It's back! The Channel 5 docu-series following a group of Midwives from the Highlands of Scotland undertaking rural midwifery at it's best.
This season they've introduced new group of midwives working in North East of Scotland in Peterhead - which is where I had my third year community placement!

So maybe, slightly biased review coming up. Especially as I working with some of the midwives and involved in the setting up of the renovated Midwife-Led Unit.

For that reason I'm going to do a slightly shorter review of the first three episodes with a little pros and cons list.

PRO's

• It is so great to visit each of these women's unique story and see their choices and requests being discussed in an open and honest way with the midwife
• The midwife-mother relationship remains a strong theme in the series
• Midwives praising the continuity of carer they can experience
• Showing elective c-sections as a CHOICE for women and no shaming
• Outlines the geographical issues women have in the Highlands of Scotland

I'd love to hear people's views on the how as I have had positive feedback from friends of mine who have experienced maternity care in Scotland. Also, perhaps how this show compares to One Born Every Minute?

Tweet me @ruth_stmw

Ruth x

Here's a picture of me in the Peterhead birth room, Moonlight.

Being a third year student I am honestly constantly plagued with thoughts of impostor syndrome.
I feel as though these three years have gone so quickly and I have learnt so much but questioning my ability and practice comes daily and I believe sometimes makes me a better student midwife.

It's known that during placement in third year as a student you are seen as 'senior' and often expected to take on your own caseload and while this is exciting and often wanted by students it does sometimes cause more nerves (especially in me).

I am one of those people who requires support and praise or critique during the learning process. I am keen to learn from my own mistakes which often causes me to ask questions before I approach a task to be sure of what is being asked of me - both a positive and a negative for a midwife!

During my postnatal ward placement I was given a caseload of women requiring care from both spontaneous vaginal births, instrumental births and cesarean section births. The ward was extremely busy during this time and I benefited from seeing how my care and support to the midwives and my mentor assisted in the running of the ward. I worked well with my mentor and this allowed autonomy in my practice and a taste of working as a 'proper midwife'!

My experiences were enhanced by being able to provide continuity to a few mothers who I saw day to day and those who I knew had babies in the Neonatal unit. Again I was able to support mothers with breastfeeding which has become a special interest of mine, and encouraging mothers with babies in NNU to express and build bonds between mother and baby when baby I requiring intensive care.

By the end of my short four weeks I didn't want to move on but knew I could potentially be coming back to work on this ward when I qualify so made great relationships with all staff.

So for students concerned with taking on more autonomy and experiencing a bit of impostor syndrome I would say EMBRACE IT. Ask questions, ask to be involved in specialised care and always check in with your mentor if you need to - the most successful midwife uses her team to support her practice.

So that's my third year experiences. Just a heads up that my next post will be on early pregnancy care and loss, I will be practising confidentially and therefore it will not include personal family experiences but rather my experience as student and how miscarriage and stillbirth is viewed in society.

Until then...
Follow me on twitter  @ruth_stmw

Ruth x

Since May 2018 I have been on placement at two wonderful wards in my local Maternity hospital, the same hospital I will be working at when I qualify!

I'm currently putting together two pieces on my experiences there and especially my experience working with women who have experienced miscarriage and pregnancy loss as one of my placements was on the early pregnancy ward.

I am also looking to write an updated piece on resilience in workplace as more and more I have heard this term and 'sustainability' be used to describe self care for midwives and how clinical supervision is aiming to build these traits in midwives in Scotland.

As well, last week I attended a fantastic student-led Learning Disabilities conference at my uni, Robert Gordon University - which opened my eyes and ears to the treatment and language we use when caring for women and families who have learning difficulties.
My main interest in the conference was around the discussion we have with parents undergoing screening for Down Syndrome.

Finally - the new series of The Highland Midwife is out! So you know I will be blogging away about that. I am slightly biased this time as the unit shown at Peterhead was my last community placement and I worked with Ruth (the other Ruth) at my first year placement in Fraserburgh. For those who have seen it, believe me those ambulance transfers to Aberdeen are interesting!!

Hope everyone is well, and I'll get back to blogging now I'm on a break from placement.

Follow me on twitter: @ruth_stmw

Ruth x