My Photo
Name:
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC, United States

I am a Certified Nurse Midwife. I am creating this blog as a way to journal my births - for my own personal and professional growth and to share the beauty of normal birth. My faith walk is very much tied up with midwifery. Midwifery has taught me just about everything I've learned about God. Update-now that it's been nearly 2 years since God allowed me to practice as a midwife, I have found that He reveals Himself in MANY ways if we seek Him. And he has been teaching me to seek Him, regardless of what work he calls me to. New update, I've been working as a "real" nurse midwife for a year and this blog has "morphed" into sharing my journey through life, whether it be from home, work, family. LIFE teaches us, not just our life work.

Monday, November 20, 2006

Midwife Musings

Counting My Blessings

1. My precious family - a good man who loves me, 2 beautiful daughters, 1 kind and tender son in law, the funnest, cutest, smartest grandson ever. Not to mention both parents still living and loving each other after 50 years. A mother in law who has totally loved me as her own daughter for the last 26 years. Her health and vitality to be an active GGMa to Ashton and a loving, involved Gram to my daughters. Her husband who gives generously of his time to help us with our household projects. A brother who has recently "come to Jesus" is a life changing way, a sister who has tried to re-connect with me in this past year. All of my "kids" are saved and I know I'll get to spend eternity with them.

2. Heartland Midwifery, LLC
He gave me a fun, fulfilling job for the last 17 months that has been my best job ever - owning my own homebirth practice. I've loved being able to spend time with my "moms" and get to know them as women and mothers. I've loved being invited to share in a most sacred event as the births of their children - some of them I'm on #4 with! I've loved knowing that they will always share a special place in my heart and vice versa. And I've loved working out of my home "office" (aka Ashton's bedroom) with my bullitin board full of babies I have helped be born. I've loved having the time to commit 2 days/week to care for and nurture Ashton.

3. The opportunity to go on a medical outreach to Maritania, Africa in January.

I've always wanted to do this and I just know that God has big plans for this trip. He called me to do it and he has provided the financial resources to go. I know that it is going to change me in ways I need changed. And while I know it won't be "comfortable" I look forward to the growth.

4. I get to go out of town to be with all of my family over Christmas. No babies due this year!

5. Last but not least, I am thankful because I know God loves me and is working in my life. He has closed the door on my homebirth practice for now. While that is very sad in some ways, it is a relief as it has been exhausting fighting "the system". It have had to fight for my right to be a homebirth midwife, fight to get paid, and fight those who would like to see my practice shut down. I'm tired of the fight and won't miss that at all. I will miss homebirth dearly and will gladly answer the call to return to it, probably as a non nurse midwife, if I am called back. But for now, I am taking the closed door as an opportunity to do something else. I just don't know what yet. I know God knows, but he probably isn't telling till I return from Mauritania and "need" a job. I am glad he is in control!

Happy Thanksgiving.

3 Comments:

Blogger LaborPayne said...

what happened?????

6:11 AM  
Blogger kirsten said...

CNMs are required by Kansas law to have written practice guidelines signed by a collaborating physician. My collaborating MD has a new malpractice carrier who stipulates that their insureds have no formal practice agreements with midwives. So, there you have it. ACOG has a new position statement on out of hospital birth, the insurance industry quickly responds and "viola!" homebirth midwives (CNMs) are essentially out of business! So, it's back to the dark ages of homebirth transports showing up at the ER with no collaborating physician, and taking whatever they get. And the docs on call take whatever walks through the door rather than a midwife they know and trust and a client whose care they have been a part of. Talk about restraint of trade! See why I won't miss the fights?

12:52 PM  
Blogger LaborPayne said...

I knew it. I just knew it was something to do with your collaborating physician. I'm sick about this. this makes me so angry. why is it that one practitioner can have so much power of the practice of another? this is just not right.

7:02 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home