad experience because it wasn't but it wasn't how I'd have chosen things to happen. Then when I had my second child, I had the most amazing home water birth. I had the two most incredible midwives, that had supported me through my pregnancy and I was lucky enough that they were the two present at the birth as well. They had taught me everything I knew about the optimum position to be in for birth, positions to labour in and what I could use for pain relief. In short they gave me all the information I needed so I could write my birth plan. They also made sure I had all the information I needed to make decisions if things didn't go to plan; which fortunately I didn't need. With my first child, I was a mere participant in the birth; with my second child, I gave birth and they supported me. It was then that I truly knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life, with more clarity than ever before.

I want to give women the chance to feel involved in the birth of their children. I want them to feel that they made decisions, even when it perhaps doesn't go ideally to plan. I want them to feel a part of the whole process. I want them to feel proud and empowered like I did after I gave birth the second time. Two and a half years on and I still feel a glow about my second child's birth.

So it's got nothing to do with babies really....it's all about the women