Midwives and students alike preach self-care to their clients every single day but do we practice what we preach?
I’m going to guess no, not really. We are never easy on our bodies but we really should be so we can continue our jobs for many years to come.
If you search adrenal fatigue in any midwifery Facebook group many posts will come up. Then if you search self-care even more posts will pop up.
Burnout is a real struggle for many midwives
This happens because we just do not do what we tell clients to do and it is not because we are hypocrites. It is because we over schedule ourselves and have irregular sleep patterns.
You know what I mean. Skipping lunch on prenatal day because one appointment ran long and now you do not have a lunch break. Or getting called to a birth between lunch and dinner and now it’s 9 pm and you’ve had a piece of gum.
Then there are those back to back births where you remembered to have snacks in the car so you ate but because you were busy watching parents birth their babies you missed 2 nights of sleep.
Start NOW
Start now as a student with good self care because you are going to need it as a midwife. If you do not start now, will you ever?
I do understand that as a student, we are at the mercy of the preceptor for some of these things but you can still implement the other tips.
Eat Right
Instead of eating out between those two home visits bring your lunch. Find yourself a good thermos for hot items and a lunch box with an ice pack. Pack those veggies you are letting rot away in the fridge and make extra when you cook meals at home.
If you do have to eat out skip the $1 burger from McDonalds and find a nice salad or grilled meal. I know in those rural areas that only have 1 or 2 fast food joints that close at 9 or 10 pm this is easier said than done. Do your best when you are presented with only bad options.
Get Sleep
Want to binge Netflix nearly every night the way that I do? That’s a bad habit. Stop it. Staying up until 2 am watching tv and then starting your day at 3 am is not smart.
Go to bed at a decent hour and your body will thank you. You may not think that lack of sleep is hurting you now at a young age but years of abuse will wreck your system and you do not want that.
Exercise
I’m not saying you should start crossfit 6 days a week by any means but walking 20 minutes 3 days a week is all you need. It is easy to be on your bottom all day especially if you do all home visits but do not let that be a habit.
As a student I’m sure you know the benefits of light exercise and if you do not, learn. You’ll need to know this for your clients.
Chiropractic Care Equals Self-Care
Find a good chiropractor and stick with it. All of those funny positions we get into at births and weird places we sleep can make the body ache and get out of alignment. Being out of alignment can effect sleep, digestion, mental heath and much more.
Chiropractic care is good for both you and your clients so finding a chiropractor you adore that you can recommend to clients is just a win, win!
Massage Therapy Equals Self-Care
Everyone can use a massage, am I right? This is not a luxury I can afford currently so I rely on the rather interesting “massages” I get from my 2 year old. I’ve already made my budget for when I become a midwife and monthly massages are built in along with biweekly chiropractic adjustments.
Maybe you’re a struggling student like me and you can’t afford professional massage therapy but you can enlist the help of your family. Or better yet, maybe you can barter your services with a massage therapist?
Friends Equal Self-Care
It is easy to become engulfed in the world of midwifery but do not let your passion alienate your current friends. You may loose a few or drift away due to not having common interest but you need friends in and outside of midwifery to keep you sane.
Sometimes you just need to take a couple hours away from the midwife life and laugh with your friends.
Make friends with other student midwives and help each other through your journey. Meet up together regularly and share your laughter and tears. Midwifery is not an easy job but it sure is rewarding.
You need others who understand what you are going through to help you decompress and celebrate the good times.
Time Off Call Equals Self-Care
This is where that statement above about being at the mercy of your preceptor comes in. Many if not most preceptors understand that students need time off and are more than willing to schedule time off. That is, as long as you give them enough notice.
Taking a couple days off here and there to focus on you and your family is good for your health.
You defiantly want to schedule time off as a midwife too. Even if you think you can go, go, go you owe it to yourself, your clients and your family to take time off and rejuvenate.
Journaling Equals Self-Care
One of my friends finds peace with journaling and it helps in her self care. Be careful when journaling about clients and births because you never want discrepancies if your belongings were subpoenaed for a court case.
Try journaling about things unrelated to your births and clients.
Other Therapies Equal Self-Care
Second hand trauma is a thing and many midwives are finding out that talking to a therapist to help them work through their trauma. Talking through your trauma helps with longevity in this business.
I know some students that love acupuncture, cupping and other alternative therapies too.
Taking Time for You Equals Self-Care
Keep your eyes open for other ways you can practice self care.
What else do you do for self care? I’m always open to more self care options!
