I’m excited to welcome fellow #RRBC member, Julie Watson here today. She is this month’s “Spotlight” author!
Writing can Heal a Broken Heart
Following the death of my baby daughter at birth, my second baby, I became deeply depressed. Looking back now I was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) although it was not recognized at the time. The trauma was exacerbated by the circumstances surrounding the birth such as I was not allowed to see my baby, hold her and I was not allowed to go to the funeral. Unbelievable as the year was 1973. I was 20 years old and as I was brought up to respect authority, I just did what I was told.
I continued to live in misery with a marriage that was just hanging in there, as my husband Barry did not know how to cope or comfort me and was dealing with his own grief. He would just go out. Adding to this I had a miscarriage nine months later and then I was unable to conceive again as I was given the contraceptive injection that left me sterile for another two years.
I had a beautiful daughter in 1977 and then another daughter in 1986.
When I left school I worked in a maternity ward as a nurse aid so had a love of caring for women and babies during this most lovely time in their lives. My dream to become a midwife was realized later on in my late 30’s. With my qualification as a midwife I was able to become an independent midwife taking on my own caseload and attending women who had homebirths as well as hospital births. My career also took me to Africa to work and to other countries including the United Kingdom.
With all the emotional ups and downs along the way and before I embarked on my nursing and then midwifery training, I became a Christian and Jesus became my rock and anchor. With my newfound faith I was able to weather the storms of life better and started to heal and become more positive about life.
While working in Australia I had a lot of time on my hands so my daughter suggested that I write a book about my life and what I had endured but how life had turned around.
Writing Born for Life: A Midwife’s Story was a cathartic exercise that has seen the last scars of my trauma healed. It has been a journey that has shaped my life and made me the person I am today and also by discovering the truth of life I know that my baby is safe in heaven in the arms of Jesus. I am very thankful!
Author Bio
Julie grew up in a small, rural town in New Zealand. After leaving school, she worked at the local maternity annexe as a nurse aide, which gave her a love for caring for mothers and babies. Life could not have been happier, until the death of her second baby at birth led to depression, loneliness and despair.
Julie’s first book Born for Life: A Midwife’s Story follows her journey to overcome the challenges she faced to become the midwife that she was born to be.
She always had a dream to travel and work in a developing country. She had the opportunity to work as a midwife in many countries – including Zambia, Africa where she worked at Kalene Mission Hospital.
Julie’s second book Born for Life: Midwife in Africa describes her experiences living and working in Africa. She shares her incredible journey to make a difference in the lives of African women and their babies.
Julie lives in Palmerston North, New Zealand with her husband, Barry. She has recently retired and enjoys writing, travelling, volunteer work and spending time with her friends and family.
Born for Life: A Midwife’s Story
From a young age Julie pondered what she would do with her life. A job as a nurse aide in the local Maternity Annexe at the age of sixteen gave her a love for being with women during labour and birth and caring for mothers and their babies.
Life could not have been happier, married to the man she loved and the birth of a son. The tragic and unexpected death of her second baby in her first hour of life led to depression, loneliness and despair.
Born for Life: A Midwife’s Story tells of Julie’s struggle to overcome tragedy and who triumphs to become the midwife that she was born to be.
The many birth stories are told from an era in the 1970s through the eyes of a young nurse aide to modern day midwifery in New Zealand as an independent midwife with her own caseload.
Follow Julie online!
Thank you so much for visiting with us today. Follow along the rest of Julie’s blog tour and exciting month by visiting the RRBC website.
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