Hey hey hey! Wednesday! I hope your week is going great. My two year old turned on my heat sometime today and it took me until 9pm to figure out why my house was 75 degrees….seriously. Once they find the step stool, there is no height they will not climb or things they will not…
Tag: midwifery
Women Ask Wednesday Recap!
Happy middle of the week. I am seriously hoping to catch some babies this week as I venture back into the labor and delivery arena after a few months out of work. I can hear those little newborn cries already! When I set out to start the blog, I thought a lot (and still think…
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16 Week Template is LIVE!
It’s kind of like Christmas in July…but it’s August. And this template took me the entire summer. But the 16 week template is LIVE! Check it out on TOOLS & HANDOUTS for free download and sharing. Sneak peaks are below… Just a reminder, these areas of emphasis are just themes of the 16 week visit….
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Friday Five (#42)
Hello weekend, I am so glad you’re here! I spent the week in orientation for the new job. Does anyone else always feel a little mentally exhausted learning a new system’s way of doing things? I’m looking forward to some couch time this weekend. Onto the Five. It was a busy week in the news….
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Friday Five (#41)
Hey hey hey! Hope your week was great! Our week was full of more potty training, unpacking and organizing (in between all the mothering!). And so much baby drooling. Bless this little man. So much drool, not a tooth in sight, and smiles all the day long. This Five was really fun to put together….
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Midwife Monday: A New Resource to Aid Diagnosis of Breast Skin Conditions in Asian, Indigenous, Black and Brown folks
Hello Monday! I’m teeing up to start the new job this month and still trying to organize the house. There is stuff everywhere! I get a little organizing done every day but it feels like a snails pace. I’ve got a new resource today for students and practitioners. This one popped up on my radar…
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Friday Five (#40)
Today is the day, today is the day! We haven’t had our stuff from moving for TEN weeks. TEN WEEKS! Yes, other than hotel rooms, I have been sleeping on an air mattress that long. I am confident too that my little babe learned to sleep through the night because I did not hear him…
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What apps can I use to manage anxiety?
Happy hump day! Want to hear a little birth tradition? Have you ever heard of lighting a candle when a mama is in labor? The idea is that you see the light of the candle and send warm, encouraging thoughts or prayers to the mama through her labor and birth. Anyways, one of my friends…
3 Tips for When Breastfeeding Doesn’t Go as Planned
Oh boy. For starters, I don’t even know if I’m the person to write a post like this. Breastfeeding is a journey for every woman and her baby. I think any mama would agree that it’s hard to know where that journey takes you and it’s full of unexpected bumps along the way. Also, I…
Student spotlight: 15 Questions to Ask for a Midwife Job Interview
Hello hello! We’ve got a student spotlight today but this is helpful information for almost anyone. I recently went through the process to interview for a new job. It’s the 6th job I’ve had in 13 years of being a nurse and a nurse midwife. I prepped for the job interview in the same way…
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Friday Five (#39)
FRIDAY! We are in full summer mode with littles. Kiddie pool time twice a day. Bug repellant and sun screen in equal amounts. And…my favorite, some homemade strawberry shortcake. Delish. The Five is full as usual! Let’s jump to it. 1. This article examining lower cesarean section rates in hospitals that have midwifery programs. The…
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Reduce Allergies in Your Child During Pregnancy with Your Diet!
Hello! Our move to the east allowed us a little travel through the beautiful Inside Passage. I miss those mountains terribly. Alas, I’m holding out for the pretty fall of Virginia. Today we’re chatting allergy prevention in babies. Within the prenatal series happening around the blog is a focus on nutrition. Some women don’t realize…
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What Happens At My 16 Week Visit?
With the bulk of the laboratory testing, physical exam and an established due date from your first pregnany visit, your 16 week visit is all about routine obstetric care. Routine care for the rest of the pregnancy centers on prevention, assessment and education. If you missed the post about your first pregnancy visit, you can…
Friday Five (#38)
Hello hello! Wow, what a whirlwind of a summer so far. We did a cross country move from Alaska to Virginia. With three littles, there was never a dull moment. We nearly lost the cat at a Panera. We definitely lost two crib mattresses somewhere in Wyoming. We drove 3,500 miles without a break down…
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5 Handy Provider Handouts!
Friday Friday Friday! Wahoo! Today is my last day in clinic at my current position and it’s bittersweet. I’m excited to move onto the next adventure but sad to leave behind some really awesome patients and co-workers. As I was packing up my office, I found some handouts I had forgotten about and wanted to…
Happy Mother’s Day (2021)!
Hi mamas! This Friday post is for you. Just an early shout out to say Happy Mothers Day. And I mean that to all the mamas. Mamas with five babies. Mamas that have lost babies. Mamas that aren’t mamas yet. Mamas that adopted or fostered. To everyone, in every aspect they are a mother, take…
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Friday Five (#37)
Haaalllo and happy Friday! I hope your week was lovely wherever you are! We have been playing outside every possible minute because the weather has been spectacular in Alaska. The trees are budding and the leaves should be sprouting as early as next week. My tulips should open next week too! I love seeing what…
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Student spotlight: 5 tips to snag a preceptor for clinicals!
Happy Monday! Today is a post for students! I’ve been watching the various avenues and techniques that midwifery students use to find clinical sites over the past 9 years. Some are successful while others are a big flop. I’ve noticed the same errors are made over and over, and while I’m not an expert by…
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Friday Five (#36)
FRIDAY! FRIDAY! FRIDAY! We’re excited around here. The playgrounds have officially melted and they are ready for PLAY! My kids and I played hide and seek for 30 minutes straight this week because we were so happy to just run around. Did you see the IOB Visit tool launch this week? These tools are part…
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It’s Live…the Initial OB Template!
Happy Wednesday to all! The snowpack is almost melted up here in the frontier and it has brought smiles to everyone’s face. Want to see a 4 year old do a happy dance? Pull out their bicycle that’s been in the shed for 6 months – pure joy! Today the initial OB template is live…
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Friday Five (#35)
Yeaaahhh Friday! Alaska had a huge melt this week and it has been WONDEFUL. After being careful about walking on ice for 6 months, you can now run on pavement worry free. Come on summer! This Five is packed. There were so many good things to throw in and I couldn’t cap it – so…
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5 Most Popular “Women Ask Wednesdays”
Well hello! On Wednesdays, we try to focus on some good ol’ education. I call these posts “Women Ask Wednesday” and the topics come from a variety of situations – a journal I read, a friend’s birth, a conversation with a patient – you name it, it can spark a post! But these also tend…
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Midwife Monday: A Book Recommendation – Parenting Scripts: When What You’re Saying Isn’t Working, Try Something New.
Hello all! I hope your weekend was fabulous. I had high hopes we would see some more snow melt but alas, the temperatures remained below freezing and it even snowed. Come on Alaska! What’s even funnier is I can see the tulips budding out of the ground through the snow. I guess they don’t mind…
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What Happens At My First Pregnancy Visit?
The first pregnant visit is a an exciting and nervous appointment. You can’t feel the baby move yet but you may be feeling all the nausea, fatigue and breast tenderness. Your wondering what happens at your visit and if you’ll be able to see the dating ultrasound. That’s all totally normal – let’s break the…
The Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree
Happy Monday! I hope weekends were restful, sleep was had, and an exhale of appreciation for the coming of spring was on your breath. We’re suffering through 4 month old sleep regression here in Alaska. Mainly, screaming for an hour straight from 8-9pm before collapsing from exhaustion. I found the baby carrier helps a lot…
Friday Five (#34)
FRIDAY! It’s been a funny week here in Alaska. We had a few days of melting snow and icicles and sunshine – we could even see the actual ROAD! But then we got 3 more inches of snow. I’m ready for the big melt so the kids can go play outside and ride their bikes….
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Texas, vote YES for Midwifery!
Bonus post this week! We helped Arkansas, we helped Virginia…now it’s time to help TEXAS pass a bill for autonomous CNM practice in the lonestar state! I’m from Texas and love me some lonestar state. My first exposure to midwives was at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, TX – it was my first job out of…
The State of Midwifery (Part 3): Advocate for Midwifery
Hello Monday 🙂 You snuck up like you do every weekend. The last topic in our series (Part 1 and Part 2 are here if you missed them!) on the State of Midwifery is applicable to everyone: ADVOCATE FOR MIDWIFERY. You can act on this simple idea from exactly where you are. VOGUE magazine said…
The State of Midwifery (Part 2): How to Bolster the Force
Hello hello! We’re continuing the State of the Midwifery series today and although this is a long, inspirational post, it’s definitely worth the time to read and share. As we chatted last week, it’s important to know statistics about the midwifery force and the barriers ahead for the profession (see the first post on the…
Friday Five (#33)
Yay Friday! Doesn’t this little guy just make you smile?! What a week though. We had another sick babe this week (the four year old this time) and all the things that come with trying to take a kid to see the pediatrician. Has anyone else had to hold down a toddler while they are…
The State of Midwifery (2021)
Last year I did a small mini series on the state of midwifery in the United States and the obstacles ahead for the profession. It wasn’t meant to start a spirited debate, but to bring to light facts and numbers that speak for themselves. It is only when we all acknowledge the facts that we…
The Preconception Visit
Hello hello! I am so excited to dive into this series. If you guys didn’t know, midwives aren’t perfect. I like to think we’re pretty awesome but we definitely forget to tell you something in your clinic visits! The other way I think about it is this: we have so much to tell you there’s…
Friday Five (#32)
Hello friends! This Friday we’re chatting five things saving my life right now. I went back to work this week and it was filled with all the little bumps in the road one would expect. The two year threw a tantrum next to the minivan outside of daycare drop off. The only reason he stopped…
Friday Five (#31)
1. A reminder for everyone on how to cope with stress. Up in Alaska, we get tons of snow and ice all winter long – but that’s our normal. But the middle and Northeast United States have been slammed this past week with record low temperatures and little infrastructure to manage the amount of snow….
*NEW* series coming about preconception, prenatal and postpartum care!
Hey guys! I’m so excited to share about a project I’ve been working on. One of my frustrations about maternal-child health care is when women are rushed through their visit with their provider. I’ve seen it time and time again and it never fails to make me sad or disappointed. I’ve seen providers be lazy…
How to Prevent Burnout or a Mid-“wife” Crisis in Your Career
“We will not go back to normal, normal never was. Our pre-Corona existence was not normal, other than we normalized greed, inequity, exhaustion, depletion, extraction, disconnection, confusion, rage, hoarding, hate, and lack. We should not long to return, my friends, we are being given the opportunity to stitch a new garment, one that fits all…