Blessed are the peacemakers not peacelovers

Nothing is so strong as gentleness; nothing so gentle as real strength
~ St. Francis de Sales

We plant seeds that will flower as results in our lives, so best to remove the weeds of anger, avarice, envy and doubt, that peace and abundance may manifest for all.
~ Dorothy Day

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peace makers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness
~ James 3:17-18

Peace has to be created, in order to be maintained. It is the product of Faith, Strength, Energy, Will, Sympathy, Justice, Imagination, and the triumph of principle. It will never be achieved by passivity and quietism.
~ Dorothy Thompson

War is as outmoded as cannibalism, chattel slavery, blood-feuds, and dueling, an insult to God and humanity...a daily crucifixion of Christ.

~ Muriel Lester

Watch well over your seed-things and children. Speak wisely to them, our new children!Henceforth they shall be your first speakers, and the peacemaking shields of your people.
~Author Unknown

I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love.

~ Mother Teresa

It's been two days since Peace Day (21st September)... love... pursue peace... demonstrate it daily... if not for yourself, then for your children or future children... love deeply, for love is of God.

Are you pregnant?

As a student midwife, I have to admit I often have what I call my 'pregnancy radar' switched on because I'm searching for women who would be interested in linking up with a student midwife.

So in the hope that maybe this blog could be another avenue for leading to possible 'linking up'.... here goes!

This 'linking up' is part of my three year Bachelor of Midwifery degree at ACU. It's called Follow Through Journey and the idea is that, as students, we link up with ten pregnant women per year and spend time with them over their pregnancy to get an idea of how pregnancy is a very individual and unique experience for each woman. Students can begin meeting up with women any time between 14-35 weeks of pregnancy and remain connected to women till about six weeks after birth. Each Follow Through Journey involves approximatly 10 contact hours. It's completely confidential and as a student I have a practicing midwife to mentor me along the years of my course.

It is relational rather than skills based....the aim is to connect with women who are willing to comunicate their experience of pregnancy with us, and as students we do not practice any clinical skills in this program. Because Follow Through has no defined way of working it's completely flexible. The ammount of involvement I have as a student depends on how each woman wants me to be involved - it can simply be meeting up at home for a chat, or attending antenatal appointments, or being an extra support person at birth if that's what a woman wants. The program tailors to the woman and what she is comfortable with.

I love Follow Through Journey for the continuity it brings. It's such a privilage journeying with women - I learn so much from them.

So if you've got questions about Follow Through or if you're pregnant and interested and would like some extra support, someone to talk things through with, or someone who can source information for you, and are between 14 and 35 weeks, and live out the eastern side of Melbourne please feel free to email me.

My email address is laura_beimers(at)kastanet.org (just change the 'at' to @)

The glory of pain

"We are made to do this work and its not easy...I would say that pain is part of the glory, or the tremendous mystery of life. And that if anything, it's a kind of privilege to stand so close to such an incredible miracle."
~ Simone in Klasson 2001

Have a read about three different but instinctive births here.

Just right

"Moon of the ninth month
casts its shadow.
How weary is the life within;
when it sees its dark prison
it struggles to be free
and make its camp on the earth. "
~Indian Birth Song







Due dates are such funny things. Only about 4% of babies are born on their calculated due date. In all reality I think labour should be expected to start any time in the two weeks before or after the due date... more like a 'due month' really. Babies come when they are ready.

Birth Photos

Motherhood by Beti Alonso

The observant few will have noticed the new links along the side bar. I just want to highlight Birth Story Diaries. I have countless books full of birth stories but could hardly beleive it when I stumbled over this site where it tells birth stories with photos! There are hundreds of photos that have been submitted. Take a look at this birth ... it's beautiful!

Each birth has a graphic rating scale which I'd advise having a look at before viewing a birth. If you've never seen a birth before, stick with the births marked with green or yellow stars before moving on to orange stars. Orange stars indicate more graphic photos (showing the baby crowning in the vagina ect)...these photos seem normal to me because of what I see as a student. Avoid red stars.

The stories can be browsed by the graphic rating scale, type of birth (vaginal or caesarean) or place of birth (home, birth centre, or hospital). If you're interested I suggest starting with the homebirths.

*Note: all babies are bluished tinged when born...you'll notice they pink up in time. It's very common for hands and feet to look dusky while the rest of the baby is pink.

Focus

After almost deciding to give up on this blog, I realize that I don't want it to fade away to nothing... though I would like to make some changes. This will be a midwiferyish blog primarily. I've decided my personal stuff deserves to be shared in person to those that I'm close to... not saying I won't put the occasional musing about things other than midwifery on here but that... hmmm... hard to explain... it's important to me who I share with and making it personal by sharing it individually with them rather than doing a general blog post - and most importantly sharing with them individually before I put it on the blog/if I put it on the blog.

So expect all things women related.