Student Midwife Hannah Gerken – on Surviving Midwifery When It All Goes Wrong, Palliative Care and Being Allowed to Self Care
One part of my life is about keeping up to date with midwifery, speaking with students and midwives, and passionately moderating the Secret Community for Midwives in the Making.
Jesus’ Mum Might Well Have Been A Midwife
I will never forget watching a Christmas Eve documentary about a birth.
A really good book for turbocharging your understanding of midwifery, being calm and centred, and writing a kick ass midwifery personal statement (2017 / 2018)
It’s that time of year again! Aspiring midwives up and down the country (and further afield) are sat in front of their computers frantically typing their personal statements.
What To Do When It Doesn’t Work
Um. Remember that Midwife Diaries forum? We were all excited about it and then it just disappeared?
I’m really, truly sorry about that.
A Student Midwife’s Reflection
Chances are, if you’re a human, at some point you’ve wanted to just block out what’s going on at work.
The Three Most Important Midwifery Lessons Learned From The Kindness Conference
Hello! I've just got back this week from the Kindness Conference in Bradford.
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Midwife Diaries Guide To Social Media
I love social media as I've found midwives that I would never have had a relationship with otherwise. (more…)
![Day Thirty: The End Of These Emails…And The Start Of A Bigger Conversation [30 days of Kindness in Midwifery]](https://i2.wp.com/midwifediaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Coffee-1.jpg?resize=1200%2C550&ssl=1)
Day Thirty: The End Of These Emails…And The Start Of A Bigger Conversation [30 days of Kindness in Midwifery]
Every day I’ve written these emails, or published the thoughts of others, I’ve had to deeply consider the message of promoting kindness in midwifery.
Day Twenty-Nine: Strategies for When You’re Overworked, Overwhelmed or Struggling [30 days of Kindness in Midwifery]
Today (our one but last day of these emails!) I want to share the game changing strategy that I used practising as a midwife and I use in business all the time.
Day Twenty-Eight: A Toolkit For Standing Up For Yourself [30 Days Of Kindness In Midwifery]
Chartered psychologist Aryanne Oade uses a three-part definition to examine whether an incident at work is bullying, or just an unfortunate circumstance.
Day Twenty-Seven: Bullying Case Study [30 days of Kindness in Midwifery]
‘Ellie, are you having a drink?’
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Day Twenty-Six: ‘What Mums and Midwives Have in Common’ [30 days of Kindness in Midwifery]
This week I was talking to a friend who has a manual job in a warehouse. He's in his sixties, would describe himself as 'working class' and he said to me 'I couldn't believe how much I loved my son when he was born. I was so protective. Such a fierce, fiery love. But we're British, can't have any emotions, that's enough of that!'
Day Twenty-Five: ‘Kindness Feeds Courage’ with Sheena Byrom [30 days of Kindness in Midwifery]
The author Glennon Doyle Melton talks about a technique that carpenters use. A joist is a beam that holds together a stronger structure and sometimes it starts to weaken.
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Day Twenty-Four: Tommy’s Charity [30 Days Of Kindness In Midwifery]
Words are powerful and often turn into actions.
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Day Twenty-Three: The Oblivious Bully [30 days of Kindness in Midwifery]
I think it’s the humble nature of this post that so impresses me. Gillian Smith qualified in 1978 (so she has nearly 40 years of midwifery related experience) and yet she writes like she still has a lot to learn.
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Day Twenty-Two: Other People’s Problem [30 days of Kindness in Midwifery]
According to this study, students and midwives of colour are bullied much more frequently in practice.
Day Twenty-One: Midwifery Isn’t Broken [30 days of Kindness in Midwifery]
I’ve heard that many aspiring and student midwives are concerned about the bullying culture. I didn't know anything about such culture before I started training but if I'd have read about it, I think it would have worried me too.
Day Twenty: Bee Happy [30 days of Kindness in Midwifery]
I‘ve talked before about how I think the culture in midwifery will be changed incrementally. It will take 10,000 or more small, courageous conversations and actions to help the good culture rise.
Day Nineteen: Common Enemy Intimacy [30 days of Kindness in Midwifery]
Last month I found myself having a bit of a piss and moan with a group of friends I cycle with.