Skip to content

the secret midwife

confessions of a pragmatic midwife stuck between the NHS and a hard place

Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Book
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
Menu

How a parasite taught me that I was being a bit of a dick

Posted on July 30, 2020July 30, 2020 by Talia Ripley

I went camping. It felt a bit naughty although not against current COVID regulations. I was duly punished by the fates. When I got back home I found something apparently stuck into my skin at the right distance from my middle-aged eyes to just be a fuzzy black thing. Pulled it out – up close…

Read more

Why I need more men in my (midwifery) life

Posted on June 4, 2020June 4, 2020 by Talia Ripley

Lockdown is getting me down. I want a man. No I want a few men. Sorry – apologies for being hetronormatative. I wouldn’t mind a few young women as well, maybe an older woman so long as she’s fit enough to sleep in an uncomfortable chair overnight. Antenatal ward is now my least favourite place…

Read more

Why I feel like half the midwife I used to be…

Posted on April 16, 2020April 16, 2020 by Talia Ripley

“So do I have to go on the drip now?” “You don’t have to do anything. It’s only what we would advise because we think that’s the safest option.” I was smiling, keeping eye contact and using my professional friendly voice but it wasn’t working. I added, “It’s up to you – we can’t make…

Read more

Poor evolution

Posted on March 26, 2020March 26, 2020 by Talia Ripley

I think I’ve worked out my survival mechanism as a midwife and why it might not be the best tactic for the pandemic. Like a koala in a forest fire – except less cute – my evolved coping mechanisms might not be the best plan. One lovely mentor I had as a student gave me…

Read more

19 (v1)

Posted on March 22, 2020March 22, 2020 by Talia Ripley

I’m writing on Sunday 22 March 2020. This week I worked on Monday night (nearly a week ago so half an eon in covid-19 times) after four days off. I’m part-time so that’s not unusual – well it didn’t used to be. In those 4 days the UK had changed and I was fully part…

Read more

Open to interpretation

Posted on January 14, 2020January 14, 2020 by Talia Ripley

“Ok Sia, push down into your bottom,” said the obstetrician. I really, really wished I had insisted we find an interpreter. The problem is that communicating with anyone is hard just before they deliver a baby – women lose their first language never mind a partially-learnt second. Add a fear that your baby might die…

Read more

Why my desire to be a good feminist can have bad consequences

Posted on December 5, 2019December 5, 2019 by Talia Ripley

When you are looking after a woman in active labour you aim to be at their side for as much of the time as possible. As, for some, labour is slow, that can cover an entire 12-hour shift, so obviously you are not there 100% of the time. You have personal needs (going for a…

Read more

Why NHS IT is scarier than Stephen King’s

Posted on November 22, 2019November 22, 2019 by Talia Ripley

Last week I had to help cover another midwife’s work and, as seems to be depressingly usual for me, I screwed something up. Something clerical not clinical thankfully and I was informed about it in a cheerful way by one of the ward clerks.  “She’s angry because you sent the letter to her old GP…

Read more

Smells like Midwifery Spirit

Posted on October 7, 2019October 1, 2019 by Talia Ripley

“Do you think I should put 4 drops of clary sage and 2 of lavender or the other way around?” The younger midwife looked at me anxiously and I had to fight the urge to say “I don’t think it matters a shit.” We had just finished our theoretical training on aromatherapy and were being…

Read more

Why midwifery caused my son to fear for his future (again)

Posted on September 22, 2019September 22, 2019 by Talia Ripley

“Ok,” I said, “I’ll do it but only if you say you love me.” As the words came out I found myself worrying – had I misjudged the moment? Was it too soon? “You know I love you,” came the reply. Thank god I thought, they didn’t think I was being weird and needy. “Am…

Read more

Posts pagination

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • Next

Read the book

Rabbits in SwitzerlandMy novel Rabbits in Switzerland (co-authored with Ethan Crane), based on many of the real-life events from this blog, is now published. Available here (read a free extract here).

subscribe to updates

If you’d like to be receive these blog posts by email, please add your email on my subscribe page.

Or get post updates from:
Facebook page| RSS feed

Recent Posts

  • How a parasite taught me that I was being a bit of a dick July 30, 2020
  • Why I need more men in my (midwifery) life June 4, 2020
  • Why I feel like half the midwife I used to be… April 16, 2020
  • Poor evolution March 26, 2020
  • 19 (v1) March 22, 2020
© 2025 the secret midwife | Powered by Superbs Personal Blog theme