Introduction

   My name is Laile and this blog is dedicated to my journey of becoming an awesome midwife. I desire to advocate not just for women but for families. I believe that family is the basic unit of a society. The way and environment in which a child enters this world greatly affects the family and the world around it. 
   My journey began with the birth of my beautiful son, Isaiah. At the time, I was a student pursuing a degree in I-can't-make-up-my-mind. I've gone from languages ( spanish, french, and japanese), to history, pre-law, and even stenography. I finally settled on a rather practical degree - nursing. A little further background here - almost everyone in my family works in the medical profession, both of my parents' sides and even my mother- in-law. I have an abundance of nurses in the family, especially those with labor and delivery experience. Mind you, I have hated all things medical. I grew up hearing my mother and father relay their crazy experiences working in hospitals. Much of what I heard just did not make sense to me. I was convinced at a young age that common sense did not fit into the medical profession. I loved learning anatomy and physiology, and biology ( no no chemistry...we have a love hate relationship), but becoming a doctor or a nurse and having to deal with the politics, and insurance companies, and having to put up with the illogical way that care is delivered...was definitely not of any interest to me...but I'm a grown up with grown up issues, and when that happens- sometimes practicality rules.

   "You'd be a great ER nurse." I've heard that so many times. I don't even know what that means ( I don't freak out and look stupid when a patient codes ?...well, I didn't freak out, but I did look stupid while trying to figure out what "expired" means - I'm accustomed to hearing that word in regards to food or credit cards.) Anyway, many have told me I'd be a good nurse. After finishing my third semester of nursing school which consisted of maternity care, I started to believe I could be a good nurse, especially when it comes to laboring women. Let me point out that this particular semester was not positive in a certain aspect. I saw things I don't ever want to see a woman go through on the day she's about to meet this person who will forever change her life. There was such a lack of care, compassion, and respect...and even knowledge in skills. The hospital in which my clinical took place received awards. The OBs received awards...for what...I'm not really sure. For continuing the high C-sec rate? Ok, I feel the negativity coming on, so I won't go any further. I could sit here and tell horrible stories from this semester, but...the world of nursing is small. You never know who might read this.
   Switching gears, during this semester, I just happened to stumble upon the Business of Being Born on Netflix. Loved, loved, loved it. Around the same time, a new show aired on PBS called Call the Midwife. Great show ( most of the stuff on masterpiece theater is), check it out. And, if that wasn't enough to light the midwifery - fire the within me , there was also a film festival in our city that show cased the well filmed documentary of the one and only, Ina May Gaskins. In the near future, I will make a trip to the Farm...I must. I mean what's this journey without a trip to The Farm??