Neonatal Unit Experience

Well, I just finished 2 weeks experience on the neonatal unit. Not much experience for a student midwife I thought when I first started the course - I wanted a full 6 week placement and expected to find it really interesting! I think part of me expected at some point to want to work in a neonatal unit (if I managed to find out who accepted midwives as staff that is).

I have learnt loads, much of it I can apply to my midwifery practise - the main points of keeping a baby out of the neonatal unit - keep it warm, get it fed! Invaluable advice, that although simple, may just help a smaller baby along in life.
But something has been nagging at me. I've been bored. How awful that statement sounds! Let me clarify, not bored in the sense that I wasn't interested in what was going on, but I couldn't do anything! I trained to build relationships with women, support them through labour, monitor their well-being and when the time comes facilitate their meeting with their baby. I felt as though my 3 years of training had come to nothing when I was in there, its a whole different kettle of fish, like starting from below scratch.

However, something more has been ticking away at the back of my mind. Something I'm bothered by. Everyone says to me "oh how awful, you must be so sad when you work in the neonatal unit. How horrible to see those poor babies". Except I'm not sad. I don't find it awful. I've tried, and I've stood by the incubators, and the heated cots and contemplated how things like this shouldn't happen. But at the end of the day, whats nagging in the back of my mind is this: These babies on the neonatal unit are the ones who survived. The lucky babies that, though born early, are still alive, with their parents and getting help. I couldn't help but feel that where I belonged, and where I could be of use was back on the delivery suite, helping those families who never got to meet their babies. And that reminds me why I do what I do: I love the bonds I make with the women, and I want to make a difference there. I'm glad of my time on neonatal to remind me of this and I seriously can't wait to get back to caring for women next week!