Catching Babies

Well, here I am in the thick of it!  I am delivering babies!  I can barely believe it....  But, I have had the wonderful honor of catching 5 babies in the last 2 weeks.  How does it feel?  It makes me scared to death... to tell you the truth.  First off, I have my preceptor there and if there is anything high-risk going on the Dr. is there too, staring at me... watching my every move... Don't get me wrong.. I wouldn't want in any other way right now.. but it is a bit nerve wracking!  They give me good feedback and I've learned the proper hand positions.. how to support the perineum... only one first degree laceration and another superficial labial laceration to repair so far!  The suturing is a skill I'm still mastering... At my last delivery I felt relatively calm but my hands were shaking - Badly.  I was trying to steady them so I can suture the superficial lac with the curved needle.. but let me tell you it was not easy.... Between the mother's post delivery shakes and my new midwife shakes.. we were a sight to behold.. :)  I feel like I am truly where I belong when I am working in labor and delivery.  I like the office visits, too.... but the delivery rooms are my true comfort zone. 

It's been so long since I've posted... I don't think I've wrote about my antepartum/gynecology clinicals.. they were all office visits... anything from a teenager wanting birth control/STI testing to a post menopausal woman with bleeding or menopause symptoms along with normal ob prenatal visits mixed in (my favorite).  It took quite a few times of doing speculum exams to be able to even find the cervix with the darn things!  I felt like asking if I couldn't just do the pap smear by locating the cervix with my fingers.. I knew I could do that! :)  You wouldn't think it would be that hard.. The cervix is the only thing in there, afterall... But, NO, it is difficult...  But, I am now comfortable doing speculum exams, thank goodness!

So, all in all, it is going well. I graduate in December..That seems too early!  But, I am doing everything my school and preceptors say  I should be doing.. So, I'm going to just trust that process and believe I will be ready to graduate in December.... To tell you the truth, I like having a preceptor... They send me in with the patient and I come out and discuss the plan of care with the preceptor and tell them what I think we should do and bounce ideas off of them... then I implement it... I like that process... I think it will be way different when I have to make the decisions alone.  I wish I had a "Life Preceptor."  :) 

I have already sent out two resumes... I am anxious to hear back if I can have an interview.  I am nervous as well.  But, December will be here before I know it and then I will have to repay my student loans.. So, I need to have gainful employment...   Cross your fingers for me!