What do I like best? Accompanying, reassuring, listening and advising. Being close to women, helping them get to know their bodies better. Above all, I love the human contact, the help I give to all these women and the fact that every day is a new day when I can give them my support.
Can you start by introducing yourself?
My name is Catherine, but everyone calls me Cathy. I'm nearly 26 and I've been working as a midwife at Créteil Hospital for 3 years. I'm passionate about my job as a midwife, and I could talk about it for hours...
In my spare time, I really enjoy reading and painting, but recently I've discovered a new passion: rollerblading.
I'm a fairly easy-going person, who marvels at the little things. Sensitive to nature, I can contemplate a sunset, listen to the birds sing and look at the stars and be totally happy. I try to look on the bright side whenever I can!
Can you tell us more about your background?
To put it simply, I have a BAC S and I took the PACES exam (first year of health studies). I repeated the year and passed the exam as a double student. It was difficult, but I'm glad I did it. I then did 4 years of midwifery school. So I have a 5-year course of medical studies in maieutic sciences.
Was becoming a midwife a vocation?
To be honest, at first I wanted to be a dentist. I had long admired my father, who was a dentist himself, and I wanted to do what he did. But during my PACES year, I realized that I didn't like it. I had the opportunity to discover the midwifery profession and it was a revelation!
The courses I attended were so interesting that it was a no-brainer for me. The courses focused mainly on obstetrics, gynecology and pediatrics.
I still remember a very precise course on the placenta, which made me realize that it's a wonderful organ ❤️! It enabThe exEDITs between the mother and her fetus, so that the latter has everything it needs for nutrition and breathing. But it also acts as a barrier to certain bacteria, substances or drugs that are harmful to the foetus.
I think the fact that I was an adopted child aroused my curiosity about this profession and about birth, pregnancy and accompanying future parents.
Midwifery is a wonderful profession, but it's also a very difficult one. What do you love most about your job?
But what do I love most? Accompanying, reassuring, listening and advising. Being close to women, teaching them about their bodies. Above all, I love the human contact, the help I give to all these women and the fact that every day is a new day when I can give them my support.
You often work nights. What's your working rhythm like?
I'm a hospital midwife. In a hospital, there are several departments: the birthing room, obstetric emergencies, post-natal care (when patients have given birth), high-risk pregnancies (pregnancies requiring hospitalization due to complications), and consultations. ScheduThe are generally 12-hour shifts, but this can vary depending on the maternity hospital.
We midwives are multi-skilled workers in the maternity unit, not just in the birthing room. We EDIT departments regularly, with rotations of 2/3 months. This means we can also look after patients who have already given birth, provide mother-child bonding, support the introduction of breastfeeding and reassure new parents. We also monitor pathological pregnancies and provide pregnancy follow-up during consultations. And, of course, we are on hand 24/7 in gynecological/obstetric emergencies to welcome and care for women.
As far as our working hours are concerned, we work 12 hours in a row. We start at 8am and finish at 8pm, and vice versa at night, from 8pm to 8am. We can work several shifts in a row, both day and night, and then have days off between shifts.
To give you an example. Here's a typical week: Monday by day, Tuesday by night, two days off (Wednesday and Thursday), then back to work on Friday and Saturday by night.
Working the night shift must be tough. How do you manage to organize your personal life?
How does a typical shift work?
That's a tough question, because there's no such thing as a typical shift. Every shift is different and no two are alike.
As far as I'm concerned :) - An example of a day shift.
6.15am: Wake-up call
6.50am: Subway
7.30am: Arrival at the hospital. I get to the checkroom, put on my scrub pajamas and put my personal life aside to give 100% to my patients.
7.45am: Time for transmissions - the team ahead of us gives us information about the patients we're going to take on.
Then the shift begins.
Shifts can be very grueling, and we often have several patients to look after at the same time. So we run around, trying our best to take care of everyone without forgetting or putting a patient aside. We sometimes go 12 hours at a time without drinking, eating or going to the toilet. Shifts can be very busy.
It's at times like these that we'd like to be helped and listened to!
Recently, a midwife I admire, Anna Roy, shared her experience and recounted one of her shifts on social networks.
With the limited resources the government gives us, unfortunately we can't look after patients the way we want to. We end up being abusive because we don't have enough time to properly look after the women who need us.
7.45pm: End of shift. We make our transmissions to the team that relieves us. But in reality, we have a lot of paperwork to do. This is the little-known administrative side of our job. We have medical-legal papers to complete, certificates to sign, files to finish, and we rarely finish on time. Sometimes we leave 2 hours after the scheduled time! And I'm not talking about an emergency, or a delivery that arrives at that hour (laughs), because in those moments, we don't look at the clock and just do our job!
All the births you've attended must be exceptional; but what's the most extraordinary birth you've ever experienced?
Every birth is a beautiful moment and remains unique, whether for the midwife, the couple or the patient.
Recently, I accompanied a patient with a phobia of hospitals; she had suffered violence. She was very anxious and needed reassurance. She was expecting her first child and wanted to give birth naturally, without an epidural.
I tried to accompany her as much as possible, while keeping her moving. I massaged her, reassured her and told her to trust herself. We put on some music and in the end she gave birth brilliantly, standing up, naturally. She was very proud and I'm still very moved.
Do you plan to stay on as a maternity midwife for much longer, or do you have other plans?
In private practice, we can provide lifelong gynecological care for any woman in good health: We can also prevent and manage addictions such as smoking, perform medical abortions, carry out ultrasound scans, monitor pregnancies, provide post-natal consultations (after childbirth), reeducate the perineum, support breast-feeding, etc. Our fields of expertise are varied.
There's no age limit for consulting a midwife!
The profession is so vast that it's hard to say everything here!
March 8 was Women's Rights Day! We shouldn't need this special day. We should be able to support each other every day, and make our voices heard.
I hope my portrait will raise awareness of my profession.
So that women can finally be respected and listened to!
For better care and support in the future.
(yes, we are currently on strike to demand our little-recognized skills!)
Finally, a few questions to get to know you better:
What's your favorite thing to do in your spare time?
Rollerblading, 4-wheeled skates! I feel like flying.
Your everyday outfit?
I don't think I have a definite style, because I change according to my mood, but in general, I wear colorful clothes that make me smile!
But if I really had to choose, I'd say a dress with pretty ankle boots.
3 tips for parents-to-be?
- Prepare yourself and don't hesitate to take part in childbirth preparation courses. There are also many ways of getting to know your body better and understanding pregnancy, such as hypnosis, sophrology, haptonomy and so on. This also helps to involve the partner in the pregnancy.
- Trusting each other. You are the parents. You'll get plenty of advice, advice that contradicts itself, advice that doesn't suit you, advice that doesn't suit your image. Listen to yourself and take what you think is right.
- Listen to yourself. Don't hesitate to ask for help. Sometimes birth gifts are overrated: an hour of time to help, an hour of service, is also an exceptional gift! If you feel overwhelmed, don't hesitate to say so. Don't feel guilty, it's normal!
Your favorite piece at Petite and So What?
The three things that never leave your handbag?
What's your latest favorite?
At the moment, I'm very fond of flare or flared pants, but unfortunately, given my size, I'm desperate to find some.
Any message you'd like to pass on to all the " petites " who read your book?
Love each other, listen to each other, and make each other confiance❤️!
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A more than perfect testimonial.
I just gave birth to my 2nd daughter at chic creteil. What happiness.
I really admire you midwives...
An exhausting job.... exciting...but what you give back to humanity...it's exceptional.
I so wish I'd had more information on this subject 15 years ago.
I'm a computer engineer. I earn a wonderful living... but I see a lot of humanitarianism in your profession...
Never give up... we need you.
¨Merci pour ce partage très intéressant et authentique sur ce très beau métier.