midwifemuse

For some unknown reason I had imagined that as the years passed I would find myself myself slowing down and having more ‘me’ time. I don’t know where I got that idea from but I was really way off the mark, my life now is full of commitments. When I increased my work hours I knew that my life was going to need to be strictly organised and that I would need to be religious in using a planner to ensure that all my duties slotted into place. What I hadn’t allowed for was Hubby doing his back in... Read Full Story

Recruit 5000 more NHS midwives in England Responsible department: Department of Health More babies were born in England in 2010 than in any year since 1972, whilst births to women aged 30 or older were at their highest since 1946. The NHS is desperately short of midwives, and the shortage affects every region of England. We need urgent action from the Government, including a target to recruit the equivalent of 5000 more full-time midwives. Care for women but especially babies at the very... Read Full Story

My wonderful ex-BIL has solved my computer problems, again. It turns out that IE was not happy with WP but, luckily, Google Chrome is up for the task! These computer thingys are weird, why did IE on my laptop make my blogging impossible whilst on a desktop it was happy to co-operate? Read Full Story

Still not managing to publish anything other than the title so have decided that this may be te way forward, no nonsense, no pictures, just writing. Lets see if this tactic is anymore successful Read Full Story

This is less an entry and more an attempt to put work-life into perspective. It would easier to hide my head in the sand, bury myself deeper and deeper, and I have been trying that tactic, but avoidance is not my natural behaviour and just results in tremendous unease. I could continue to deceive myself and make believe that all is well, after all I have managed to keep my council on the RCOG calling for more women to be cared for in MLU’s; the ‘riots’, some other interested party wanting... Read Full Story

Life has recently become extremely hectic and there is now much more juggling with commitments. Family life has been full, June has 2 birthdays and, in our household, that always heralds family meals so we all mustered the other weekend to celebrate Joshua’s 1st birthday (time has flown), his Mummy’s birthday, Father’s Day, son-in-law passing his electricians course (3 years hard graft after a working day at evening college) and me getting a new job. June also appears to be the month when our... Read Full Story

Over the past few years there has been an escalation in the erosion of the midwifery care provided at home after birth. I have complained, wrung my hands, and generally played the prophet of doom about the impact this could have but, unfortunately, postnatal care is the easiest way for Trusts to cut staffing costs so the resources for this area have been torn away with relief by struggling maternity services. It is the area less likely to produce litigation, and the area where any successful... Read Full Story

Time, well it’s just flying at the moment. There’s a lot going on at work, so may machinations, some seemingly innocuous others are rather worrying and are leaving many of us ‘watching our backs’. I have my resignation letter composed and saved and I cannot count the number of times my finger has hovered over PRINT, Hubby is leaping to attention every time the printer goes into action. Tee hee. It is all just a matter of time though. Jack is now 7 and Amy 6, and both had the same birthday... Read Full Story

Life is full, work, grandchildren and a rapidly growing garden are using up lots of time (and energy). My pond, which I made about 15 years ago, appeared to have sprung a slow leak. Fortuitously a friend had decided to get rid of his huge pond, only a year old and constructed before his son started walking, so had a virtually brand new liner which he gave to me at the end of last year. Re-lining a pond, a much bigger job than I had anticipated. Removing all the edging slabs, catching the 2... Read Full Story

Dear Mr Cameron I know that you, your government, the country need to cut spending. I would know that because my wage packet has already been adversely affected, I accept that and don’t believe that public sector workers should be immune from ‘cuts’. Please note that I have said ‘public sector workers’, not ‘the public sector’. I can’t comment with any degree of authority on the majority of publicly funded institutions but ask me about the maternity services and I can go on for hours, if... Read Full Story