And.... LOCKDOWN

I can’t say that without wanting to count down from 10 and shout “blast off “ lol.

So the first day of Level Four started after a bad sleep because my new found love of blogging kept me up too late. My own fault and a midwife should know better. I promise to be more responsible tonight mum. I headed south first and have been through four small towns today on my loop of 220kms. The weirdest thing was that NO ONE was outside their house, no one in their yard. It was eerie. It wasn’t the apocalypse because people had hung out their washing - but it was bloody odd. A very small amount of cars were on the road, mainly I saw trucks, milk tankers, courier vans, police cars and a train. The people I did see out (about four) were all walking dogs, two of them even waved! So we are already becoming nicer. Go team.

I left home being sensible, no extra jewellery, no floaty scarf (those that know my autumn uniform will understand how hard this was). Wipeable shoes and a One Square Meal bar for lunch as I was running late. That was gone within 20 minutes 🙄.

First visit was to a client who has been incommunicado lately and didn’t know she had a scan booked for 9am. I really wanted her to do this scan and my motto is if I’m losing sleep over someone then I need to sort it. But of course me being late meant I roared into her driveway at 9.02. hollering that she needed to get going. I must have been very effective because she went down there still in her Onesie! Job done lol.

My midwifery partner has been up all night at a birth and asked could I answer her urgent emails, also she needed an urgent BP check on a client, so she was next. I saw her in her driveway and after battling with my bricky’s dust mask actually spent longer wiping down my equipment than I did with the woman. When I looked down at my pants after getting back in the car I noticed they were covered with white powder from the gloves. Will have to remember not to scratch my arse! It’s hard enough not touching your face.

Then a home visit on someone’s porch to weigh their baby, I rang ahead to get baby naked and family to stay away. Managed to maintain my distance and pull this one of successfully. Baby gaining weight, mum happy and confident. Sweet! And also a smaller amount of powder on my pants!

Next visit to a 2 day old baby and mum at home. Entered through her external bedroom door, asked her to shut other family members out of the room so not exposed to me and vise versa. Baby great colour, ticking all the boxes. Boom!

Another client is in hospital with her new baby and has developed mastitis, told by staff to ring me to sort. Ummm how would you like me to give her a script for this - she can’t go out and fill it, she can’t print it, her husband isn’t allowed in??? I’m not allowed in! Would be nice if they could have just got a doc up there to prescribe and gone to their drug cupboard. Sometimes the red tape does my head in! So I got the pills from my emergency supplies and dropped into my letterbox on my way back past. Called her husband to collect, he will make the 40 minute trip, park outside the hospital with their toddler and she will sneak down the lift to get them. I hope they let her back in!

Then I got a lovely message from a friend reading the blog that she has some boxes of gloves and fifteen masks! You are amazing, that’s 15 people protected! (I know a lot of you are looking for stock for us - please keep it up). So I then drove 40 mins north to get them. In no way am I complaining but they are the powdery type - I will look like a gib stopper by the end of the day.

So my day was taking longer than planned and by then I needed a wee bad and was getting pretty hungry. No food places open and usually I will wee at a clients house, but that wouldn’t look good squatting in the driveway 😉. Distracted myself by eating my wasabi pea supply. Forgot in my hunger and rush to not sniff at the same time, so then I had to pull over as my eyes were watering so bad I wasn’t safe to drive. Luckily there was no one else on the roads.

When I got home I took my clothes off at the door, hollered (yes I’m a good hollerer) for someone to open the washing machine lid, walked through the house naked and dumped my clothes, then straight into the shower. Feels a bit like how a leper must have felt but there you go.

Now I’m having lunch because my midwifery partner needs to hand over her birthing woman soon, she’s exhausted. It’s 2.28pm.

Could be a long day, but so far I’m rocking it, my women are all ok, my babies are gaining weight, I’ve done my best to minimise the COVID risk.

And my teenage daughter just asked if she could cook dinner! THIS OFFER HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE! Winning!

Tomorrow it is bound to go pear shaped.