First Day Back "On the Job" in Sarasota

Today was my first official day back in training here in Sarasota. I have *always* remembered how different it was working for Christina than it is working for Linda, but now the differences are very stark to me, since I am now refreshed about the workings of the birth center here at Birthways. I am such a blessed student, to have been able to work under midwives with such contrasting points of view on so many things, it helps me to find the medium that is myself and how I would run my own midwifery business one day.

I am, I have to admit, breathing a big sigh of relief upon returning to Birthways. Part of the relief is seeing that not a whole lot has changed. Some new furniture, new fun gadgets (go massive fax machine copier thing!! and scheduling program on the computer instead of a paper book, and YAY wireless internet!) but other things are still exactly how I remember them. Nice thick charts with good notes written in them, organization everywhere, office help, no clutter, it's just beautiful. I am surrounded by midwifery that is so much closer to how I envision myself practicing (not exactly, but at least much closer!)

Today I spent the day at prenatal visits, a home visit, and in the spare minutes in between Christina has been teaching me suturing, beginning with tying knots. I will spend the rest of the night tonight tying knot after knot and practicing suturing on a square foam. Suturing is something that I have really been intimidated by, I always feel very clutsy when using instruments like needle holders and hemostats, and Christina assured me it just takes practice and getting used to using them. And so I will spend the month practicing suturing over and over on foam, then on meat, and then I will come home to Tennessee and teach Andrea all that I've learned about suturing so that she also can feel confident in her ability to suture as well.

I'm back to taking more of a passanger seat position in the prenatals room, which is a weird switch for me since I am so used to doing prenatal appointments alone, or with Andrea. But I am happily taking blood pressures and feeling babies positions after Christina is satisfied with her on palpating. I doubt I'll do any blood draws while here, but I do not need practice in phlebotomy, what I need practice in is suturing, and of course I am here for births!! And I am getting both of those things while here.

I am already homesick :( That was something that I was not anticipating feeling so soon. It mostly kicks in at night, even last night, when I was trying to go to sleep. I think this is going to be a month full of long nights when there aren't any labors to distract me. At least my guy called me last night, and I am hoping he calls me tonight, because I am lonely. I might not have been missing him as much had I gotten to see him before I left, it's now been like three weeks since we managed to see each other, but he was so busy with crunch time for robot, and then I had to leave. And it doesn't help any that it is the Lenten season and I am spending it away from my kids. But I do have some distractions, and a very gracious hostess.

I can tell you that it is *hot* down here. And humid. Don't let anyone fool you into believing that Alabama/Tennessee is humid. THIS is humid! Now I remember one of the key reasons I moved out of Florida!!

now...***IMPORTANT NEWS****!!! There is a CRISIS in the state of Mississippi, where they are about to pass HB 695 which will OUTLAW CPM's and any other NON NURSE midwife in the state of MISSISSIPPI!! See the Citizens for Midwifery blogspot for more information!

NURSE-MIDWIVES and Certified Professional Midwives tend to be two *completely* different models of care, and limiting women to only the access of CNM's or OBGYN's is a major restriction and in my opinion a violation of the rights of childbearing families to have a competent care provider in the form of a CPM. All this bill does is further limit the ability of Mississippi families to make decisions for themselves about who and how they want to bring their children into the world!! If you live in Mississippi or have family or friends who do, please ask them to speak out to their congressmen against this bill!!

ok, stepping down off of my soap box.