Twelve years ago, when I was a junior doctor in training, my supervisor at the time sat me down to provide feedback on my work. Overall, he was happy with me, but he said one thing that has been burned into my memory ever since. Don't ever admit to the patient that you don't know something. He went on to talk about confidence and that you must always keep up the appearance that you know what you are doing and the doctor cannot admit to uncertainty....blah, blah, blah... I mus

For many years, I thought I was going crazy. Every winter, I found myself feeling unusually low in mood. Flat. Depressed. All of the activities I usually loved, like gardening, lost their appeal. It was hard to get out of bed every morning. Exercise seemed impossible. Then, when spring came around, it would magically lift. There would always be that one day when the sun felt warmer and the air smelled different and I knew the winter was over. It was easier to get up in the mo

Yesterday, a colleague sent me a link to a petition. Our regional dermatology service is losing their registrar training position due to lack of funding. This is going to be a huge blow for a region where we already wait for weeks or months for appointments. As a rural GP, when I moved here from the city I quickly realised I needed to drastically upskill in dermatology. I no longer had the luxury of referring on when I was stuck. The statistics quoted on the link were shockin

When my fourth baby was born, my eldest child was nine. Nine years. I can’t believe how much changed in that time. Tight swaddles were...

Sensitivity warning – this post mentions pregnancy loss. I would never wish to cause anyone distress, so if this is not the right time...

Last week I had a fabulous day teaching at a Women’s Health workshop for registrars training to be specialist GPs. I love this part time...

I look at the new mum sitting in front of me. Her beautiful, perfect baby is nuzzled into her neck as she gently rubs his back. The tears...

There is a couch in my consulting room. It is not much to look at. I bought it online so that new mums could be more comfortable...

My older daughter is nine years old. She has soft brown eyes and long, wavy hair that takes patient brushing each morning. She has no...

Pregnancy and birth change us in so many ways. Our hearts expand and stretch. We learn a multitude of new skills. We discover how to...

One of the best things about being a mother is getting to rediscover my favourite children’s books. I spent much of my childhood immersed...

I had a mini-escape earlier this year. An escape from motherhood, from work, from laundry. It was short but glorious. I was sitting an...

My youngest child is now 18 months old, and he is adorable. He is the cuddliest of all my babies and has a truly sweet and sensitive...

Let me tell you about a beautiful little town on the coast in south west Victoria. It is nestled around a port, with quiet beaches and...

It has been ten years since my first child was born, but I still have very vivid memories of that time. Certain sounds, smells and images...

Every day in general practice is a new adventure. I can safely say in several years of working as a GP that I have never had two days the...

I have started this website to help improve access to breastfeeding and sleep support in Portland and the surrounding areas. My intention...