Susanne Remic is a primary school teacher, freelance writer and parenting blogger. She writes at Ghostwritermummy and Maternity Matters and in between all of that she regularly wins mummy of the year awards for running around after her two children, aged six and 19 months. This is her pregnancy blog: an online diary of her third pregnancy as she strives to overcome two difficult births, one angel child and one awkward toddler. Join Susanne as she shares every step of her journey from bump to baby!
Midwife shortages
By Susanne Remic on 21 Sep 2011
It’s been a very emotional week in the Ghostwritermummy household. I’ll start from the beginning. After my son’s birth in December 2009, I was a little bit of a mess. The Birth Trauma Association saved me. I was introduced to an amazing support network and given the opportunity to talk to other ladies who had suffered a traumatic birth. I discovered that I wasn’t alone and I wasn’t going crazy. I discovered I could love my son, be a mum and move on with my life.
Today, I feel an extremely close bond to the Birth Trauma Association. I started up Maternity Matters with my dear friend Jayne (Mummy’s the Word) and together we vowed to help as many women and their families as we could. We also vowed to raise money for the charity. Through Maternity Matters, we allow women to share their stories, to talk about their feelings and to receive support and advice when they need it most.
In return, these wonderful women provide a very sturdy shoulder for us to cry on ourselves and remind us that it is so important to remember what we have been through and the ways it has shaped us today. Maternity Matters is our own self therapy and it means a lot to us.
Recently, I signed up to be a media volunteer for the Birth Trauma Association. The role involves speaking to the media about my experiences, should they fit the story. Last week I was asked to speak to the BBC about my son’s birth, in relation to the NHS’s shortages of midwives. This is something I have written about extensively, both on Ghostwritermummy, Maternity Matters and, recently, over here on Ghostwritermummy and Bump. It is a problem that needs dealing with.
To say it was difficult to speak about my experiences is an understatement. Add that to a camera in my face, a light illuminating my biggest fears and inhibitions and a whole host of memories, emotions and revelations that suddenly leapt to the surface and the whole experience became a little overwhelming. I found my courage because I knew I needed to speak about what happened to me and to try and make a difference somehow.
My interview was heavily edited and lots of what I really wanted to say was not shown on the news. A longer version exists on the BBC website, but that mainly focuses on the aftercare. That said, I am so glad I did the interview. The support I have received has been phenomenal and I would gladly stand up for women like me again and again. I have learned so much since my son’s birth and I cannot go back to being that woman who let people push her around again.
Yesterday, still feeling emotional, I read an article on the Royal College of Midwives website, entitled Midwifery Making Headlines. The article talks about the positive media reaction following their announcement that the NHS needs another 5,000 midwives in order to provide adequate care for pregnant women and their babies.
The article expresses gratitude that a usually divided media came together in aid of this important cause and I was part of that 'united front'. I shared my experiences, in the hope that the government will realise the desperation of midwives across the country. These are hard-working professionals who need to be supported in their roles and the government needs to make sure this happens. If you agree, you can sign the e-petition here.
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