Enlarging My Landscape

How profound; the idea that you need to take a step back from a pregnant woman if all you can see at first is her baby.

Even though the reason I am there is because of the baby, in a way, I need to put the woman front and centre.

Enlarging my landscape means I need to take in the woman, her baby, her family and her individual situation and support her in a holistic way according to what I can see and what I can hear.

Enlarging my landscape means enriching the experience for women I support.

Excuse me - I'm off to enlarge my landscape...


Blessings,

Jen Staniforth.

http://www.empoweredforbirth.com/

I GOT IN! :)

So, to all those who don't yet know:

I GOT IN TO THE BACHELOR OF MIDWIFERY!!!

I start in just 3 days and feel like it's my first day at big school...

I know, I know. I hear you all say, "You've seen births, you love it and it inspires you, so what's the problem??!" To which I say, "Hmmm... No problem, just pre-course jitters I guess!"

I love the fact that I am going to learn so much more about supporting women who are "with child". I feel blessed that I've had the opportunity to work with women as a doula, in a capacity that has eased me into the world of birthing and has allowed me the chance to see how birth CAN BE. I do believe there would be more opportunities for me to become cynical about the fact that BIRTH DOES WORK if I were first thrust into a medicalised environment.

Here's the deal... I want you to help me stay accountable to lovely birthing women everywhere! Therefore, I openly give you permission to slap me if I ever:

• Fail to promote birth as a normal, physiological process that is NOT an emergency waiting to happen;


• Fail to promote primary midwifery care as the best way to offer maternity care everywhere (even though an obstetrician may be present at some stage);


• Fail to promote woman-centred care; or


• Fail to promote informed choice, informed consent and informed refusal.

I do believe that there will never, ever be an opportunity to slap me. Well, not on the basis of the above anyway!!

I'll keep you informed as I travel my journey of becoming a midwife. But for now, I am so thoroughly enjoying being a doula. :)

Love and blessings,

Jen Staniforth

http://www.empoweredforbirth.com/

I am now a Blogger!

Well, it's been a long time coming! Friends, family and colleagues alike have been trying to talk me into creating my own blog. Perhaps I'm more interesting than I thought...

So, I guess first thing's first. Welcome to my blog!

My promises to you, as your exciting new Blogger:

• I will do my very best to make my ramblings as concise as possible
• I will do my very best to blog often
• I will do my very best to make my content exciting and informative

So, as you read my posts, please feel free to comment! After all, what is the point in writing if not to please your readers. :)

For those who have found my blog before my website, you can visit me and my business at:
www.empoweredforbirth.com

Love and blessings,

Jen Staniforth.