First week

Well, I made it through the first week without freaking out! I have a great mix of people in my tutes and pracs. I have to smile though, the number of fresh school leavers who when asked why they want to become midwives say that they love babies, is astounding. Then one young student nurse asks me whether childbirth hurts, and if I was scared for my first, I look at her and have a quick silent war within myself. Do I launch ito an impassioned babble about the beauty and power of pregnancy and childbirth, or do I give a quick one liner with a promise to myself to lay the seeds gently over the next 4 months (she is only in one of my pracs). I decided to lay the seeds gently, so I told her it is a very powerful event where the woman needs to be adequately educated and supported by care providers who trust in birth. I told her that I wasn't scared with my first child, that I was trusting of my bodies capability to birth and also of the hospital doctor and midwives ability to take care of me. Then I bit my tongue and swallowed mention of my 4th degree tear and subsequent history. Though I did say I went on to have 2 more children and 1 of them at home :D She nodded politely and gave me the wide eyed look of an 18 year old who is nowhere near the stage of breeding..

Anyway, there are some great tutors and lecturers who are in charge of my learning so I feel really confident that I can (and will) use them to help me if I hit a blank spot. The only unit that has me squirming is the A&P one, so much information to soak in and understand, then be able to sit an exam on it in about 5 weeks. I am confident that my approach to study for this unit will get me through and I'm not a stupid person, so I feel that I'll be able to scrape through with some degree of certainty. The other units are right up my alley, the theory and politics behind nursing. I can't wait to get my teeth stuck into the theory and politics behind midwifery! (Where is that devil emoticon when I need it!)

Anyway, I must go and do some prep for tomorrow, before friends arrive for lunch. Then tonight I can have a skim read over lecture notes and go to sleep thinking of the 'determinants of health' and the cell membrane.