As a child, I dreamt a lot about what I would do with my life. I had a vivid imagination, so my dreams were pretty out there. I really wanted to join the circus, but that dream ended when I crashed through my bedroom wall while practicing somersaults, creating a big hole. My father was not impressed.
My dream to become a nurse – and subsequently a midwife – started when my grandmother gave me a little Ladybird book about the life of Florence Nightingale.
When my adult life started, it seemed unlikely that my dream would be realized. After I got married as a teenager, I had to navigate through the death of my second baby at birth and unrelenting depression. But I knew I had to triumph.
Life is so unknown when we set out as adults. We make many decisions that can steer our life in so many different directions. Shaking off negativity and embracing the positive is hard, as so many challenges confront us. And being a loving, kind and caring person who can forgive others takes a lot of strength. It can be easier to be bitter, angry and resentful. To live a life where we are truly happy takes patience, courage and tenacity.
It took faith and sheer determination, but in the end my dream has come to pass – and it is so much more than I could have hoped for. With the support of my husband and family, I trained as a nurse and then as a midwife, completing my studies at the age of 41. I have been privileged to work as a midwife in New Zealand and other countries around the world. My work has allowed us to travel extensively, which was also a childhood dream.
I want to encourage others to never give up on their dreams and goals. It might take years to become reality, but every decision, every thought and every action can take you closer to what you want to achieve.
I wrote my memoir, Born for Life: A Midwife’s Story, because I needed to tell my story. Firstly, for cathartic reasons – but also to encourage others to never give up on their dreams.
I continue to work as a midwife, mainly in rural Australia, and I continue to write. I never dreamt that I would become an author, but telling my story has opened up a whole new world to me. I have been lucky to meet many fellow authors through RRBC, who have been really supportive. So many, like me, have encouraging stories to tell.
And writing a book has taught me something really important: it’s never too late to discover a new dream!
* * *
Author Bio
Julie grew up in a small, rural town in New Zealand. After leaving school, she worked at the local maternity annexe as a nurse aide, which gave her a love for caring for mothers and babies. Life could not have been happier, until the death of her second baby at birth led to depression, loneliness and despair.
Julie’s first book Born for Life: A Midwife’s Story follows her journey to overcome the challenges she faced to become the midwife that she was born to be.
She always had a dream to travel and work in a developing country. She had the opportunity to work as a midwife in many countries – including Zambia, Africa where she worked at Kalene Mission Hospital.
Julie’s second book Born for Life: Midwife in Africa describes her experiences living and working in Africa. She shares her incredible journey to make a difference in the lives of African women and their babies.
Julie lives in Palmerston North, New Zealand with her husband, Barry. She has recently retired and enjoys writing, travelling, volunteer work and spending time with her friends and family.
Follow Julie online!
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Amazon author page
* * *
Born for Life: A Midwife’s Story
From a young age Julie pondered what she would do with her life. A job as a nurse aide in the local Maternity Annexe at the age of sixteen gave her a love for being with women during labour and birth and caring for mothers and their babies.
Life could not have been happier, married to the man she loved and the birth of a son. The tragic and unexpected death of her second baby in her first hour of life led to depression, loneliness and despair.
Born for Life: A Midwife’s Story tells of Julie’s struggle to overcome tragedy and who triumphs to become the midwife that she was born to be.
The many birth stories are told from an era in the 1970s through the eyes of a young nurse aide to modern day midwifery in New Zealand as an independent midwife with her own caseload.
Buy now on Amazon U.S.
Buy now on Amazon UK
Buy now on Amazon AUS