Lenora is One Smart Cookie I’ve watched Lenora run circles around younger midwives while talking about the latest evidence based practices. The other midwives know of them, for sure, but Lenora knows who published the research and when and probably has a copy of it on her desk. She also remembers everything she hears from the tours, she soaks in information like a sponge. If you need an Anchorage tour guide, she’s your girl. Oh and she’s way cooler than the rest of the team-she took an Uber to the airport.
The Right Tour Guide is Key You all know I’m a doula, which is like a professional tour guide for childbirth. So I know a good guide when I see one. I must confess my expectations for the tour guide were along the lines of the tour guides on the train at the zoo. “If you look to your left you’ll see the zebras. Now look to your right and see the elephants.” All in a monotone script. Let me tell you, we had an amazing expert on Anchorage show us around. He knew the answer to every crazy question we asked and he educated us along the way without an iota of a lecture feel. Midwives are similar in this way-they guide families through individualized care and stand by their sides as they navigate and explore one of the most important and memorable experiences of their lives. And maybe by the end of your time together you’re sharing rhubarb pie and ice cream off each other’s plates.
We’re Doing Okay The actual reason we went to Alaska was to attend a top notch conference for birth centers. Like I said in the video we posted, I expected to go back to work with mounds of ideas we wanted to implement. Not that we have gaps, we’ve been through a 36 hour site visit (after submitting paperwork that took weeks to compile), but I just assumed we were still a little green. Instead we came home with some good network connections, faces to names of people in our industry, and affirmation that our place is on it’s way to thriving.
There’s Good Stuff to Come We have had a whirlwind of change-namely our consulting physician left a few months after we opened. He was our only supportive provider in town. However, stories of inspiration were shared at the conference about communities becoming more progressive. We also have hope for things coming down the pike in Wichita Falls (very soon-we’re squeezing with excitement and can’t wait to tell you!). Every ending is the start of a new beginning.
By Wendy Fowler, Office Administrator, Doula, Student Midwife