What does an off call midwife do?

I’m off call!!!  Whoo hoo!

It feels good to be able to say that every once in a while.  It's a feeling of relaxing for just a bit during the night or the next few days after several babies and mamas have come into being.  I love the pure satisfaction it brings to know that all of the babies are snuggly nestled with their new families and I’m now headed home to see mine for at least the next 24 hours.  

Someone asked me "what do you do with your off call time?"  It’s not vacation - I can tell you that! Unfortunately, because babies come on their own time, solo midwives like myself have a hard time scheduling vacations. In order to have a week or two away, I would realistically need to book six weeks off of my schedule. I would also need to arrange for a backup midwife to accept calls from my clients who are still pregnant and those in their immediate postpartum period.  And, last but not least, my husband and kids would need to take off at their jobs, and someone would need to be enlisted to take care of our animals and mini homestead in our absence.  So, normally, off call does not mean vacation. Instead, I get to do the following:

• Have time to write blog posts
• Answer the phone for clients who have questions
• Clean my house and spend time catching up on laundry
• Date nights with my kids and/or my husband
• Catching up on all of the little things I haven't been able to complete
• Reading a book
• Schedule and meal planning for the next time I'm on call
• Training new birth workers
• Clinic days for prenatals, well baby visits, consultations, and well woman checks
• Catch up on paperwork (if I'm off long enough I might even have a clean desk)  
• Be a chauffeur for my kiddos and their activities without having a back up plan in place
• Plan and attend doctor, dentist, medical visits, etc.  
• Actually show up for appointments and meetings I’m scheduled to be at

I’m sure this list could go on and on. However, I'm already tired thinking about it. I guess you get the gist. Basically, time off call, is time with family, and preparing for the next time someone’s family grows.