Books!

So I've been gradually collecting books about childbirth and babies over the last year or so. But in the last week I bought about...9, and 3 of those are hefty. And you're probably thinking, how hefty is hefty? check these out =) Thats 15lbs of knowledge that will take me months, if not years to absorb. The largest has 1,400 pages, whew! But I'm thrilled to have these as resources and can't wait to use them in my academic assignments. They are all written by one amazing midwife, Anne Frye, who started just making hand outs about midwifery in 1978, and since then is completing a 3 volume series for Holistic Midwifery. I now have the first 2 of that series =)

This week has been full of various appointments. We met with a couple who was looking to do a home birth after having a horrible cesarean experience with their first child. Another couple is expecting their first together, hoping for a girl, but the first ultrasound hinted towards a boy. And lastly a repeat client for the midwives, who welcomed us with food and funny stories in her beautiful home overlooking the ocean. I'm starting to realize how many different kinds of women all are drawn towards home birth and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. =)

On Saturday I'm heading back up to SF for a week to spend time with friends and a certain 7 month old who's birth I was at and who I haven't really seen since he was 2 weeks old! I can't wait =)

Already Busy

Monday, March 17th, 2008

So my first experience as a midwife's apprentice was to shadow one of the midwives, D, at a morning prenatal appointment. We drove over and met with mom who was due in a week. She looked fantastic and her 3 year old son and husband were very sweet. She'd already started having some good contractions and the midwife, D, guessed that the baby was going to be coming soon. Mom was hoping for one more day, since it was their anniversary.

So we took off, and around 5pm I got a call from D. M had gone into labor and we needed to head back. I was giddy with excitement, trying to get ready was a funny sight as i was doing a mental check list... shoes, check, sweater, check, book? no book? ah forget it i need to go! I arrived at the same time as Diane and i helped her carry her many impressive (aka heavy) supply bags to the house. Once we got there it was pretty obvious that M was having some really good contractions, and we needed to get set up quickly. Shortly after S, the other midwife arrived.

They opted for a water birth, so while D and S set up supplies I was inflating the pool and dad figured out the hoses from the bathroom. Soon we had the pool filling up and mom was near by on her birth ball concentrating on her contractions. As soon as the tub was ready she got in and melted at the warmth of the water. She labored in the water for about 30 minutes before feeling the urge to push.

The environment was so peaceful with the lights turned low, candles lit, and soft piano music playing in the background. Occasionally D would check the baby's heart tones, and each time he was perfect. M and her husband decided they wanted their son, who was 3 years old, to witness the birth. They had talked to him about it and prepared him for what to expect. The only challenge was telling him he couldn't get into the pool with mom. =)

M was amazing, listening to her body, feeling the sensations of him moving down, breathing into the contractions. No pain meds, just the glorious hormonal cocktail that our bodies naturally produce to calm and envigorate us. Soon the baby's head was born, and she reached down to feel. With the next contraction his whole body was born and she reached into the water and lifted him to her breast. It was beautiful. He began to cry on his own interference and was nice and pink. A very healthy baby, born at 7:54pm.

We stayed till around 11pm, making sure mom and baby were doing great. I was able to help with a bunch of stuff and it felt wonderful to be using some of the skills I had already learned. I am so grateful to have been at this birth. I had seen many home births on video, but this was my first in person, and it only established even stronger my trust in birth and women's bodies. I hope that as i continue to study that i'll be able to foster that in other women.

I Jumped

March 13th, 2008

After the conference I started writing around, to people I heard of or met at the conference, to see if they had any suggestions for me to get more experience down here in LA, and a two midwives who work together emailed me back. We met for lunch today to talk and they asked if I wanted to be their assistant!

While talking with them I realized what a great opportunity just fell in my lap and that I'd be an idiot to not take them up on their offer. Also, I decided to stop being a chickenshit and start NMI (National Midwifery Institute) so that I can be an participating assistant, rather than just helping set up and clean up. I've been honestly tip-toeing around that for over a year now... it really is time to jump in =)

I'm so excited and nervous at the same time. This means big changes, but I'm ready and Simon is super supportive.
Yay!

Trust Birth Conference

March 6-8th, Redondo Beach, 2008

The conference has been awesome so far =) Listening to these amazing women and men (i.e. Michel Odent) speak has been so eye opening, inspiring and emotional. Hearing all the stories of joy and heartache, the passion in their lives radiates from them and is incredibly contagious.

I am constantly conflicted. Hearing of all the hard work, all the responsibility, all of the risk and insurance issues, it is really daunting. But then, hearing about the joy, the changing of lives, the helping, saving, sharing. Seeing the light in their eyes, knowing and understanding. It pulls me, urges me, draws me in closer. And i truly feel it is something i cannot avoid.

It terrifies me in a way that overwhelms my whole body and spirit. If i jump, that's exactly what it is. Right now as a doula i'm still safe. Tip-toeing around the edge, looking in, listening, curious... But when i jump in there's no going back. It's a whole new life, and i think it... i know it will change me forever, but in a wonderful way.

Is it time to jump? Time to become and active participant in this revolution. Time to work in away that i never have before. Work that i'm passionate about and that really makes a difference. I don't know.