.. I was just leaving a comment on another blog that I follow (At Your Cervix) and I thought it was post worthy.
Wouldn't it be amazing if a Bachelor of Midwifery degree was offered at most Canadian universities, much like direct-entry Bachelor of Nursing degrees are offered now? I can't/don't understand what would be so much more difficult about offering such a degree. Imagine if our very own North Island College was to offer such a program. The revenue alone would make it worth it! Women would flock from all over the continent (and perhaps beyond) to access a direct-entry midwifery program offered in such a rural and beautiful location (I'm thinking the Comox/Courtenay campus)..Never mind the benefits it would have on maternity care here on the island. I know I'm obviously not taking into consideration the costs or struggles of starting such a program (I'm not even aware of all of them!), but I do know that I am pretty good at looking at the "big" picture, pretty good at dreaming, and pretty good at teaching. What better a place than the Comox Valley to offer such a program, what with the midwifery and natural birthing community already so large and so strong, and such a vital element of the lifestyle those from the valley know and love?
Who knows what it would take. But if no one ever takes the time to consider the possibilities in life, than we may as well stop living.
Every woman deserves a midwife. How incredible would it be to be a part of something bigger than yourself, something bigger than helping one woman with one delivery (although that in itself is an amazing undertaking, is so worth it, and is basically everything I am aspiring to at this point). Although I clearly have no idea where the road ahead will take me, I can imagine I would love to teach midwifery one day. Is that too much to be thinking about when I haven't even been taught it yet myself?
Hey.
ReplyDeleteI fully agree, and I don't think it's too much thinking: if not you, who?
But here's some depressing politics for you:
my midwife was saying that she and her colleagues actually job-share because the Valley isn't ALLOWED to have any more midwives. BECAUSE get this: the OB/GYNs & the GPs that deliver the majority of babies get to keep their job security- at the cost of womens' choice (lots of women want to get into a midwife, but can't and end up going with a doctor or ob/gyn and this is not tracked in any way. I'm sure they use just the numbers as the womens' "vote" which doesn't make any sense, does it?) AND at hugs cost to taxpayers (because OB/GYNs cost a lot more) SO... if that's what it's like in Hippy Town, I can imagine that that is why UBC wasn't getting any funding, hey? If none of BC needs more Midwives- cause they have lots of able Drs doing the work already, then why train any more?