May 13, 2025 • 44 mins
Ever felt like your career was running on empty? Travelling Midwives Jess and Millie did and they chose the open road over burnout.
In this episode, we sit down with Jess and Millie, two Dual-Registered Midwives who turned burnout in healthcare into a journey of rediscovery, purpose, and friendship. They open up about the emotional toll of permanent roles and what finally pushed them to make bold moves into rural and remote contract work. From quitting multiple jobs to buying a caravan on a whim, their decisions may have been daring, but they were exactly what they needed to fall back in love with midwifery.
Introduced by their cmr consultant who knew they'd click, the pair met in Ceduna on an agency contract and quickly realised they’d found something special - in their careers, and in each other. Together, they reflect on the emotional highs and lows of midwifery, the importance of strong support systems, and the joy that comes from feeling truly valued again.
For healthcare professionals feeling stuck or burnt out, Jess and Millie offer an honest and hopeful perspective, proof that it’s possible to fall back in love with your work, and your life.
It Takes Heart is hosted by cmr CEO Sam Miklos, alongside Head of Talent and Employer Branding, Kate Coomber.
We Care; Music by Waveney Yasso
More about Jess & Millie's Organisations of Choice, Rednose & MND Australia.
Red Nose is Australia’s leading authority on safe sleep and safer pregnancy advice, and bereavement support for anyone affected by the loss of a pregnancy, stillbirth, the death of a baby or child.
MND Australia is the national peak body of state organisations that support those living with and impacted by motor neurone disease (MND). Their national and international networks help increase understanding of the disease and advocate for the needs of those affected, funding world-class research for better treatments, improved care, and ultimately a cure.
Get to know cmr better!
Follow @ittakesheartpodcast on Instagram, @cmr | Cornerstone Medical Recruitment on Linked In, @cornerstonemedicalrec on TikTok and @CornerstoneMedicalRecruitment on Facebook.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Sam Miklos (00:00):
Have you ever dreamed of packing up your life,
hitting the road and takingyour career with you?
That's exactly what Jess andMillie did Two midwives, two
incredible stories.
Travelling across Australiadelivering babies in regional
and rural towns, building anunbreakable friendship along the
way, I don't know how toexplain it.
Emelia Lansdell (00:19):
It's like it's not just the job and it's not
just being a midwife, but it'salso kind of adventure and it's
giving me.
Because of what it's giving me,I put more into my work now
because I'm not burnt out.
Kate Coomber (00:32):
Don't forget to hit follow or subscribe if you
want to hear more stories frominspiring healthcare
professionals.
Sam Miklos (00:45):
So today we're sitting down with Jess and
Millie, two adventurous,passionate midwives who've
swapped permanent jobs forcontracts, caravans and the
freedom to write their ownstories.
Welcome to it Takes Hard,ladies, thank you.
So let's be honest.
You came in to visit the officeyesterday and I think it was
you, millie, who said to me I'mthe happiest I've ever been.
Emelia Lansdell (01:09):
In 31 years.
That's what I thought it was in31 years and it literally
stopped me in my tracks.
Sam Miklos (01:16):
And I accosted you in the lift and was like Want to
do a podcast.
Kate Coomber (01:20):
And you said yes, yes of course, are you both okay
?
Emelia Lansdell (01:27):
Well, we kind of like to be accosted by sam in
reception and this is adifferent.
This is a different agency,though this is a different
recruitment company.
You guys care so much about usthat for us it's easy to come
back to you and say, absolutely,we're on board very easy, easy.
Sam Miklos (01:44):
I appreciate that because I know it was a lot.
I was giving you hugs and youwere just like who are you, what
are you doing?
Kate Coomber (01:50):
She ran out of her meeting and was like, oh my God
, I know, I was working fromhome yesterday and my team gave
me a little heads up.
It's like, just so you know, Ithink you're doing another one
tomorrow.
Sam Miklos (02:00):
I was like what.
We're good, let's do it.
So let's start there.
Yeah, the friendship,absolutely.
How did you two meet?
Where, tell us, seduna it wasSeduna last year.
On contract, on contract.
Jessica Plater (02:14):
So we both have the same recruiter, sarah, and
she told both of us that listen,for me it was like Millie's
coming to start.
You're going to love her,you're going to look really,
really great.
And just we went from there.
We got each other's numbers.
We met up the day before Milliestarted her contract.
We had dinner.
Emelia Lansdell (02:36):
We had a Sunday roast the day before I started.
I didn't know anybody in town.
Sam Miklos (02:41):
And how did that make you feel?
Emelia Lansdell (02:43):
It means a lot when somebody goes out of their
way to not only meet you butsort of say, hey, welcome.
I'm agency two.
You're going to love it hereand I'm here to kind of walk by
your side.
Kate Coomber (02:57):
How long had you been in Ceduna?
Jessica Plater (02:58):
Six weeks.
I was halfway through mycontract, yeah, and so then,
yeah, like we met for dinner,and then the next day I was like
, listen, meet me at theentrance to the hospital in the
morning at this time.
I'll walk you in, we'll go intogether.
It's scary starting a new placewhen I'm small um, and was that
your first ever contract?
Emelia Lansdell (03:14):
no, no, that was contract number four.
Sam Miklos (03:18):
So how did that compare to your other starts?
Emelia Lansdell (03:21):
oh, completely different.
The um.
I'm just thinking I hadn't hadanyone in my other contracts, I
hadn't had anyone who hadreached out beforehand.
But then I mean, helps thatyou're cornerstone, that we've
got the same recruiter.
So that was quite seamless, um.
But that also that that firstday you kind of took me under
(03:43):
your wing and you gave meorientation.
You gave me all, like you know,low down of what was what?
Jessica Plater (03:49):
Because agency knows what agency needs to know.
Yeah so like, you'll getorientated by the permanent
staff and they do a wonderfuljob, but then sometimes as
agency, because you're so usedto going to a new environment.
Oh, this is the little 411 thatyou need to know about this
facility that, agency to agency,doesn't always kind of get told
yeah.
Sam Miklos (04:09):
Is it normal to make these kinds of friendships?
Kate Coomber (04:12):
on placement.
Jessica Plater (04:12):
Is this one of many?
Yeah, Well, I haven't.
There was a third nurse that wemet in Sedona that we've got
our own little trio, but outsideof that probably not Like.
There's nurses and midwives I'mreally good friends with.
But the connection that Millieand I have, I feel, is just a
bit more than what I've madepreviously and the fact that
(04:35):
we're so like.
Emelia Lansdell (04:36):
I've made good friends along the way, but most
of these people that I've metare like permanent residents of
the places that I've been.
So in order to see them, I sortof have to go back and or, like
you know, keep in touch withsocial media and stuff.
I think the thing with Jess isthat she's traveling too and I'm
traveling, so although nowwe're really ever in the same
(04:58):
place at the same time but ourlives are so incredibly similar.
Our lives are so incrediblysimilar.
It's so easy to relate to eachother and that, yeah, just when
you go somewhere new, you have ahard day, Maybe you don't feel
like you're fitting in.
You get it, and it's verycomforting to have a friend who
(05:18):
gets it.
Sam Miklos (05:19):
Yeah, yeah.
Kate Coomber (05:27):
So let's understand first why you both
became midwives, like if we wetake it back, like, did you both
always want to be midwivesfirst?
Yeah, how did how did it go.
Sam Miklos (05:32):
Do you want to start Jess?
Jessica Plater (05:34):
um well, I did to get to originally getting
into nursing.
I did a like a student placementthrough high school like a work
placement in a NICICU at mylocal hospital back in Newcastle
and just fell in love with thenurses.
Just the amazing job they didcaring for these tiny little
humans.
So I went and did my nursingdegree and then I was working as
a nurse for two years and sawthe advertisement for the
(05:55):
midwifery program and I kind ofwent up to the unit and just
sussed it out a little bit.
I was like, oh this, ohsomething I could see myself
doing, committed to it.
Kate Coomber (06:10):
Did it was a bit impulsive, um, but then I
haven't looked back.
Yeah, and it's just found my,found my calling.
So do you do nursing and?
Jessica Plater (06:12):
midwifery contracts or purely midwifery.
Um, I've just done purelymidwifery but um some of the
midwifery contracts, becausewe're in smaller hospitals.
You will do a bit of nursingyeah, it's good.
Sam Miklos (06:20):
Yeah, what about?
Emelia Lansdell (06:21):
you up to date.
I came out of high school, Istarted psychology, which was
not the best decision I've evermade.
I was sitting having frozenyogurt with an old friend of
mine and she noticed.
So a pregnant woman walked pastthe window and I kind of took
my breath away and she was like,have you ever thought about
(06:41):
being a midwife?
And at that point I'd notthought about it.
And then it was something I waslike, ooh, am I smart enough,
am I capable enough?
You know, it's not like thisdecision to go into healthcare
is not one that you just makespontaneously.
And then signed up, I did adouble degree, so for four years
I did both my nursing and mymid, smashed it out.
(07:04):
It was hard but it was actuallyincredibly easy to get done
because I loved it so much.
And then, yeah, started workingand then gave it probably about
four years, had just anincredible passion for
breastfeeding and supportingmamas in feeding their babies
(07:25):
however they want to feed themand supporting them.
Sam Miklos (07:27):
That's so stressful.
Yes and no one ever.
Kate Coomber (07:30):
I didn't know about that until I had children.
Yes, what yeah?
Emelia Lansdell (07:34):
So did my studies and became a lactation
consultant.
Yeah, so, now that's on thecards too, yeah, which is really
exciting and it's something I'mreally really passionate about.
Kate Coomber (07:43):
Yeah so when did you both?
Were you in permanent jobsinitially and then moved to
agency?
How and when and why did thathappen?
Emelia Lansdell (07:51):
Although I was, I had three jobs before I took
the first agency gig because Iwas trying to manage my own
burnout, which I hadn'trecognised.
I was doing a midwife role, Iwas doing a nursing role and I
was teaching in primary schoolsas well.
What were you teaching?
Teaching what Like puberty sex?
(08:13):
Ed that kind of stuff, likechild school nurse, which was
actually the most refreshingchange from working inside
healthcare, but all of the stuffthat you know and you love and
you love teaching and you know,kids get really excited about it
.
Very topical in my house isn'tit yeah?
(08:33):
Yeah, I've been given as anauntie, I've been given the the
honorary role of doing thateducation when the time comes.
Sam Miklos (08:41):
Maybe we can talk about this remember why, but I
got an email about maybe it wasto do with LinkedIn and it led
me to Cornerstone.
Emelia Lansdell (08:57):
And then the first job it was in Mildura and
it was for a community midwiferole, which felt like something
is pulling me in that kind ofdirection.
It just felt right.
So I was like, yep, let's do it.
It all happened I got there andthat was it.
I haven't looked back.
Sam Miklos (09:19):
What you talked about burnout there.
Like what were the signs?
Like you didn't even realiseyou were burnt out and did you
then leave your permanent joband go straight into that.
I quit all three jobs.
You quit all three.
Yeah, Like what were the signsyou missed?
Emelia Lansdell (09:33):
Yeah, it happened all within kind of two
weeks and we were at a picnicand I told my family, I gave
them all letters and made themspell out the word Mildura and I
said look, I'm moving, thankyou, but it was.
Sam Miklos (09:49):
How did they respond ?
I was just going to say thatwe're going to have a picnic.
Emelia Lansdell (09:52):
Like I'm not a stranger to mental health issues
and I think sort of 2021, 22, Iwas rollercoastering and then I
thought that I was sort ofgetting back on track, but I was
still feeling internally.
I was feeling quite hollow.
I was feeling my career like mywork life with three jobs, but
(10:19):
I still felt really depleted andreally empty.
I was not loving being amidwife, which initially was the
thing that was like getting meout of bed in the morning.
I was getting frustrated.
There's something called likecompassion fatigue.
Jessica Plater (10:37):
And.
Emelia Lansdell (10:39):
I was frustrated at everybody.
I was frustrated at patients,at staff, at colleagues, at
friends, at family, and I justthought something needs to
change.
But I didn't know what it wasuntil that email from
Cornerstone came through and Icalled and I spoke to my
(11:00):
recruiter, who's still myrecruiter now.
Sarah, she's great and it waslike like I'm really interested
in this role.
Community midwifery, a littlebit different from
hospital-based midwifery, how so?
um, it was a little bit morecontinuity, which for us
midwives, we love, when you getto see a mama, a family, a baby
(11:24):
again and again yes it is thelike creme de la creme of
midwifery and um was working ata clinic where I would get to be
a bit more autonomous, um, Iwould not have the stress of
shift work, um, and it was, itwas good.
(11:44):
And then when I got into it,settled, found my feet, the
clinic became.
They were very, very welcomingand made some very, very good
friends.
I started within myself, Istarted to feel a lot better and
I started to um like my moodwas lifting and I just was
(12:10):
feeling really, really, I wasfalling in love, back in love
with Mildura Free and it was,yeah, it was amazing.
I think that then gave me theconfidence.
When Mildura wrapped up, Ibought a caravan.
Kate Coomber (12:22):
That's a whole nother story how long did you go
into that contract for, likewhen you took that opportunity
and moved your life, like, howlong were you sort of going for
it?
Emelia Lansdell (12:29):
was two.
I mean it was two contracts butover the span of eight months
and that kind of gave me thisconfidence in being a midwife
and I was like I think I cankeep doing this.
This agency stuff can be alittle scary when you think I'm
going to move from place toplace.
Do I have it in me to do that?
But I think I'd picked upenough of what I needed from
(12:51):
that first contract to then gointo the second, third, fourth,
fifth and now sixth it just, youjust roll with it.
Kate Coomber (12:59):
Yeah, it's so beautiful to hear that from such
a place of struggle.
Yeah, that so many people mightbe in that position and think
this isn't for me, yeah, likeI've got to leave.
I can't be a midwife toreignite that joy.
Emelia Lansdell (13:12):
I can't do anything, especially after covid
yeah it's, that's wiped theslate for a lot of people in
terms of their passion, yeah,and their ability to be
compassionate with themselvesand with patients and families
and that kind of thing, to thenfind it again, yeah, yeah.
Sam Miklos (13:32):
How long did it take at Mildura till you found that
passion?
Not long, not long, a month ortwo, like it's amazing to think
that, to go from that in a monthand then to feel that and then
get that confidence and that joyback.
Like imagine if you had enoughyou might not be in the
profession now you know.
Emelia Lansdell (13:48):
Part of it, I think, was also moving out of
the city.
Melbourne metropolitan life forme was feeling too heavy, too
stressful, crazy chaotic.
I wanted not a sea change, butI just wanted to get out and see
if life could feel simpler, andit was.
(14:08):
And now that I've been out ofMelbourne for a year and a half,
if not more, when I do go backto Melbourne, it's a bit heavy.
Sam Miklos (14:17):
Yeah, I bet it's a bit heavy, it's like, okay,
there's traffic.
Emelia Lansdell (14:22):
There's like, all of these people, all of
these shops, all of these,everything's of these shops, all
of these, everything'shappening all the time, all of
the time, everything's on um andthen you go and live in, you
know seduna.
Seduna has zero traffic lights.
Yeah, and it is the best thingever.
Yeah, it is roundabouts and itis easy parking everywhere and
(14:43):
it is walking distanceeverywhere and it is walking
into the hospital and you seethe same people every day.
There's something beautiful andfulfilling about that kind of
life.
Kate Coomber (14:56):
And so you're now sold.
You've bought a caravan, youjust said why, Jess, did you
step into more agency contractwork?
Jessica Plater (15:04):
I'd been working my last permanent role.
I'd been there for six yearsand I'd rotate.
So I was on an antenatal wardand I'd rotate to the clinic for
four weeks because we had torotate to keep our skills up and
I'd gone from doing shift work,overtime, flogging myself,
working 50-hour weeks, 60-hourweeks, to going to doing nine to
(15:25):
5, monday to Friday, had myweekends back, had my nights
back, and I was only there for amonth.
But I walked up to my bosshalfway through and the gist of
the conversation was I hate mylife, I hate my job and I hate
being here.
I need to go do something aboutit.
And I was lucky enough that Ididn't have any dependence,
aside from my dog, that I couldjust pack up my life.
Sam Miklos (15:46):
Because you both travel with your animals.
Yes, billy.
Rosie yes, I thought they wouldhave come in, did Billy and
Rosie?
Jessica Plater (15:53):
get on.
Billy is in.
Emelia Lansdell (15:55):
Melbourne and Rosie is.
Jessica Plater (15:57):
In Bansdale.
Yeah, so that was about the Mayand I had the lease of my
rental until October.
So I took a bit of time and Isaid to my workplace I'd like 12
months leave without pay andthat had to go to the executive,
of course and they were like wemight want to negotiate.
I said I understand thatbecause we're still in a
staffing crisis, but anythingless than six months, I'm
(16:18):
resigning.
You say no, I'm resigning, andthey luckily said yes.
So I packed up, went my leasesup, started my first contract in
Canberra and then just lovedthe work so much that I last
year resigned permanently.
Wow, so this is the new life.
This is the new life.
Sam Miklos (16:32):
It is and did you have that same?
You know, Millie talked aboutthe same feelings like burnout
and falling out of love a littlebit, and you were like I hate,
I'm doing yeah, how long tillyou fell back in love.
Was there a moment when youfell back in love with?
Jessica Plater (16:45):
Oh, I felt that being in a new place, surrounded
by people that were mycolleagues, were supportive, but
we're all really burnt out.
But then, yeah, I think, justgoing somewhere new and just not
having to worry about thepolitics of a place, just being
able to go in and concentrate onthe job that I love, do your
job, yeah.
And being able to go in andconcentrate on the job that I
(17:05):
love, do your job, yeah, andbeing able to go home and not
worry about it.
Within weeks I was like, oh yes, like I just needed to change
because I got reallycondescending to my colleagues
in my permanent job, like I gotreally miserable.
I just you could tell in myattitude that I didn't want to
be there.
Kate Coomber (17:19):
And I guess if you're all burnt out together,
you can't even support eachother exactly yeah, it would
create it just.
Jessica Plater (17:25):
Everybody was fatigued.
We're all doing massive amountsof overtime because of the
short staffing, and so you wantto support everybody.
I can't even support myself.
How can I?
support somebody else and so Ithought about it for a while,
doing agency work, but kind ofnever really think oh no, it's
all right, I'll get through, youknow she'll be right.
But then being a single personwanting to buy a home in my
(17:46):
hometown was impossible to beginwith.
And then it was like but why doI wanna buy a house when I
don't like my job?
So it was, yeah, packed up meand my dog in the car, off,
we've gone and we haven't lookedback since.
Sam Miklos (17:59):
Do you guys have breaks where you go home, or do
you?
Jessica Plater (18:05):
I took a break after my first one because it's
Christmas time, so I went homefor Christmas.
But I tend to just if I getfour days off, I'll fly home and
see the family.
Otherwise I just tend to gocontract to contract because I'm
just exploring at the same time.
Kate Coomber (18:16):
Was it difficult from a financial perspective?
Like did it feel like a reallybig risk?
Sam Miklos (18:21):
Oh yeah, Was that a real?
To step away from the comfortof permanent employment and
knowing?
Jessica Plater (18:27):
Well, that's why I took 12 months leave without
pay.
Yeah.
Because, I was like, if thisdoesn't work, if I don't like
this, I need to have somethingsecure to come back to.
But then I also then wasn'thaving to worry about paying
rent and utilities and all thatkind of stuff.
It was just I just got my carand the fuel that I need and
some spending money, so youdrive.
Kate Coomber (18:46):
I drive yeah.
Jessica Plater (18:47):
Yeah, so you drive, I drive, yeah, drive
everywhere.
It was scary not having thatsecurity in a job, but then I
was like, well, I work inhealthcare there's always going
to be a need for nurses inmidwives.
So I'm kind of like if I don'tlike it, I can go somewhere else
.
Emelia Lansdell (19:01):
I've grown up with my dad always saying, well,
no, like with this career isthat you'll never be out of a
job 100%.
He loves the fact that I'm doingcontract work because it's sort
of like close to what he's beendoing for the majority of his
life and he's like you're inhigh demand, you'll never be out
(19:22):
of a job, I think.
For me I'm lucky in that I wentfrom Mildura to Bairnsdale and
then I went to Wayala Sojuna.
I had pretty good consistency.
So for me now I know that I cantrust that there's going to be
jobs especially if you'rewilling to travel a little bit,
you're willing to go off thebeaten track.
(19:46):
We both started at the same timeOctober 2023.
And I think when you work, youdo a number of contracts, you
begin to really feel like you'renot just an agency worker, but
you're part of the family andyou're part of the company and
you know that the recruiterconsultant that you've got is
(20:10):
going to look after you and isgoing to do their best to find
the next job for you.
So it's easy to feel reassuredand to trust the process.
Kate Coomber (20:20):
Yeah, is the dream to travel together and maybe
travel in your caravan and go oncontract and keep going
together.
Sam Miklos (20:27):
She's not a camper, but the dream is to go on
contract together.
Jessica Plater (20:30):
No, no, I love a caravan.
My dog is too big for a caravan.
Sam Miklos (20:33):
Right, what's a?
Jessica Plater (20:34):
dog.
She's a Kelby Cross BlackLabrador.
Sam Miklos (20:36):
She's gorgeous.
Jessica Plater (20:37):
She's gorgeous, but she's too big for a caravan,
so I would happily travel in acaravan but my dog will not be
able to travel in a caravan.
Sam Miklos (20:45):
We do, really want to that.
Can I ask, though, were you acamper and used to caravans
before you bought one?
Like is that?
Because I've just come backfrom a caravanning experience
where we hired an RV for twoweeks with our three kids.
When you've never camped inQueensland never camped Like we
went from zero to 200.
Jessica Plater (21:04):
It felt like yeah, I was like with three kids
in a caravan that's a lot Withthree kids in a caravan shared
amenity blocks taking like afive-year-old, a six-year-old
and eight-year-olds.
Sam Miklos (21:11):
So I don't have amenity blocks because I've got
everything.
So has you done this before, orwere you just like out there?
I just want to get a caravannow.
Emelia Lansdell (21:20):
So I can be a little bit impulsive and
spontaneous.
I had never caravanned beforecaravan before um, I'd never
towed anything before um, I hadthe car for it.
Amazing, perfect.
Um, there was a beautiful nursethat I worked with in Mildura
and she, her and her partner,were in a caravan and I'd sort
(21:41):
of been thinking about it alittle bit before that, but then
that made things like whoa,okay, I really think I want to
do.
This also means that I can thenhave my cat with me all the
time, which is my life goal.
Um, so did like.
Honestly, I did a little bit ofresearch but I came across like
snowy river caravans and Ifound the one I wanted, and then
(22:02):
I put a deposit down and then Ibought it and all happened.
Here we are and here we are andI learnt to tow on my own and I
learnt to hitch and unhitch andI learnt to do it all and it's
fun and I love it.
So can you.
It's fabulous.
Kate Coomber (22:17):
It's so difficult to find accommodation for a lot
of healthcare workers.
Sometimes they have the budget.
They can hire people, butthere's no way to house them and
we've come across that Alsomeans that I'm not packing up.
Emelia Lansdell (22:25):
I'm not unpacking, packing, unpacking,
packing.
It means that I've goteverything I want with me.
I'm also in my own space, whichI have lots of.
It's like a little jungle.
I have lots of.
Jessica Plater (22:37):
She keeps adding plants.
Emelia Lansdell (22:38):
Yeah.
I've got lots of fake plants.
Sam Miklos (22:40):
Well, having been on this caravan too, like, yeah,
the proper caravan.
People like it's a set up it.
Emelia Lansdell (22:45):
It's a set up it's decked out.
Kate Coomber (22:47):
It's got lights.
It is.
It's my safe space.
I think yours was verytemporary, ours was cold and
clinical it was.
Sam Miklos (22:52):
there was more in this than there is Are you going
to keep carrying?
Emelia Lansdell (22:56):
I'll show you photos.
I think you'll appreciate thedecor inside.
But it's like a safe space forme.
So you know you're away fromhome and you're starting a new
job and then you're startinganother new job, but my caravan
for me is like my little.
Yeah, it's just my little.
It's like your safe haven, yoursanctuary.
Yeah, it is, yeah.
Sam Miklos (23:16):
Like you've learnt how to hitch and tow, what else
have you two learnt aboutyourselves on these contracts?
I mean even going into newplaces all the time, having to
meet new people, be the newperson all the time having to
meet new people, be the newperson.
Jessica Plater (23:35):
It's really weird because I am the person
that has my core group offriends from high school and
then uni and me.
Well, I haven't gotten to youyet.
Sam Miklos (23:43):
You're not in there yet You're not in there yet.
Emelia Lansdell (23:46):
You have your own chapter, I have my own book.
Jessica Plater (23:50):
You know, I'm the person that's got my core
group of friends from highschool and uni and, despite how
confident that I come across,I'm actually quite shy meeting
new people.
So being able to then do agencyand having to come out of my
comfort zone to be able to belike, oh, we're having dinner
tonight and I only know oneperson being like, oh, do I
really want to go Because Idon't know anybody, that would
be really awkward.
Then having to be able tointegrate myself into that has
(24:12):
been a big lesson for me and Ithink a lot of people will be
surprised because I'm veryconfident.
I'm the planner and I'm the.
I know what we're doing andit's all good.
Meeting new people still causesme a bit of anxiety when I'm
the outsider in this situation.
But and I'm the outsider inthis situation, yeah so.
But then I do adopt peopleunder my wing, like Millie,
(24:33):
because I've been there, likeI've been there before, and I
know what the vibe is like.
So I will bring this person intothe fold, if I can, to make it
easier for them.
But having to, yeah, makefriends outside of what I've
known for, you know, 34 years,has been a good thing.
Kate Coomber (24:48):
Yeah, yeah, shows people that it can be done
though.
Yeah, totally, I think that'sthe one thing holding you back
from maybe this sort of chapter.
Oh you've got two.
Emelia Lansdell (24:55):
I think you've got two perfect examples here of
people who would you would notexpect them to be the ones who
are travelling, doing contracts,getting out there and now
actually kind of okay with it.
Yeah, I love it.
Sam Miklos (25:09):
Yeah, it's a whole new life.
Yeah, it is let's talk aboutmidwifery, because we were
having this conversation beforeLike it's got to be a tough gig.
You know, if you think about it, a lot of people would think
it's just cuddling babies andbeautiful moments.
Kate Coomber (25:24):
It's what a lot of people say I always say, we see
the highest of highs, but wesee the lowest of lows yeah,
like I had a fairly traumaticexperience first time around and
I just remember the midwife inthe room and how special they
were to me, but really realizingit's not about cuddling.
Jessica Plater (25:40):
Maybe there are outcomes that aren't so cuddling
babies is like the smallestpart of our job.
Yeah, um, you know, assist, welike just the range that we see
in.
Just one specialty is, yeah, wesee the people in the lowest of
lows of their days.
Then we do the highest of highsand you know everything goes
well.
Sam Miklos (25:58):
And that could be going from one birthing suite to
the next.
Jessica Plater (26:00):
Yeah, you know, an eight-hour shift.
Sam Miklos (26:03):
Yeah, an eight-hour shift.
Jessica Plater (26:04):
You can deliver a baby, go back onto the
postnatal ward, help somebodybreastfeed.
Somebody comes in.
You know you're doing anassessment to make sure they're
well and healthy.
Taking phone calls.
Sam Miklos (26:15):
How do you manage the highs and lows, like when
you both talked about burnout.
Is that burnout in midwifery?
Is that burnout?
There's so much burnout inhealthcare, so much.
How do you manage?
Jessica Plater (26:26):
Leaning on the village you've got, yeah.
So that's something Millie andI have worked at really well in
our friendship.
Emelia Lansdell (26:32):
It's probably one of the reasons why we bonded
so well.
Jessica Plater (26:35):
Yeah, and why our?
Emelia Lansdell (26:36):
friendship is so strong is because we.
Jessica Plater (26:38):
Lean on each other.
Kate Coomber (26:39):
I guess to be open .
Yeah, yeah, and it's just weallow one another to really.
Jessica Plater (26:47):
Have our space.
Yeah, the heartbreak is toreally like melt into the
heartbreak and talk about it Iwalked out of work one day one
of my contracts and just senther a message being like I've
had a really shit day when areyou?
Emelia Lansdell (26:56):
free to talk.
Jessica Plater (26:57):
She's like I'll be free at this time and then we
spoke for like two hours on thephone and it wasn't all about
the crappy day, it was just.
We then deviated like we do toeverything else?
That we haven't talked about,but it's leaning on your village
, whether it's calling your mum,your dad, a friend, just being
able to debrief about it all,because it's really tough some
days.
And the important thing is weknow the job.
(27:20):
We're both midwives.
We know what the lows can be.
And so having someone thatunderstands and just supports
you in all.
That is just really good.
Kate Coomber (27:27):
And I guess when you talked about back in the
more metro-y jobs that youweren't happy in, you couldn't
give that compassion to yourpatients.
Emelia Lansdell (27:34):
by the sounds of it, no, and then you can't
give it to yourself.
Yeah, that's tough.
I think something I've learntover the past six, seven years
is the first place that you needto be kind and gentle starts
with you.
You can call upon your village.
(27:55):
You can, you know, like youcall it a village, I call it a
support team.
You know it's much of amuchness.
It's the people that you feelsafe with and that you can call
upon when you need.
But it's taking that time to bebe if you've had a really hard
shift, or maybe a couple ofshifts.
You've, you know, followed afamily, maybe if they've lost a
(28:19):
pregnancy, or I mean there'snumerous things in in maternity
that can be very, very difficultto not only for the women and
the families to go through, butalso for the healthcare
providers to care for, is almostsaying to yourself like it's
(28:39):
okay to be feeling like thisright now.
It is okay to be feelingcompletely heartbroken.
Jessica Plater (28:53):
Almost like you're validating your own
feelings.
I always say to my women bekind to yourself after you've
had a baby, your hormones areout of whack for weeks, possibly
months, and I'm always sayingto them be kind to yourself and
to your family.
But then it's about.
Well, I gotta be kind to myselfyeah, and I'm not always kind
to myself, yeah because we'rethe worst judgments of character
on ourselves.
Emelia Lansdell (29:07):
And then when you've got good friends and good
support systems, you can remindeach other Are there stories
that stick with you Absolutely.
Sam Miklos (29:15):
Oh yeah, yeah, definitely.
Jessica Plater (29:18):
Can you share some?
Do you want a high or a low, doyou want?
Sam Miklos (29:20):
to do one of each.
Jessica Plater (29:25):
A bit of both.
So a low well, I mean this oneit's a low end and then it ends
in a high.
So I was a student midwife backin 2017 and we'd had a lady
come in who thought she'd felther baby move.
She was about 38 weeks pregnantand, in fact, had lost her baby
, and so I worked a double shiftto stay caring for her through
the entire labour and deliverthe baby, and she delivered at
1am.
You know we're all completelyupset.
(29:46):
It's an absolutely devastatingexperience to be part of,
especially as a student.
But then, for two and a halfyears later, I was at my next
job and I get a message from oneof my colleagues and she'd come
in and had another baby andthey wanted me to know because
they still thought of me and thesupport I gave them during the
most horrendous time of theirlife, and so they sent me a
(30:07):
photo.
They got to send me a photo oftheir new little family and they
said we just still want tothank you, um, because we still
think of you, but we've now hadthis beautiful new baby and
that's why we do our jobs.
Oh, that's so.
You've got us all I was like Ipromise I was gonna cry if I
told this story um you could notcry, I know, but it's things
like that when they still thinkof you years down the track and
(30:29):
you're like, oh, just youactually had an impact in that
moment?
Yeah, and it was the worst timeof their life and they still
think of you years later whenthey have a positive experience
and it's just you made adifference.
Yeah, you have this ability anda profession to yeah, and that's
why we do what we do and it'swhy we love what we love,
because of those experiencesthat you don't get out of the
good and the bad.
And I got a.
(30:50):
It was my birthday yesterday.
Sam Miklos (30:52):
Oh my God, I didn't even know it was your birthday,
I was like me, me, me, me.
Jessica Plater (30:55):
Yeah, the podcast.
But I got a message from a girlI looked after last year one of
my contracts and she thanked mefor bringing her baby into the
world on my birthday.
Emelia Lansdell (31:05):
That was a big one because you looked after her
for six days.
That was a big one because youlooked after her for six days,
six days straight.
Jessica Plater (31:10):
I looked after her and you advocated for her
and yeah, so I got a message.
Yes, I'm a birth mother.
Thank you so much to the bestmidwife who brought our baby
into the world.
We still think of you and I wasjust like it's what we do, what
we do that's so special?
And we don't go into it lookingfor validation.
But then when we do, it's justlike oh yes.
Kate Coomber (31:27):
And do you think, if you're going on contract into
smaller towns, that you haveeven bigger impact and you
really can connect with patientsmore and have more of that
continuity?
I guess long-term care.
Jessica Plater (31:37):
If they're in a longer contract, yes, because
women will get to know you andstuff.
But I think also sometimes, ifthey're used to a high turnover
in midwives, they don't allowthemselves to because they're
like, oh, you're only going tobe here for six weeks and then
I'll have to meet somebody else.
Sam Miklos (31:50):
Yeah, they need somebody else.
Jessica Plater (31:52):
So it all just depends on what stage you come
into their lives, if they'repregnancy, and what you're there
for.
Because when we were on Sedonawe were doing MGP, which is
group practice, so we have anallocation of women, and so you
(32:13):
know we had some lovely birthswith our women and that we were
there for personally, so we gotto do that, the end part.
So then you know that wasreally beautiful.
But then someone we're justthere for the beginning.
We've seen them twice then theyget somebody else so some of
them are just like oh yeah,you're just another one in a
string of people, so I alsothink from their perspective
it's hard that would be reallydifficult, yeah and how about
for you, millie, any really?
Emelia Lansdell (32:25):
I would say maybe part of the reason why,
like I said, said to you, sam, Isaid I'm the happiest that I've
been in 31 years is because inthe past year and a half I've
gotten the most feedback frompatients and families, mamas,
about the care that I've giventhem, about the care that I've
(32:49):
given them Very, very, verysweet bunches of flowers and
cards and chocolates that justTake your breath away because at
some point it's hard to believethat you're able to make them
feel like that.
I think when you removeyourself from being a permanent
(33:11):
staff member where you can get alittle bit caught up in the
politics, the management side ofthings, and this almost becomes
I don't know how to explain itit's like it's not just the job
and it's not just being amidwife, but it's also kind of
adventure and it's giving me.
(33:33):
Because of what it's giving me,I put more into my work now
because I'm not burnt out andI'm not, yeah, the more your cup
is full, the more you can, moreyou can give.
Sam Miklos (33:41):
It's almost like an undiluted, whereas when you're
permanent and you've got all theother stuff in the work, it
kind of dilutes it, whereas it'sa really concentrated more
experience, absolutely.
Emelia Lansdell (33:52):
I've had like the breastfeeding support that
I've been able to give in thepast 6-12 months and the oh,
just the mamas and when theylook at me and they say thank
you and it's the simplest stuffbut it means the most.
Midwifery is definitely not allhigh, it's definitely lows.
Sam Miklos (34:18):
And probably a lot of high stress in some of those
situations too.
Oh yeah, there is so muchstress Moments where you think
like okay, I need more hands ondeck.
Emelia Lansdell (34:27):
Who can I call?
What am I doing?
Oh, my goodness.
Jessica Plater (34:30):
Babies like to be tricky.
Sam Miklos (34:31):
Yes, I was going to say that they like to be tricky.
They really like to trick usand we go and we go.
Jessica Plater (34:35):
Can you please just like just take a moment,
mate, Just settle, it's all good.
Emelia Lansdell (34:42):
Like all of it.
Yeah, I think like I'm notdiscrediting anybody else out
there, but I think midwives arean incredible bunch of people.
Sam Miklos (34:51):
Yeah.
Emelia Lansdell (34:54):
I don't know.
I've just watched midwives domagical things and be incredibly
resilient and strong andcompassionate, even when the
cup's full.
Sam Miklos (35:05):
And they have to be empty.
I was going to say, how yousaid earlier about you know if
you think about having a surgery.
The patient's asleep, yeah.
Kate Coomber (35:11):
Whereas you've got the patient, the partner
there's so many things likegoing on.
Emelia Lansdell (35:16):
To support everyone.
Patient therapy yeah, Moodlighting Husband's latest.
What's the?
Are we allowed to ask the?
Sam Miklos (35:23):
craziest thing that you know that you've seen where
someone's needed like a playlistrequest, or is there anything
where you're like that was likeoff the chart?
Jessica Plater (35:30):
I mean some of the women love, I mean some
women have some crazy things.
They have some wonderful,wonderful things they wish that
they want to do Not always thebest options.
Emelia Lansdell (35:44):
I just always think the best thing is just to
be open-minded.
I think when you write a very,very, very structured birth plan
, you're setting expectations upand you know there's room for
being disappointed.
Home births, water births Ilike toilet births toilet births
(36:07):
.
Jessica Plater (36:07):
Yeah, I love it.
It's really great.
Yeah, is that is just a?
Sam Miklos (36:08):
mama on the toilet being like.
Emelia Lansdell (36:11):
Is that what you do?
Is that what you?
Sam Miklos (36:12):
would do in the hospitals to go, or is that?
Jessica Plater (36:15):
anywhere, it just happens in the car park.
Yeah, shower yeah.
Emelia Lansdell (36:21):
Toilet.
Jessica Plater (36:21):
I mean, they'll both anyway Anywhere.
Sam Miklos (36:22):
Floor, anywhere Bed.
Kate Coomber (36:24):
Yeah, when it's coming, it's coming.
You can't.
Yeah.
I was like well, I was aC-section, so no, I didn't have
it so.
I don't know Nothingspontaneous.
Yes, what?
Yeah, what do you mean?
Jessica Plater (36:38):
you just gotta hope that we can get a pair of
gloves on.
Yeah, and a towel, if need be,yeah to just catch the baby.
Emelia Lansdell (36:43):
Yeah, I had the other day.
I was like walking into theroom I can't remember.
It was night shift, I think andI had a student with me.
She was absolutely gorgeous andwe were going into the room of
someone.
It was like baby number fourand she was niggling.
So you don't really know whatshe's doing and I pull out on
the wall.
Jessica Plater (36:59):
I just pull out two pairs of gloves and I stuck
one in her pocket and I stuckone in mine and I just look at
her and I'm like you never trusta multi no, because you don't
you never know what they'regonna do um, so some of the time
, more than one baby yeah umthey go because normally it's
like each pregnancy gets quicker.
Your labor gets quicker witheach pregnancy so by the time
you're to baby three or four.
(37:20):
You're like you're going tobirth a baby in like two hours.
Emelia Lansdell (37:22):
But then you can't rely on that, because, no,
mine wasn't awful.
Jessica Plater (37:26):
No, and it's not the case for everybody.
I love it Never trust a multi.
Sam Miklos (37:30):
No, never trust a multi.
Emelia Lansdell (37:35):
They'll be fine .
They'll'll think okay, allright, we're going.
Sam Miklos (37:39):
God, have they ever had a playlist where you're like
oh, I can't work under?
Jessica Plater (37:42):
this condition.
I had somebody play heavy metal.
Oh, that would have been a verylike yeah it was just very
screaming heavy metal and it wasjust like I need to leave
because my brain is going tojust Explode.
Emelia Lansdell (37:55):
Explode.
Sam Miklos (37:56):
And you probably can't Go on.
Emelia Lansdell (38:02):
One of explode and you probably can't go on one
of my girls in sejunah shebirthed to van morrison uh,
brown-eyed girl.
No, I, I can't remember it wasjust a van morrison playlist um
but and then um, she, so when Ilike, finished up, um and she, I
can remember maybe when he waslike a month or two old and she
(38:25):
like sent like a photo and thensent like a link to the song to
play Van Morrison again and Iwas like ooh, she's pulling on
heartstrings.
Kate Coomber (38:35):
I love the feels.
That's nice.
I guess, if you had a littlebit of advice for people who
might be thinking maybe they'rein the same position, they're
either at a crossroads maybe Ican't do it, or is it for me, or
any of those sorts of momentswhat would you say to them?
Emelia Lansdell (38:48):
You can do it.
Kate Coomber (38:50):
What's hard, though, because you guys,
everything's been.
Sam Miklos (38:53):
I know it's not all been roses.
Emelia Lansdell (38:55):
It's not.
I know it's not A tough, butit's not been all yeah what's
hard, that someone should knowabout being away from like being
away from home.
Jessica Plater (39:01):
Away from the family, losing that permanency.
A lot of my friends that Ispeak to want to do it, but
they're afraid to lose thepermanency of what they've got.
And it's just being able tohave the courage to take that
leap, to be like you know what.
There's so many jobs everywhere.
You can always go back, um, andI think it's you've got nothing
(39:25):
to lose really, um, but again,it's being away from your family
can be tough.
Being away from what you knowcan be tough, and if you're not,
and if you are a bit moreintroverted or you don't make
friends easily, it can be thenhard being the person, the new
person, going into a newworkplace when you haven't been
there before.
But but it's so worth it.
Emelia Lansdell (39:41):
You can do hard things.
Jessica Plater (39:43):
Yeah, you can definitely do the hard things.
We're able to do hard things.
Emelia Lansdell (39:46):
When you think about it and I had someone very,
very special say this to me isthat when you look back on your
life and all of the hard thingsthat you've come across and
navigatedated through, what isyour track record?
Jessica Plater (40:02):
yeah, you say, well, like a hundred percent
because I've gotten, I've gottenthrough all of them, otherwise
you wouldn't be here, so knowingthat I love that actually you
are really, really good atgetting through hard things.
Emelia Lansdell (40:14):
Yeah, because you've gotten through all of
them.
Yeah, they might havecompletely, oh, bewildered you
and broken you down, but youstill got through them.
Sam Miklos (40:25):
Yeah, so you can you can get through other things.
Kate Coomber (40:29):
You were just asking about dating well, you
know, I think it's two singlegirls, that would be a realistic
thing if you're going intosmaller towns or you're moving
all the time and it's not alwaysgoing to be on people's radar,
but for people who it might bereally important and that's a
concern for them of can I gotravelling?
Jessica Plater (40:46):
I mean, yeah, you can still go travelling and
meet people, and if you're in asmall town like Sedona, don't go
on the dating apps there's agorgeous.
Emelia Lansdell (40:59):
There's a gorgeous midwife that I worked
in, wayla.
She's from Melbourne.
She came over.
She found out that she waspregnant not long before she
came over and then did acontract and then went back to
her partner.
She's either or she's like very, very close to due or she's had
a baby already, very, not longago.
But it doesn't have to besomething that breaks up a
(41:23):
relationship.
Yeah, we've met lots of peoplewho have.
Jessica Plater (41:27):
Yeah, oh yeah, Plenty of people are traveling
with their partners.
Sam Miklos (41:29):
Take a little break, yeah.
Jessica Plater (41:31):
Partners are traveling with them you know,
there's midwives that.
I've worked with that GorgeousNew Zealand friend and her
fiance that you know theirpartner might be a tradie so
they just message tradie, youknow come along and be like I'm
going to be in town for sixweeks.
Sam Miklos (41:48):
Do you need an extra set of?
Jessica Plater (41:49):
hands.
But yeah, if you go to the tinytown, stay off the dating apps.
Sam Miklos (41:53):
Yeah, stay off those .
It's a great tip.
I feel like the caravan parksare full of life, no.
Jessica Plater (41:58):
No, no, we're not going there, we're not going
there, that's part two, samwe're not talking about this,
all right, all right, all right,let's go.
Sam Miklos (42:06):
All right, that's good.
All right, do you think you'llwant to stop Like is there going
to be a point where you'll belike all right, I've done?
Emelia Lansdell (42:13):
it now.
Jessica Plater (42:14):
Is there a?
Emelia Lansdell (42:15):
At the moment, it's fine At the moment.
No, I think in a couple ofyears.
Jessica Plater (42:18):
It'll probably get a bit tiresome just living
out of my car and having to packup and repack and all that kind
of stuff.
Yeah, she was just going to sayWell, my dog is too big for a
caravan.
Sam Miklos (42:25):
That's right, we've gone through the dog.
Kate Coomber (42:27):
So I think eventually it might get a bit
more of a oh, I'm just sick ofpacking up my shit all over
somewhere permanent to staywhere I go casual and I can
(42:47):
still do contracts from a homebase rather than just traveling
permanently see how that goes.
Jessica Plater (42:49):
So, with every episode, cmr are donating to a
charity of your choice.
Who can we talk about?
Uh, red Nose for me, um, theysupport, they do the education
for SIDS and safe sleeping, andthen provide grievance and
bereavement, support for thosethat have lost babies,
pregnancies, children.
Um, so that's given myexperiences experiences in my
personal life as well that's whoI'd like to, yeah, bring
awareness to.
Sam Miklos (43:07):
Beautiful.
Emelia Lansdell (43:08):
What about for you, mnd?
Yeah, the beautiful familyfriend that we lost quite a few
years ago, who was, yeah, very,very special to my mum.
So that's, yeah, that's who Ichoose.
Sam Miklos (43:22):
Beautiful Thanks.
Thank you both so much, and notjust for today.
Emelia Lansdell (43:26):
You skimmed the surface.
Sam Miklos (43:28):
Oh, I know, I was like I don't even know that
we've got like the anxiety oflike a time limit today, but you
know just what you've done, notjust for us but the communities
that you've worked with.
Like just seeing you both havesuch a glow up now right like
you've gone from being so burntout and potentially not staying
in a profession that you'reactually both profoundly clearly
(43:48):
so very good at what you do.
Kate Coomber (43:49):
Huge impact, yeah, every family that you're
obviously connecting with it'sit goes both ways.
Emelia Lansdell (43:54):
So I think you know we make impacts on the
people that we look after um, asdo all health care
professionals, but they lookafter us when they give us their
feedback and their you knowtheir kind words it keeps our
cups full and it keeps us goingwell, thank you.
Sam Miklos (44:11):
We hope we get you going for many, many more years,
I'm sure we will we'll be we'llbe around.
Jessica Plater (44:17):
We'll be around.
We're not going anywhere.
Emelia Lansdell (44:18):
Yeah.
Sam Miklos (44:19):
Thanks, girls, thank you.
Emelia Lansdell (44:20):
Of course Thanks.
Kate Coomber (44:26):
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the
land of which we meet who, forcenturies, have shared ancient
methods of healing and cared fortheir communities.
We pay our respects to elders,past and present.
Have you ever dreamed of packing up your life,
hitting the road and takingyour career with you?
That's exactly what Jess andMillie did Two midwives, two
incredible stories.
Travelling across Australiadelivering babies in regional
and rural towns, building anunbreakable friendship along the
way, I don't know how toexplain it.
Emelia Lansdell (00:19):
It's like it's not just the job and it's not
just being a midwife, but it'salso kind of adventure and it's
giving me.
Because of what it's giving me,I put more into my work now
because I'm not burnt out.
Kate Coomber (00:32):
Don't forget to hit follow or subscribe if you
want to hear more stories frominspiring healthcare
professionals.
Sam Miklos (00:45):
So today we're sitting down with Jess and
Millie, two adventurous,passionate midwives who've
swapped permanent jobs forcontracts, caravans and the
freedom to write their ownstories.
Welcome to it Takes Hard,ladies, thank you.
So let's be honest.
You came in to visit the officeyesterday and I think it was
you, millie, who said to me I'mthe happiest I've ever been.
Emelia Lansdell (01:09):
In 31 years.
That's what I thought it was in31 years and it literally
stopped me in my tracks.
Sam Miklos (01:16):
And I accosted you in the lift and was like Want to
do a podcast.
Kate Coomber (01:20):
And you said yes, yes of course, are you both okay
?
Emelia Lansdell (01:27):
Well, we kind of like to be accosted by sam in
reception and this is adifferent.
This is a different agency,though this is a different
recruitment company.
You guys care so much about usthat for us it's easy to come
back to you and say, absolutely,we're on board very easy, easy.
Sam Miklos (01:44):
I appreciate that because I know it was a lot.
I was giving you hugs and youwere just like who are you, what
are you doing?
Kate Coomber (01:50):
She ran out of her meeting and was like, oh my God
, I know, I was working fromhome yesterday and my team gave
me a little heads up.
It's like, just so you know, Ithink you're doing another one
tomorrow.
Sam Miklos (02:00):
I was like what.
We're good, let's do it.
So let's start there.
Yeah, the friendship,absolutely.
How did you two meet?
Where, tell us, seduna it wasSeduna last year.
On contract, on contract.
Jessica Plater (02:14):
So we both have the same recruiter, sarah, and
she told both of us that listen,for me it was like Millie's
coming to start.
You're going to love her,you're going to look really,
really great.
And just we went from there.
We got each other's numbers.
We met up the day before Milliestarted her contract.
We had dinner.
Emelia Lansdell (02:36):
We had a Sunday roast the day before I started.
I didn't know anybody in town.
Sam Miklos (02:41):
And how did that make you feel?
Emelia Lansdell (02:43):
It means a lot when somebody goes out of their
way to not only meet you butsort of say, hey, welcome.
I'm agency two.
You're going to love it hereand I'm here to kind of walk by
your side.
Kate Coomber (02:57):
How long had you been in Ceduna?
Jessica Plater (02:58):
Six weeks.
I was halfway through mycontract, yeah, and so then,
yeah, like we met for dinner,and then the next day I was like
, listen, meet me at theentrance to the hospital in the
morning at this time.
I'll walk you in, we'll go intogether.
It's scary starting a new placewhen I'm small um, and was that
your first ever contract?
Emelia Lansdell (03:14):
no, no, that was contract number four.
Sam Miklos (03:18):
So how did that compare to your other starts?
Emelia Lansdell (03:21):
oh, completely different.
The um.
I'm just thinking I hadn't hadanyone in my other contracts, I
hadn't had anyone who hadreached out beforehand.
But then I mean, helps thatyou're cornerstone, that we've
got the same recruiter.
So that was quite seamless, um.
But that also that that firstday you kind of took me under
(03:43):
your wing and you gave meorientation.
You gave me all, like you know,low down of what was what?
Jessica Plater (03:49):
Because agency knows what agency needs to know.
Yeah so like, you'll getorientated by the permanent
staff and they do a wonderfuljob, but then sometimes as
agency, because you're so usedto going to a new environment.
Oh, this is the little 411 thatyou need to know about this
facility that, agency to agency,doesn't always kind of get told
yeah.
Sam Miklos (04:09):
Is it normal to make these kinds of friendships?
Kate Coomber (04:12):
on placement.
Jessica Plater (04:12):
Is this one of many?
Yeah, Well, I haven't.
There was a third nurse that wemet in Sedona that we've got
our own little trio, but outsideof that probably not Like.
There's nurses and midwives I'mreally good friends with.
But the connection that Millieand I have, I feel, is just a
bit more than what I've madepreviously and the fact that
(04:35):
we're so like.
Emelia Lansdell (04:36):
I've made good friends along the way, but most
of these people that I've metare like permanent residents of
the places that I've been.
So in order to see them, I sortof have to go back and or, like
you know, keep in touch withsocial media and stuff.
I think the thing with Jess isthat she's traveling too and I'm
traveling, so although nowwe're really ever in the same
(04:58):
place at the same time but ourlives are so incredibly similar.
Our lives are so incrediblysimilar.
It's so easy to relate to eachother and that, yeah, just when
you go somewhere new, you have ahard day, Maybe you don't feel
like you're fitting in.
You get it, and it's verycomforting to have a friend who
(05:18):
gets it.
Sam Miklos (05:19):
Yeah, yeah.
Kate Coomber (05:27):
So let's understand first why you both
became midwives, like if we wetake it back, like, did you both
always want to be midwivesfirst?
Yeah, how did how did it go.
Sam Miklos (05:32):
Do you want to start Jess?
Jessica Plater (05:34):
um well, I did to get to originally getting
into nursing.
I did a like a student placementthrough high school like a work
placement in a NICICU at mylocal hospital back in Newcastle
and just fell in love with thenurses.
Just the amazing job they didcaring for these tiny little
humans.
So I went and did my nursingdegree and then I was working as
a nurse for two years and sawthe advertisement for the
(05:55):
midwifery program and I kind ofwent up to the unit and just
sussed it out a little bit.
I was like, oh this, ohsomething I could see myself
doing, committed to it.
Kate Coomber (06:10):
Did it was a bit impulsive, um, but then I
haven't looked back.
Yeah, and it's just found my,found my calling.
So do you do nursing and?
Jessica Plater (06:12):
midwifery contracts or purely midwifery.
Um, I've just done purelymidwifery but um some of the
midwifery contracts, becausewe're in smaller hospitals.
You will do a bit of nursingyeah, it's good.
Sam Miklos (06:20):
Yeah, what about?
Emelia Lansdell (06:21):
you up to date.
I came out of high school, Istarted psychology, which was
not the best decision I've evermade.
I was sitting having frozenyogurt with an old friend of
mine and she noticed.
So a pregnant woman walked pastthe window and I kind of took
my breath away and she was like,have you ever thought about
(06:41):
being a midwife?
And at that point I'd notthought about it.
And then it was something I waslike, ooh, am I smart enough,
am I capable enough?
You know, it's not like thisdecision to go into healthcare
is not one that you just makespontaneously.
And then signed up, I did adouble degree, so for four years
I did both my nursing and mymid, smashed it out.
(07:04):
It was hard but it was actuallyincredibly easy to get done
because I loved it so much.
And then, yeah, started workingand then gave it probably about
four years, had just anincredible passion for
breastfeeding and supportingmamas in feeding their babies
(07:25):
however they want to feed themand supporting them.
Sam Miklos (07:27):
That's so stressful.
Yes and no one ever.
Kate Coomber (07:30):
I didn't know about that until I had children.
Yes, what yeah?
Emelia Lansdell (07:34):
So did my studies and became a lactation
consultant.
Yeah, so, now that's on thecards too, yeah, which is really
exciting and it's something I'mreally really passionate about.
Kate Coomber (07:43):
Yeah so when did you both?
Were you in permanent jobsinitially and then moved to
agency?
How and when and why did thathappen?
Emelia Lansdell (07:51):
Although I was, I had three jobs before I took
the first agency gig because Iwas trying to manage my own
burnout, which I hadn'trecognised.
I was doing a midwife role, Iwas doing a nursing role and I
was teaching in primary schoolsas well.
What were you teaching?
Teaching what Like puberty sex?
(08:13):
Ed that kind of stuff, likechild school nurse, which was
actually the most refreshingchange from working inside
healthcare, but all of the stuffthat you know and you love and
you love teaching and you know,kids get really excited about it
.
Very topical in my house isn'tit yeah?
(08:33):
Yeah, I've been given as anauntie, I've been given the the
honorary role of doing thateducation when the time comes.
Sam Miklos (08:41):
Maybe we can talk about this remember why, but I
got an email about maybe it wasto do with LinkedIn and it led
me to Cornerstone.
Emelia Lansdell (08:57):
And then the first job it was in Mildura and
it was for a community midwiferole, which felt like something
is pulling me in that kind ofdirection.
It just felt right.
So I was like, yep, let's do it.
It all happened I got there andthat was it.
I haven't looked back.
Sam Miklos (09:19):
What you talked about burnout there.
Like what were the signs?
Like you didn't even realiseyou were burnt out and did you
then leave your permanent joband go straight into that.
I quit all three jobs.
You quit all three.
Yeah, Like what were the signsyou missed?
Emelia Lansdell (09:33):
Yeah, it happened all within kind of two
weeks and we were at a picnicand I told my family, I gave
them all letters and made themspell out the word Mildura and I
said look, I'm moving, thankyou, but it was.
Sam Miklos (09:49):
How did they respond ?
I was just going to say thatwe're going to have a picnic.
Emelia Lansdell (09:52):
Like I'm not a stranger to mental health issues
and I think sort of 2021, 22, Iwas rollercoastering and then I
thought that I was sort ofgetting back on track, but I was
still feeling internally.
I was feeling quite hollow.
I was feeling my career like mywork life with three jobs, but
(10:19):
I still felt really depleted andreally empty.
I was not loving being amidwife, which initially was the
thing that was like getting meout of bed in the morning.
I was getting frustrated.
There's something called likecompassion fatigue.
Jessica Plater (10:37):
And.
Emelia Lansdell (10:39):
I was frustrated at everybody.
I was frustrated at patients,at staff, at colleagues, at
friends, at family, and I justthought something needs to
change.
But I didn't know what it wasuntil that email from
Cornerstone came through and Icalled and I spoke to my
(11:00):
recruiter, who's still myrecruiter now.
Sarah, she's great and it waslike like I'm really interested
in this role.
Community midwifery, a littlebit different from
hospital-based midwifery, how so?
um, it was a little bit morecontinuity, which for us
midwives, we love, when you getto see a mama, a family, a baby
(11:24):
again and again yes it is thelike creme de la creme of
midwifery and um was working ata clinic where I would get to be
a bit more autonomous, um, Iwould not have the stress of
shift work, um, and it was, itwas good.
(11:44):
And then when I got into it,settled, found my feet, the
clinic became.
They were very, very welcomingand made some very, very good
friends.
I started within myself, Istarted to feel a lot better and
I started to um like my moodwas lifting and I just was
(12:10):
feeling really, really, I wasfalling in love, back in love
with Mildura Free and it was,yeah, it was amazing.
I think that then gave me theconfidence.
When Mildura wrapped up, Ibought a caravan.
Kate Coomber (12:22):
That's a whole nother story how long did you go
into that contract for, likewhen you took that opportunity
and moved your life, like, howlong were you sort of going for
it?
Emelia Lansdell (12:29):
was two.
I mean it was two contracts butover the span of eight months
and that kind of gave me thisconfidence in being a midwife
and I was like I think I cankeep doing this.
This agency stuff can be alittle scary when you think I'm
going to move from place toplace.
Do I have it in me to do that?
But I think I'd picked upenough of what I needed from
(12:51):
that first contract to then gointo the second, third, fourth,
fifth and now sixth it just, youjust roll with it.
Kate Coomber (12:59):
Yeah, it's so beautiful to hear that from such
a place of struggle.
Yeah, that so many people mightbe in that position and think
this isn't for me, yeah, likeI've got to leave.
I can't be a midwife toreignite that joy.
Emelia Lansdell (13:12):
I can't do anything, especially after covid
yeah it's, that's wiped theslate for a lot of people in
terms of their passion, yeah,and their ability to be
compassionate with themselvesand with patients and families
and that kind of thing, to thenfind it again, yeah, yeah.
Sam Miklos (13:32):
How long did it take at Mildura till you found that
passion?
Not long, not long, a month ortwo, like it's amazing to think
that, to go from that in a monthand then to feel that and then
get that confidence and that joyback.
Like imagine if you had enoughyou might not be in the
profession now you know.
Emelia Lansdell (13:48):
Part of it, I think, was also moving out of
the city.
Melbourne metropolitan life forme was feeling too heavy, too
stressful, crazy chaotic.
I wanted not a sea change, butI just wanted to get out and see
if life could feel simpler, andit was.
(14:08):
And now that I've been out ofMelbourne for a year and a half,
if not more, when I do go backto Melbourne, it's a bit heavy.
Sam Miklos (14:17):
Yeah, I bet it's a bit heavy, it's like, okay,
there's traffic.
Emelia Lansdell (14:22):
There's like, all of these people, all of
these shops, all of these,everything's of these shops, all
of these, everything'shappening all the time, all of
the time, everything's on um andthen you go and live in, you
know seduna.
Seduna has zero traffic lights.
Yeah, and it is the best thingever.
Yeah, it is roundabouts and itis easy parking everywhere and
(14:43):
it is walking distanceeverywhere and it is walking
into the hospital and you seethe same people every day.
There's something beautiful andfulfilling about that kind of
life.
Kate Coomber (14:56):
And so you're now sold.
You've bought a caravan, youjust said why, Jess, did you
step into more agency contractwork?
Jessica Plater (15:04):
I'd been working my last permanent role.
I'd been there for six yearsand I'd rotate.
So I was on an antenatal wardand I'd rotate to the clinic for
four weeks because we had torotate to keep our skills up and
I'd gone from doing shift work,overtime, flogging myself,
working 50-hour weeks, 60-hourweeks, to going to doing nine to
(15:25):
5, monday to Friday, had myweekends back, had my nights
back, and I was only there for amonth.
But I walked up to my bosshalfway through and the gist of
the conversation was I hate mylife, I hate my job and I hate
being here.
I need to go do something aboutit.
And I was lucky enough that Ididn't have any dependence,
aside from my dog, that I couldjust pack up my life.
Sam Miklos (15:46):
Because you both travel with your animals.
Yes, billy.
Rosie yes, I thought they wouldhave come in, did Billy and
Rosie?
Jessica Plater (15:53):
get on.
Billy is in.
Emelia Lansdell (15:55):
Melbourne and Rosie is.
Jessica Plater (15:57):
In Bansdale.
Yeah, so that was about the Mayand I had the lease of my
rental until October.
So I took a bit of time and Isaid to my workplace I'd like 12
months leave without pay andthat had to go to the executive,
of course and they were like wemight want to negotiate.
I said I understand thatbecause we're still in a
staffing crisis, but anythingless than six months, I'm
(16:18):
resigning.
You say no, I'm resigning, andthey luckily said yes.
So I packed up, went my leasesup, started my first contract in
Canberra and then just lovedthe work so much that I last
year resigned permanently.
Wow, so this is the new life.
This is the new life.
Sam Miklos (16:32):
It is and did you have that same?
You know, Millie talked aboutthe same feelings like burnout
and falling out of love a littlebit, and you were like I hate,
I'm doing yeah, how long tillyou fell back in love.
Was there a moment when youfell back in love with?
Jessica Plater (16:45):
Oh, I felt that being in a new place, surrounded
by people that were mycolleagues, were supportive, but
we're all really burnt out.
But then, yeah, I think, justgoing somewhere new and just not
having to worry about thepolitics of a place, just being
able to go in and concentrate onthe job that I love, do your
job, yeah.
And being able to go in andconcentrate on the job that I
(17:05):
love, do your job, yeah, andbeing able to go home and not
worry about it.
Within weeks I was like, oh yes, like I just needed to change
because I got reallycondescending to my colleagues
in my permanent job, like I gotreally miserable.
I just you could tell in myattitude that I didn't want to
be there.
Kate Coomber (17:19):
And I guess if you're all burnt out together,
you can't even support eachother exactly yeah, it would
create it just.
Jessica Plater (17:25):
Everybody was fatigued.
We're all doing massive amountsof overtime because of the
short staffing, and so you wantto support everybody.
I can't even support myself.
How can I?
support somebody else and so Ithought about it for a while,
doing agency work, but kind ofnever really think oh no, it's
all right, I'll get through, youknow she'll be right.
But then being a single personwanting to buy a home in my
(17:46):
hometown was impossible to beginwith.
And then it was like but why doI wanna buy a house when I
don't like my job?
So it was, yeah, packed up meand my dog in the car, off,
we've gone and we haven't lookedback since.
Sam Miklos (17:59):
Do you guys have breaks where you go home, or do
you?
Jessica Plater (18:05):
I took a break after my first one because it's
Christmas time, so I went homefor Christmas.
But I tend to just if I getfour days off, I'll fly home and
see the family.
Otherwise I just tend to gocontract to contract because I'm
just exploring at the same time.
Kate Coomber (18:16):
Was it difficult from a financial perspective?
Like did it feel like a reallybig risk?
Sam Miklos (18:21):
Oh yeah, Was that a real?
To step away from the comfortof permanent employment and
knowing?
Jessica Plater (18:27):
Well, that's why I took 12 months leave without
pay.
Yeah.
Because, I was like, if thisdoesn't work, if I don't like
this, I need to have somethingsecure to come back to.
But then I also then wasn'thaving to worry about paying
rent and utilities and all thatkind of stuff.
It was just I just got my carand the fuel that I need and
some spending money, so youdrive.
Kate Coomber (18:46):
I drive yeah.
Jessica Plater (18:47):
Yeah, so you drive, I drive, yeah, drive
everywhere.
It was scary not having thatsecurity in a job, but then I
was like, well, I work inhealthcare there's always going
to be a need for nurses inmidwives.
So I'm kind of like if I don'tlike it, I can go somewhere else
.
Emelia Lansdell (19:01):
I've grown up with my dad always saying, well,
no, like with this career isthat you'll never be out of a
job 100%.
He loves the fact that I'm doingcontract work because it's sort
of like close to what he's beendoing for the majority of his
life and he's like you're inhigh demand, you'll never be out
(19:22):
of a job, I think.
For me I'm lucky in that I wentfrom Mildura to Bairnsdale and
then I went to Wayala Sojuna.
I had pretty good consistency.
So for me now I know that I cantrust that there's going to be
jobs especially if you'rewilling to travel a little bit,
you're willing to go off thebeaten track.
(19:46):
We both started at the same timeOctober 2023.
And I think when you work, youdo a number of contracts, you
begin to really feel like you'renot just an agency worker, but
you're part of the family andyou're part of the company and
you know that the recruiterconsultant that you've got is
(20:10):
going to look after you and isgoing to do their best to find
the next job for you.
So it's easy to feel reassuredand to trust the process.
Kate Coomber (20:20):
Yeah, is the dream to travel together and maybe
travel in your caravan and go oncontract and keep going
together.
Sam Miklos (20:27):
She's not a camper, but the dream is to go on
contract together.
Jessica Plater (20:30):
No, no, I love a caravan.
My dog is too big for a caravan.
Sam Miklos (20:33):
Right, what's a?
Jessica Plater (20:34):
dog.
She's a Kelby Cross BlackLabrador.
Sam Miklos (20:36):
She's gorgeous.
Jessica Plater (20:37):
She's gorgeous, but she's too big for a caravan,
so I would happily travel in acaravan but my dog will not be
able to travel in a caravan.
Sam Miklos (20:45):
We do, really want to that.
Can I ask, though, were you acamper and used to caravans
before you bought one?
Like is that?
Because I've just come backfrom a caravanning experience
where we hired an RV for twoweeks with our three kids.
When you've never camped inQueensland never camped Like we
went from zero to 200.
Jessica Plater (21:04):
It felt like yeah, I was like with three kids
in a caravan that's a lot Withthree kids in a caravan shared
amenity blocks taking like afive-year-old, a six-year-old
and eight-year-olds.
Sam Miklos (21:11):
So I don't have amenity blocks because I've got
everything.
So has you done this before, orwere you just like out there?
I just want to get a caravannow.
Emelia Lansdell (21:20):
So I can be a little bit impulsive and
spontaneous.
I had never caravanned beforecaravan before um, I'd never
towed anything before um, I hadthe car for it.
Amazing, perfect.
Um, there was a beautiful nursethat I worked with in Mildura
and she, her and her partner,were in a caravan and I'd sort
(21:41):
of been thinking about it alittle bit before that, but then
that made things like whoa,okay, I really think I want to
do.
This also means that I can thenhave my cat with me all the
time, which is my life goal.
Um, so did like.
Honestly, I did a little bit ofresearch but I came across like
snowy river caravans and Ifound the one I wanted, and then
(22:02):
I put a deposit down and then Ibought it and all happened.
Here we are and here we are andI learnt to tow on my own and I
learnt to hitch and unhitch andI learnt to do it all and it's
fun and I love it.
So can you.
It's fabulous.
Kate Coomber (22:17):
It's so difficult to find accommodation for a lot
of healthcare workers.
Sometimes they have the budget.
They can hire people, butthere's no way to house them and
we've come across that Alsomeans that I'm not packing up.
Emelia Lansdell (22:25):
I'm not unpacking, packing, unpacking,
packing.
It means that I've goteverything I want with me.
I'm also in my own space, whichI have lots of.
It's like a little jungle.
I have lots of.
Jessica Plater (22:37):
She keeps adding plants.
Emelia Lansdell (22:38):
Yeah.
I've got lots of fake plants.
Sam Miklos (22:40):
Well, having been on this caravan too, like, yeah,
the proper caravan.
People like it's a set up it.
Emelia Lansdell (22:45):
It's a set up it's decked out.
Kate Coomber (22:47):
It's got lights.
It is.
It's my safe space.
I think yours was verytemporary, ours was cold and
clinical it was.
Sam Miklos (22:52):
there was more in this than there is Are you going
to keep carrying?
Emelia Lansdell (22:56):
I'll show you photos.
I think you'll appreciate thedecor inside.
But it's like a safe space forme.
So you know you're away fromhome and you're starting a new
job and then you're startinganother new job, but my caravan
for me is like my little.
Yeah, it's just my little.
It's like your safe haven, yoursanctuary.
Yeah, it is, yeah.
Sam Miklos (23:16):
Like you've learnt how to hitch and tow, what else
have you two learnt aboutyourselves on these contracts?
I mean even going into newplaces all the time, having to
meet new people, be the newperson all the time having to
meet new people, be the newperson.
Jessica Plater (23:35):
It's really weird because I am the person
that has my core group offriends from high school and
then uni and me.
Well, I haven't gotten to youyet.
Sam Miklos (23:43):
You're not in there yet You're not in there yet.
Emelia Lansdell (23:46):
You have your own chapter, I have my own book.
Jessica Plater (23:50):
You know, I'm the person that's got my core
group of friends from highschool and uni and, despite how
confident that I come across,I'm actually quite shy meeting
new people.
So being able to then do agencyand having to come out of my
comfort zone to be able to belike, oh, we're having dinner
tonight and I only know oneperson being like, oh, do I
really want to go Because Idon't know anybody, that would
be really awkward.
Then having to be able tointegrate myself into that has
(24:12):
been a big lesson for me and Ithink a lot of people will be
surprised because I'm veryconfident.
I'm the planner and I'm the.
I know what we're doing andit's all good.
Meeting new people still causesme a bit of anxiety when I'm
the outsider in this situation.
But and I'm the outsider inthis situation, yeah so.
But then I do adopt peopleunder my wing, like Millie,
(24:33):
because I've been there, likeI've been there before, and I
know what the vibe is like.
So I will bring this person intothe fold, if I can, to make it
easier for them.
But having to, yeah, makefriends outside of what I've
known for, you know, 34 years,has been a good thing.
Kate Coomber (24:48):
Yeah, yeah, shows people that it can be done
though.
Yeah, totally, I think that'sthe one thing holding you back
from maybe this sort of chapter.
Oh you've got two.
Emelia Lansdell (24:55):
I think you've got two perfect examples here of
people who would you would notexpect them to be the ones who
are travelling, doing contracts,getting out there and now
actually kind of okay with it.
Yeah, I love it.
Sam Miklos (25:09):
Yeah, it's a whole new life.
Yeah, it is let's talk aboutmidwifery, because we were
having this conversation beforeLike it's got to be a tough gig.
You know, if you think about it, a lot of people would think
it's just cuddling babies andbeautiful moments.
Kate Coomber (25:24):
It's what a lot of people say I always say, we see
the highest of highs, but wesee the lowest of lows yeah,
like I had a fairly traumaticexperience first time around and
I just remember the midwife inthe room and how special they
were to me, but really realizingit's not about cuddling.
Jessica Plater (25:40):
Maybe there are outcomes that aren't so cuddling
babies is like the smallestpart of our job.
Yeah, um, you know, assist, welike just the range that we see
in.
Just one specialty is, yeah, wesee the people in the lowest of
lows of their days.
Then we do the highest of highsand you know everything goes
well.
Sam Miklos (25:58):
And that could be going from one birthing suite to
the next.
Jessica Plater (26:00):
Yeah, you know, an eight-hour shift.
Sam Miklos (26:03):
Yeah, an eight-hour shift.
Jessica Plater (26:04):
You can deliver a baby, go back onto the
postnatal ward, help somebodybreastfeed.
Somebody comes in.
You know you're doing anassessment to make sure they're
well and healthy.
Taking phone calls.
Sam Miklos (26:15):
How do you manage the highs and lows, like when
you both talked about burnout.
Is that burnout in midwifery?
Is that burnout?
There's so much burnout inhealthcare, so much.
How do you manage?
Jessica Plater (26:26):
Leaning on the village you've got, yeah.
So that's something Millie andI have worked at really well in
our friendship.
Emelia Lansdell (26:32):
It's probably one of the reasons why we bonded
so well.
Jessica Plater (26:35):
Yeah, and why our?
Emelia Lansdell (26:36):
friendship is so strong is because we.
Jessica Plater (26:38):
Lean on each other.
Kate Coomber (26:39):
I guess to be open .
Yeah, yeah, and it's just weallow one another to really.
Jessica Plater (26:47):
Have our space.
Yeah, the heartbreak is toreally like melt into the
heartbreak and talk about it Iwalked out of work one day one
of my contracts and just senther a message being like I've
had a really shit day when areyou?
Emelia Lansdell (26:56):
free to talk.
Jessica Plater (26:57):
She's like I'll be free at this time and then we
spoke for like two hours on thephone and it wasn't all about
the crappy day, it was just.
We then deviated like we do toeverything else?
That we haven't talked about,but it's leaning on your village
, whether it's calling your mum,your dad, a friend, just being
able to debrief about it all,because it's really tough some
days.
And the important thing is weknow the job.
(27:20):
We're both midwives.
We know what the lows can be.
And so having someone thatunderstands and just supports
you in all.
That is just really good.
Kate Coomber (27:27):
And I guess when you talked about back in the
more metro-y jobs that youweren't happy in, you couldn't
give that compassion to yourpatients.
Emelia Lansdell (27:34):
by the sounds of it, no, and then you can't
give it to yourself.
Yeah, that's tough.
I think something I've learntover the past six, seven years
is the first place that you needto be kind and gentle starts
with you.
You can call upon your village.
(27:55):
You can, you know, like youcall it a village, I call it a
support team.
You know it's much of amuchness.
It's the people that you feelsafe with and that you can call
upon when you need.
But it's taking that time to bebe if you've had a really hard
shift, or maybe a couple ofshifts.
You've, you know, followed afamily, maybe if they've lost a
(28:19):
pregnancy, or I mean there'snumerous things in in maternity
that can be very, very difficultto not only for the women and
the families to go through, butalso for the healthcare
providers to care for, is almostsaying to yourself like it's
(28:39):
okay to be feeling like thisright now.
It is okay to be feelingcompletely heartbroken.
Jessica Plater (28:53):
Almost like you're validating your own
feelings.
I always say to my women bekind to yourself after you've
had a baby, your hormones areout of whack for weeks, possibly
months, and I'm always sayingto them be kind to yourself and
to your family.
But then it's about.
Well, I gotta be kind to myselfyeah, and I'm not always kind
to myself, yeah because we'rethe worst judgments of character
on ourselves.
Emelia Lansdell (29:07):
And then when you've got good friends and good
support systems, you can remindeach other Are there stories
that stick with you Absolutely.
Sam Miklos (29:15):
Oh yeah, yeah, definitely.
Jessica Plater (29:18):
Can you share some?
Do you want a high or a low, doyou want?
Sam Miklos (29:20):
to do one of each.
Jessica Plater (29:25):
A bit of both.
So a low well, I mean this oneit's a low end and then it ends
in a high.
So I was a student midwife backin 2017 and we'd had a lady
come in who thought she'd felther baby move.
She was about 38 weeks pregnantand, in fact, had lost her baby
, and so I worked a double shiftto stay caring for her through
the entire labour and deliverthe baby, and she delivered at
1am.
You know we're all completelyupset.
(29:46):
It's an absolutely devastatingexperience to be part of,
especially as a student.
But then, for two and a halfyears later, I was at my next
job and I get a message from oneof my colleagues and she'd come
in and had another baby andthey wanted me to know because
they still thought of me and thesupport I gave them during the
most horrendous time of theirlife, and so they sent me a
(30:07):
photo.
They got to send me a photo oftheir new little family and they
said we just still want tothank you, um, because we still
think of you, but we've now hadthis beautiful new baby and
that's why we do our jobs.
Oh, that's so.
You've got us all I was like Ipromise I was gonna cry if I
told this story um you could notcry, I know, but it's things
like that when they still thinkof you years down the track and
(30:29):
you're like, oh, just youactually had an impact in that
moment?
Yeah, and it was the worst timeof their life and they still
think of you years later whenthey have a positive experience
and it's just you made adifference.
Yeah, you have this ability anda profession to yeah, and that's
why we do what we do and it'swhy we love what we love,
because of those experiencesthat you don't get out of the
good and the bad.
And I got a.
(30:50):
It was my birthday yesterday.
Sam Miklos (30:52):
Oh my God, I didn't even know it was your birthday,
I was like me, me, me, me.
Jessica Plater (30:55):
Yeah, the podcast.
But I got a message from a girlI looked after last year one of
my contracts and she thanked mefor bringing her baby into the
world on my birthday.
Emelia Lansdell (31:05):
That was a big one because you looked after her
for six days.
That was a big one because youlooked after her for six days,
six days straight.
Jessica Plater (31:10):
I looked after her and you advocated for her
and yeah, so I got a message.
Yes, I'm a birth mother.
Thank you so much to the bestmidwife who brought our baby
into the world.
We still think of you and I wasjust like it's what we do, what
we do that's so special?
And we don't go into it lookingfor validation.
But then when we do, it's justlike oh yes.
Kate Coomber (31:27):
And do you think, if you're going on contract into
smaller towns, that you haveeven bigger impact and you
really can connect with patientsmore and have more of that
continuity?
I guess long-term care.
Jessica Plater (31:37):
If they're in a longer contract, yes, because
women will get to know you andstuff.
But I think also sometimes, ifthey're used to a high turnover
in midwives, they don't allowthemselves to because they're
like, oh, you're only going tobe here for six weeks and then
I'll have to meet somebody else.
Sam Miklos (31:50):
Yeah, they need somebody else.
Jessica Plater (31:52):
So it all just depends on what stage you come
into their lives, if they'repregnancy, and what you're there
for.
Because when we were on Sedonawe were doing MGP, which is
group practice, so we have anallocation of women, and so you
(32:13):
know we had some lovely birthswith our women and that we were
there for personally, so we gotto do that, the end part.
So then you know that wasreally beautiful.
But then someone we're justthere for the beginning.
We've seen them twice then theyget somebody else so some of
them are just like oh yeah,you're just another one in a
string of people, so I alsothink from their perspective
it's hard that would be reallydifficult, yeah and how about
for you, millie, any really?
Emelia Lansdell (32:25):
I would say maybe part of the reason why,
like I said, said to you, sam, Isaid I'm the happiest that I've
been in 31 years is because inthe past year and a half I've
gotten the most feedback frompatients and families, mamas,
about the care that I've giventhem, about the care that I've
(32:49):
given them Very, very, verysweet bunches of flowers and
cards and chocolates that justTake your breath away because at
some point it's hard to believethat you're able to make them
feel like that.
I think when you removeyourself from being a permanent
(33:11):
staff member where you can get alittle bit caught up in the
politics, the management side ofthings, and this almost becomes
I don't know how to explain itit's like it's not just the job
and it's not just being amidwife, but it's also kind of
adventure and it's giving me.
(33:33):
Because of what it's giving me,I put more into my work now
because I'm not burnt out andI'm not, yeah, the more your cup
is full, the more you can, moreyou can give.
Sam Miklos (33:41):
It's almost like an undiluted, whereas when you're
permanent and you've got all theother stuff in the work, it
kind of dilutes it, whereas it'sa really concentrated more
experience, absolutely.
Emelia Lansdell (33:52):
I've had like the breastfeeding support that
I've been able to give in thepast 6-12 months and the oh,
just the mamas and when theylook at me and they say thank
you and it's the simplest stuffbut it means the most.
Midwifery is definitely not allhigh, it's definitely lows.
Sam Miklos (34:18):
And probably a lot of high stress in some of those
situations too.
Oh yeah, there is so muchstress Moments where you think
like okay, I need more hands ondeck.
Emelia Lansdell (34:27):
Who can I call?
What am I doing?
Oh, my goodness.
Jessica Plater (34:30):
Babies like to be tricky.
Sam Miklos (34:31):
Yes, I was going to say that they like to be tricky.
They really like to trick usand we go and we go.
Jessica Plater (34:35):
Can you please just like just take a moment,
mate, Just settle, it's all good.
Emelia Lansdell (34:42):
Like all of it.
Yeah, I think like I'm notdiscrediting anybody else out
there, but I think midwives arean incredible bunch of people.
Sam Miklos (34:51):
Yeah.
Emelia Lansdell (34:54):
I don't know.
I've just watched midwives domagical things and be incredibly
resilient and strong andcompassionate, even when the
cup's full.
Sam Miklos (35:05):
And they have to be empty.
I was going to say, how yousaid earlier about you know if
you think about having a surgery.
The patient's asleep, yeah.
Kate Coomber (35:11):
Whereas you've got the patient, the partner
there's so many things likegoing on.
Emelia Lansdell (35:16):
To support everyone.
Patient therapy yeah, Moodlighting Husband's latest.
What's the?
Are we allowed to ask the?
Sam Miklos (35:23):
craziest thing that you know that you've seen where
someone's needed like a playlistrequest, or is there anything
where you're like that was likeoff the chart?
Jessica Plater (35:30):
I mean some of the women love, I mean some
women have some crazy things.
They have some wonderful,wonderful things they wish that
they want to do Not always thebest options.
Emelia Lansdell (35:44):
I just always think the best thing is just to
be open-minded.
I think when you write a very,very, very structured birth plan
, you're setting expectations upand you know there's room for
being disappointed.
Home births, water births Ilike toilet births toilet births
(36:07):
.
Jessica Plater (36:07):
Yeah, I love it.
It's really great.
Yeah, is that is just a?
Sam Miklos (36:08):
mama on the toilet being like.
Emelia Lansdell (36:11):
Is that what you do?
Is that what you?
Sam Miklos (36:12):
would do in the hospitals to go, or is that?
Jessica Plater (36:15):
anywhere, it just happens in the car park.
Yeah, shower yeah.
Emelia Lansdell (36:21):
Toilet.
Jessica Plater (36:21):
I mean, they'll both anyway Anywhere.
Sam Miklos (36:22):
Floor, anywhere Bed.
Kate Coomber (36:24):
Yeah, when it's coming, it's coming.
You can't.
Yeah.
I was like well, I was aC-section, so no, I didn't have
it so.
I don't know Nothingspontaneous.
Yes, what?
Yeah, what do you mean?
Jessica Plater (36:38):
you just gotta hope that we can get a pair of
gloves on.
Yeah, and a towel, if need be,yeah to just catch the baby.
Emelia Lansdell (36:43):
Yeah, I had the other day.
I was like walking into theroom I can't remember.
It was night shift, I think andI had a student with me.
She was absolutely gorgeous andwe were going into the room of
someone.
It was like baby number fourand she was niggling.
So you don't really know whatshe's doing and I pull out on
the wall.
Jessica Plater (36:59):
I just pull out two pairs of gloves and I stuck
one in her pocket and I stuckone in mine and I just look at
her and I'm like you never trusta multi no, because you don't
you never know what they'regonna do um, so some of the time
, more than one baby yeah umthey go because normally it's
like each pregnancy gets quicker.
Your labor gets quicker witheach pregnancy so by the time
you're to baby three or four.
(37:20):
You're like you're going tobirth a baby in like two hours.
Emelia Lansdell (37:22):
But then you can't rely on that, because, no,
mine wasn't awful.
Jessica Plater (37:26):
No, and it's not the case for everybody.
I love it Never trust a multi.
Sam Miklos (37:30):
No, never trust a multi.
Emelia Lansdell (37:35):
They'll be fine .
They'll'll think okay, allright, we're going.
Sam Miklos (37:39):
God, have they ever had a playlist where you're like
oh, I can't work under?
Jessica Plater (37:42):
this condition.
I had somebody play heavy metal.
Oh, that would have been a verylike yeah it was just very
screaming heavy metal and it wasjust like I need to leave
because my brain is going tojust Explode.
Emelia Lansdell (37:55):
Explode.
Sam Miklos (37:56):
And you probably can't Go on.
Emelia Lansdell (38:02):
One of explode and you probably can't go on one
of my girls in sejunah shebirthed to van morrison uh,
brown-eyed girl.
No, I, I can't remember it wasjust a van morrison playlist um
but and then um, she, so when Ilike, finished up, um and she, I
can remember maybe when he waslike a month or two old and she
(38:25):
like sent like a photo and thensent like a link to the song to
play Van Morrison again and Iwas like ooh, she's pulling on
heartstrings.
Kate Coomber (38:35):
I love the feels.
That's nice.
I guess, if you had a littlebit of advice for people who
might be thinking maybe they'rein the same position, they're
either at a crossroads maybe Ican't do it, or is it for me, or
any of those sorts of momentswhat would you say to them?
Emelia Lansdell (38:48):
You can do it.
Kate Coomber (38:50):
What's hard, though, because you guys,
everything's been.
Sam Miklos (38:53):
I know it's not all been roses.
Emelia Lansdell (38:55):
It's not.
I know it's not A tough, butit's not been all yeah what's
hard, that someone should knowabout being away from like being
away from home.
Jessica Plater (39:01):
Away from the family, losing that permanency.
A lot of my friends that Ispeak to want to do it, but
they're afraid to lose thepermanency of what they've got.
And it's just being able tohave the courage to take that
leap, to be like you know what.
There's so many jobs everywhere.
You can always go back, um, andI think it's you've got nothing
(39:25):
to lose really, um, but again,it's being away from your family
can be tough.
Being away from what you knowcan be tough, and if you're not,
and if you are a bit moreintroverted or you don't make
friends easily, it can be thenhard being the person, the new
person, going into a newworkplace when you haven't been
there before.
But but it's so worth it.
Emelia Lansdell (39:41):
You can do hard things.
Jessica Plater (39:43):
Yeah, you can definitely do the hard things.
We're able to do hard things.
Emelia Lansdell (39:46):
When you think about it and I had someone very,
very special say this to me isthat when you look back on your
life and all of the hard thingsthat you've come across and
navigatedated through, what isyour track record?
Jessica Plater (40:02):
yeah, you say, well, like a hundred percent
because I've gotten, I've gottenthrough all of them, otherwise
you wouldn't be here, so knowingthat I love that actually you
are really, really good atgetting through hard things.
Emelia Lansdell (40:14):
Yeah, because you've gotten through all of
them.
Yeah, they might havecompletely, oh, bewildered you
and broken you down, but youstill got through them.
Sam Miklos (40:25):
Yeah, so you can you can get through other things.
Kate Coomber (40:29):
You were just asking about dating well, you
know, I think it's two singlegirls, that would be a realistic
thing if you're going intosmaller towns or you're moving
all the time and it's not alwaysgoing to be on people's radar,
but for people who it might bereally important and that's a
concern for them of can I gotravelling?
Jessica Plater (40:46):
I mean, yeah, you can still go travelling and
meet people, and if you're in asmall town like Sedona, don't go
on the dating apps there's agorgeous.
Emelia Lansdell (40:59):
There's a gorgeous midwife that I worked
in, wayla.
She's from Melbourne.
She came over.
She found out that she waspregnant not long before she
came over and then did acontract and then went back to
her partner.
She's either or she's like very, very close to due or she's had
a baby already, very, not longago.
But it doesn't have to besomething that breaks up a
(41:23):
relationship.
Yeah, we've met lots of peoplewho have.
Jessica Plater (41:27):
Yeah, oh yeah, Plenty of people are traveling
with their partners.
Sam Miklos (41:29):
Take a little break, yeah.
Jessica Plater (41:31):
Partners are traveling with them you know,
there's midwives that.
I've worked with that GorgeousNew Zealand friend and her
fiance that you know theirpartner might be a tradie so
they just message tradie, youknow come along and be like I'm
going to be in town for sixweeks.
Sam Miklos (41:48):
Do you need an extra set of?
Jessica Plater (41:49):
hands.
But yeah, if you go to the tinytown, stay off the dating apps.
Sam Miklos (41:53):
Yeah, stay off those .
It's a great tip.
I feel like the caravan parksare full of life, no.
Jessica Plater (41:58):
No, no, we're not going there, we're not going
there, that's part two, samwe're not talking about this,
all right, all right, all right,let's go.
Sam Miklos (42:06):
All right, that's good.
All right, do you think you'llwant to stop Like is there going
to be a point where you'll belike all right, I've done?
Emelia Lansdell (42:13):
it now.
Jessica Plater (42:14):
Is there a?
Emelia Lansdell (42:15):
At the moment, it's fine At the moment.
No, I think in a couple ofyears.
Jessica Plater (42:18):
It'll probably get a bit tiresome just living
out of my car and having to packup and repack and all that kind
of stuff.
Yeah, she was just going to sayWell, my dog is too big for a
caravan.
Sam Miklos (42:25):
That's right, we've gone through the dog.
Kate Coomber (42:27):
So I think eventually it might get a bit
more of a oh, I'm just sick ofpacking up my shit all over
somewhere permanent to staywhere I go casual and I can
(42:47):
still do contracts from a homebase rather than just traveling
permanently see how that goes.
Jessica Plater (42:49):
So, with every episode, cmr are donating to a
charity of your choice.
Who can we talk about?
Uh, red Nose for me, um, theysupport, they do the education
for SIDS and safe sleeping, andthen provide grievance and
bereavement, support for thosethat have lost babies,
pregnancies, children.
Um, so that's given myexperiences experiences in my
personal life as well that's whoI'd like to, yeah, bring
awareness to.
Sam Miklos (43:07):
Beautiful.
Emelia Lansdell (43:08):
What about for you, mnd?
Yeah, the beautiful familyfriend that we lost quite a few
years ago, who was, yeah, very,very special to my mum.
So that's, yeah, that's who Ichoose.
Sam Miklos (43:22):
Beautiful Thanks.
Thank you both so much, and notjust for today.
Emelia Lansdell (43:26):
You skimmed the surface.
Sam Miklos (43:28):
Oh, I know, I was like I don't even know that
we've got like the anxiety oflike a time limit today, but you
know just what you've done, notjust for us but the communities
that you've worked with.
Like just seeing you both havesuch a glow up now right like
you've gone from being so burntout and potentially not staying
in a profession that you'reactually both profoundly clearly
(43:48):
so very good at what you do.
Kate Coomber (43:49):
Huge impact, yeah, every family that you're
obviously connecting with it'sit goes both ways.
Emelia Lansdell (43:54):
So I think you know we make impacts on the
people that we look after um, asdo all health care
professionals, but they lookafter us when they give us their
feedback and their you knowtheir kind words it keeps our
cups full and it keeps us goingwell, thank you.
Sam Miklos (44:11):
We hope we get you going for many, many more years,
I'm sure we will we'll be we'llbe around.
Jessica Plater (44:17):
We'll be around.
We're not going anywhere.
Emelia Lansdell (44:18):
Yeah.
Sam Miklos (44:19):
Thanks, girls, thank you.
Emelia Lansdell (44:20):
Of course Thanks.
Kate Coomber (44:26):
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the
land of which we meet who, forcenturies, have shared ancient
methods of healing and cared fortheir communities.
We pay our respects to elders,past and present.
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