I have 2 mad and lovely boys and one new lockdown baby girl! This is the story of my training and motherhood. This is the abridged version or I would have nothing to write about!
My first pregnancy was planned with military precision. I wanted the baby to be born as close to change over as possible (6th August) so as to cause as little disruption to the department as possible. I would simply take 6 months leave and slot back in, thereafter life would continue on as normal! 🤣😂
Astonishingly DS1’s due date was 4th August. However, he is keen to meet us and I get my first lesson in the general disruption that is kids when he arrives the day I am supposed to finish work at 37+4.
Six months of maternity leave passed in a flash and I was desperate to return to work. I stared my return in paeds. The first month on nights and following this the first clinic unsupervised. I also had a little boy regularly suffering bouts of bronchiolitis and not sleeping more than an hour. I stumbled though, but was surprised to be given a harsh written review from a supervisor at ARCP without prior discussion of my less than stellar performance.
I’m then placed in 6 months pure trauma in a busy unit and given the rota at a time when we were drastically short of registrars. My husband was also made redundant.
This is when my mental health began to suffer. I was previously regarded well and I was struggling.
I came very close to leaving.
Then I attended a session about the struggling trainee and managed to turn things around.
Next I had a miscarriage. I’m glad I’d told people before hand, but it was tough.
DS2 I came off on call at 28 weeks and I took a month prior to planned section date, I had 9 months maternity leave – extended by sick leave when I cut my Tendon in theatre first list back. I had a phased return using my acrued annual leave. Things went much more smoothly.
I passed my FRCS first time! ☺️ Because I enjoyed it so much I am studying for the diploma in Hand Surgery. 🤓
My daughter was an post FRCS project – she was born as lockdown started and my lovely plans for maternity leave were squashed under an avalanche of toddler tantrums and homeschooling. Things are calming down, No 1 is back at school and 2 starts nursery next week. In the background I am preparing to move the family 3 times in the next 3 years and find the perfect grown up house!
Mumma Pod 