Week Three and a lot to tell

I finished week two with a couple of really quiet shifts and my last shift with my mentor before she went on her holidays. I glanced through my upcoming shifts and saw that I still wasn't getting any regularity with who I was working with so come the Monday I was starting to fret about getting my book signed off. Over the course of the day, I felt a bit more and more like a spare part and it didn't help that my colleague had both her mentors sit down with her, to go through her book. A chance comment from one of the night shift coming in and before I knew it I was crying. Thankfully I got it under control but it was just pure frustration. I just wanted to learn, and I wanted the learning I had done to be recorded and guidance for what I needed to do next. Thankfully as a result I was sorted out to be working the next two days with the same person, and also given guidance from a third year student about how to get my book signed off even when working with someone different every time.

So although the Monday was very emotional for me, the rest of the week was far more positive. I had no labourers or births on the Tuesday but my "new" mentor worked with me and sat with me to go through my book. I felt so much more positive than the day before. Wednesday was a continuation of this and I felt so much more confident about my own abilities again. I felt more proactive in my learning, and that I was being listened to.

Saturday could not have been more different from the previous Saturday where we had sat and cleaned the desk area as we'd been so quiet. Overnight there had been four deliveries and the bays were all full. I jumped at the opportunity to support a couple in labour and it was a fantastic experience. The mum had wanted an epidural but as delivery suite were so busy, it wasn't an option. Upon assessment we felt that she would probably cope anyway. So we stayed with her and kept her positivity up. She was fantastic in that she listened to all the advice given to her and responded well. She had fantastic support from her husband and her Mum too. She had a lovely birth on a birthing stool and simply couldn't believe she'd done it without an epidural. After the delivery of the placenta, we made sure she was comfortable and I got her some tea and toast and after she'd had that I helped her to get baby latched on for a breastfeed. At then I left them to enjoy some time together as a family.

Out on the ward there was much to do as they'd continued to be busy; many beds to be made up, notes to be put through the computer and ladies to be discharged, so my feet hardly touched the ground. Before too long we had another labouring lady come in so I was combining supporting her with the other jobs that needed to be done. Luckily she was in quite early labour and coping well so we could leave her to quietly progress, popping back in every 15 minutes to check on her. In between all of this, I popped to see the couple I had supported in the morning and they were still flying high on emotions. Mum was absolutely thrilled with herself and I joked that we'd see her back in a years time. I took the opportunity to ask them to fill in one of my feedback sheets, and once they'd done that it was my turn to beam with happiness. I won't put it all but one thing they wrote was "we thought she was already a qualified midwife, she was so calm and supportive".

At the end of my shift I was still glowing with the compliments. Our second labouring lady was progressing well but it was likely to be sometime yet before she'd deliver so we handed her care over to the night shift. I was exhausted but happy; it had been a fantastic day. So with that I had my five witnesses, which in turn means I am ready to catch; well in theory......

Three more shifts to see if I get the opportunity now; watch this space........