The Basics
I’ve created this journal to chronicle my adventures as a student midwife and a newly graduated midwife. Along the way, I’m also going to try to provide as much news, information, resources and links as possible, as well as a hearty dose of my thoughts and opinions on midwifery, pregnancy and birth in this country. It’s important to me to think and write articulately about these issues, and this journal is my way of getting into the habit of doing so.
I’m doing this mostly for myself, but also for other student midwives, full-fledged midwives, doulas, birth educators, labor and delivery nurses, obstetricians, pregnant women everywhere, expectant fathers, new moms and dads, old moms and dads, feminists, advocates, activists and anyone, anywhere, who is interested in how we give birth, where we give birth and the way in which we give birth in this country.
To protect the identity and confidentiality of my patients, co-workers, employers, colleagues, fellow students and professors, I am posting annonymously, and all names have been changed, with the exception of the researchers, authors and journalists I cite.
A few details…
The main topics of this journal are listed alphabetically in the sidebar on the right-hand side of the main page. Several topics also have subtopics which fall under them, for example, the subtopics of Academia, Birth Education and Clinicals fall under the topic of Education. By clicking on a topic, you can view all the subtopics listed under it, all of my journal entries posted under that topic and subtopic, and related resources and links for that topic. Each subtopic page has a list of all the main topics in its sidebar, so you can move from one topic to another without having to go back to the main page.
The Good Enough To Share section of this site, on the main page, is for birth poetry, art and stories which are so inspiring, unique or beautiful that they absolutely have to be shared. I welcome all submissions! If you’ve recently seen or experienced a glorious birth (and it doesn’t have to be limited to natural childbirth, or even vaginal childbirth), or created some wicked birth art, or wrote an exceptional poem or story about birth, please share it! I can post your submissions under your own name, if you like, or post them annonymously; it’s up to you.
The Questions topic is designed for your questions. I have a lot of friends who are pregnant, or were pregnant, or are trying to get pregnant, and I love it when they ask me questions I don’t know the answer to. If I can’t answer your question right away, I’ll do some research for you until I can. Your questions will challenge me, stretch me, and help me become a more knowledgeable midwife in the end (and teach both of us a whole lot in the meantime).
The quick Disclaimer: I’m a relatively new midwife, and I still have a lot to learn. This website is meant to chronicle my own views and thoughts on pregnancy and childbirth, and to be a source of information and an exchange of ideas about pregnancy and childbirth, but no amount of internet information or links or discussion can make up for proper, qualified care by a midwife or doctor. Similarly, none of the opinions or information I have set forth here are to be viewed as difinitive endoresements, directives or commands. It is the responsiblity of each and every person to make their own informed decisions and find the care necessary to ensure the health and well-being of themselves, their pregnancy and their child.
This website is a labor of love and an ongoing passion. It was started in April, 2005, and is (and probably always will be) a work in progress, so please be patient. If you find any links which no longer work or any pages which are broken or missing, please contact me and I will do what I can to repair it. Similarly, if you find any information on here which is incorrect, out of date or uninformed, again, please contact me asap so that I can fix it. I am always learning; there will be many mistakes along the way, but I am always more than happy to correct them.
I have been very upfront about my views, beliefs and values, and if you disagree with them, you are more than welcome to challenge them in a direct, engaging, and respectful manner. However, I will NOT tolerate put-downs, derrogatory, hurtful language, hatemail, spam, or flaming attacks, and any such comments will be deleted, with a warning, followed by a ban if it continues. Pregnancy, labor, birth, and reproductive rights touches on a lot of nerves, and everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I also believe it’s the duty of every thinking person to listen to the other side with respect, and to argue their own side in an informed, rational and reasonable manner. Let’s keep it clean, ladies and germs.
THANK YOU and ENJOY!!!
