Mental Preparation for starting my midwifery course

Its not easy trying to relax and make the most of your last real family holidays for the next year, when you know the midwifery course begins just around the corner. I seem to spend half my time preparing myself to be organised with my study so I don't get behind - I'm not good at playing catch up. I have been searching around unsuccessfully for childcare for next year. I'll need care at least once a week while I go to a local tutorial, plus someone who can be flexible - take the kids when I need to go to 'work' at short notice. I am also mindful of the fact that I need to buy a lot of course materials, plus mecial equipment.

Its a lot to think about.

Organisation - check. I'm pretty good at that.

Childcare - half done. I have established that childcare agencies are not interested in someone who needs half a day of care a week. Barnardos and Porse both sent me away. It looks like I will need to find a babysitter instead. I have come accross a babysitting website with their approved sitters in my area, but it feels a bit strange having people I have never met be in sole charge of my kids. Of course I can meet them beforehand, but I still won't know them. What other choice is there though. No one I know here seems to use baby sitters as they have family around to help. Thats one thing we don't have around - our family is scattered around the country.

Course materials - not done. Over $700 worth of books for the first year of study. I am not going to borrow that much for books on a student loan, and certainly haven't got that stowed away as a one income family. Fortunately I happen to already own one of the texts I need "Birth Rights", but the others...here I come Trade Me, and I will be an avid user of the Otago university library. Thankfully I am already signed up for the institute distance study library scheme.

Medical Equipment - not done, but we've been told not to buy anything yet until the course starts anyway. We need things like a stethoscope, pinard stethoscope, a sphygmomanometer (for blood pressure), suture kit, maternity notes and a few other bits and pieces, like a bag to keep it all in. I have a lovely Elizabeth Arden bag thats not getting any use, wonder if that will do? My midwife used a lovely floral bag, so I'm sure it doesn't need to be a medical satchel.

One thing I do have is a cute little watch to pin on the front of my work gown when the time comes, thanks to my parents giving it to me for Christmas. It even has special readings for taking pulse rates - neat!

Okay, well this has helped me take stock of a few things - like putting pen to paper. I can now leave this for a while knowing my to-do list includes finalising childcare, and searching for a few used books on Trade Me.

Wait, I have just remembered a few more things to do. Some blood test results being held by my doctor need to be forwarded to the institute, and in a few weeks time I need to get swabbed for MRSA. Just to check I am clear of it for access to medical facilities.

We haven't even started the course and the to-do list is growing. Well you know what they say, being busy makes the time fly. This will be a busy course, and I will just put my head down and burrow through to the other end.

In the meantime, there is nothing I can do about all of this at present, so I am going back to my family to enjoy the rest of our time off together.