On Thrusday evening I was on my way upstairs to grab a sweater when I heard my cell ringing downstairs... Instantly I thought, "K!" We had 2 moms that were due anyday, so granted I had a 50-50 chance of guessing the correct mom. But since I'm trying to tap into my intuitiveness, (a valued skill in midwifery) I was happy to discover I was right!
I was the first to arrive at their house. K's parents happened to be in town because they were all going to their 4-year-old son's t-ball game. K was in her bathtub soaking, her mom keeping her company. She was having some good strong contractions but they were still about 5 or so minutes appart. She felt like getting out of the tub to walk around a bit and I was her little shadow. Wherever she was with each contraction she would lean on something and I would gently massage her back. She said it felt great to have something gentle that felt good to focus on.
D arrived soon after and I started to help her set up all the supplies and equipment. Which I'm getting better at knowing where things are and where they should be placed =) When we were almost done I realized that K's mom had left to attend to their son and she was alone in the bathroom laboring on the toilet. I told D, I feel like I really need to be in there with her right now, and she said "go, go!" being supportive of me listening to my instincts.
When I came in she smiled and then another contraction came on and I stood at her side while she sat on the toilet. (which is by the way a wonderful place to labor for many reasons... not a great place to start pushing though =) So I stood there and she leaned against me singing her birth song, the low moans of a laboring mother. I held her and spoke softly to her to help her remember to sink into the pressure, to relax her shoulders and face, to allow her body to open.
In between contractions her son would poke his head in, he was super excited to meet his little sister. He kept saying it was the best day of his life and he was going to draw her a spiderman picture for her birthday. K's husband would check in periodically too, but he kept himself busy with cleaning up, rearranging and hosing down the back patio. K was happy to just have women around her for this part of her labor.
As the contractions started to get stronger and closer together her husband stayed close. Over the course of a couple hours she tried a bunch of different positions. Kneeling on pillows supported by her husband, sitting on the birthing stool, standing leaning on their bed, sitting in her rocking chair, lying on her side in bed. We were all over the place =) And throughout the whole labor the baby's heart was doing great.
Their son decided that since it was the baby's birthday she needed to have a party with cake. He came in sweetly asking what kind of cake was the baby's favorite, and K explained that the baby wont be able to eat any of the cake, but that he could choose his favorite instead. He was very happy about that =) So off he went with his grandpa to buy the cake and candles. Apparently he gave his grandpa directions on how to get to the Cold Stone Creamery so they could get an ice cream cake. He came back in carrying the cake into the bed room to show it to us, frosting, whipped cream with lots of colorful sprinkles. =)
The contractions kept coming strong and as she was leaning over the bed holding on to her husband her water broke and were excited knowing that Ruby Jane would be coming soon. She decided to turn around to face D who was kneeling on the floor below her, ready to support as the baby came out. With just a few contractions her head made its way out slowly, and then with the next contraction and push she was only half way out and already started to cry. Then there she was, all pink and crying, getting lots of oxygen from the air and still from the cord pulsing from within. They helped K sit down and and then placed her new daughter on her chest. She cried with joy holding this precious babe that she worked so hard with to bring into the world.
Their son had been taking a bath after returning from the cake shopping and he came in all excited to meet his sister. "Oh she's so cute!" he exclaimed. "I'll go get her cake!" haha. They told him it would have to wait just for a bit. =) We got K all cozy in bed with her babe, and the family just cuddled for a while. Soon after her husband helped cut the cord and she delivered her placenta. Ruby Jane stopped crying pretty soon after, and she was all alert looking around, listening to the voices around her and nursing.
Eventually their son couldn't wait anymore so, with his grandparents help, he put a bunch of candles in the cake and then we all sang a little happy birthday song to Ruby Jane. I was able to make K some scrambled eggs to eat, instead of cake for now, cuz she needed some good protein. It felt good cooking for one of the moms for the first time. As most of you know I love to cook and feed people. Eventually I'd love to include that as a service for postpartum moms, to bring them fresh cooked meals =)
Everyone was so happy in the house. We did all the routine tests to make sure mom and baby were healthy and then left them a few hours later cozy in bed. It was a very sweet birth and K thanked me for being so comforting. I drove home around midnight with my heart full of love and my belly full of cake. =)
Monday, April 28, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Precious Moment
I was called to another birth this morning. I've gotten to know this family over the last 2 months by helping out at their prenatal appointments, and it was an honor to be at this birth with them. I got the call just a bit before 7am, was out the door by 7am and booked it down the freeways because they live about 45min to 1hr away. I got there in 35 minutes, haha. (shhh... don't tell)
I was the first to arrive and A was busying herself brushing her teeth and getting ready inbetween contractions. She had been having mild contractions all night and was able to sleep through most of them, but around 6am they changed into something stronger and she knew it was time. Shortly after D arrived with her many bags of supplies and I helped her set those up. We always prepare and set up the emergency equipment just incase, even though, in most cases, they never need them.
They had the birthing pool already set up in their master bedroom and we started to fill it with water while A worked through her contractions with her husband. Eventually she was ready to get into the tub and melted once she hit the water with a big sigh. =) The contractions started to pick up pace and even a couple doubled up on her. She used her voice to moan through them in an almost zen-like chant. It reminded me of the "Om" peace chant in my yoga classes because at one point all of us were "oming" along with her.
The room was super peaceful with music playing and the sound of their adorable 2 year old daughter, Zoe, taking a bath down the hall with her nanny. She wanted to have her own bath just like mommy was, but with less noise, and more splashing =) Soon the contractions were very strong and A was challenging herself to breath through them. I was humbled to be at her head supporting her and encouraging her, while she gripped my hand for strength. Near the end of one of the intense contractions we saw her have the urge to push. You could hear it in the way she grunted a bit and she then told us she felt a bit pushy.
The midwives reassured her to listen to her body and trust in it. She had been lying on her side for while and decided to get on her knees and lean on the edge of the pool to have more stability and to feel stronger for pushing with each contraction. She used her voice and held my hand in one hand and her husbands in the other. I was kneeling facing her and we were head to head as I encouraged her and relayed what the midwives were saying. "the head is right there, i can see it" "you are so close, the next push will bring the head out"
Her husband was going to catch the baby so he moved to be in positition and once the head was out he told her "I have a little head in my hands" and she smiled sweetly. With the next contraction she pushed the baby out and she was caught by her dad and the midwife supporting. A stayed where she was, saying she needed a minute. She cried softly to herself and said "i did it" and when she was ready she turned to meet her daughter. Which was such a sweet surprise because they chose to not find out the sex. She was thrilled that Zoe had a little sister now.
The birth up to this point had already been amazing and beautiful. Such a sweet family all coming together. I was able to take pictures for them while they met and got to know their new little girl. Seeing for the first time her perfect little nose, her gorgeous chinese/caucasian eyes, her plump little lips. Zoe was able to say "baby" and "sister" and was super excited to meet her. Tender kisses were passed between husband and wife, mother and daughters, father and daughters. A lot of love filled the room.
Eventually A started to get a bit crampy, a sign that the uterus was ready to contract again and expell the placenta. They were ready to cut the cord and what happened next was a rare and precious moment. A asked for them to wait so she could talk to her baby before they cut the cord, which was still connecting them. We all respected her space as she spoke to her daughter, caressing and kissing her "I'm going to let you out into the world now. Thank you for choosing me to be your mother, I am going to miss having you inside me, but I will always be here for you. I love you so much." Tears welded in my eyes because I knew what a sacred moment that was, honoring the connection between mother and baby, knowing that so many mothers so often have their babys cut away from them briskly.
So with that the proud papa cut the cord and Zara was welcomed into the world as her own person. She then cuddled with her dad while the placenta was birthed, and we helped A dry off and get into her bed. Soon the whole family was in the bed cuddling, baby nursing and since everyone was fine we let them be for about 20 minutes. At their first birth with Zoe it was a bit hectic with family and friends there, and they never got a chance to be alone and bond with their baby. So this time they requested that we made sure they got their time together.
Once they were ready to recieve people again the midwife did the newborn exam while Zara rested on her mothers breast. Perfectly healthy little girl =) Each birth I have been to so far has been amazing and beautiful in their own ways. But this one will always hold a special place in my heart. It truly was a precious moment.
I was the first to arrive and A was busying herself brushing her teeth and getting ready inbetween contractions. She had been having mild contractions all night and was able to sleep through most of them, but around 6am they changed into something stronger and she knew it was time. Shortly after D arrived with her many bags of supplies and I helped her set those up. We always prepare and set up the emergency equipment just incase, even though, in most cases, they never need them.
They had the birthing pool already set up in their master bedroom and we started to fill it with water while A worked through her contractions with her husband. Eventually she was ready to get into the tub and melted once she hit the water with a big sigh. =) The contractions started to pick up pace and even a couple doubled up on her. She used her voice to moan through them in an almost zen-like chant. It reminded me of the "Om" peace chant in my yoga classes because at one point all of us were "oming" along with her.
The room was super peaceful with music playing and the sound of their adorable 2 year old daughter, Zoe, taking a bath down the hall with her nanny. She wanted to have her own bath just like mommy was, but with less noise, and more splashing =) Soon the contractions were very strong and A was challenging herself to breath through them. I was humbled to be at her head supporting her and encouraging her, while she gripped my hand for strength. Near the end of one of the intense contractions we saw her have the urge to push. You could hear it in the way she grunted a bit and she then told us she felt a bit pushy.
The midwives reassured her to listen to her body and trust in it. She had been lying on her side for while and decided to get on her knees and lean on the edge of the pool to have more stability and to feel stronger for pushing with each contraction. She used her voice and held my hand in one hand and her husbands in the other. I was kneeling facing her and we were head to head as I encouraged her and relayed what the midwives were saying. "the head is right there, i can see it" "you are so close, the next push will bring the head out"
Her husband was going to catch the baby so he moved to be in positition and once the head was out he told her "I have a little head in my hands" and she smiled sweetly. With the next contraction she pushed the baby out and she was caught by her dad and the midwife supporting. A stayed where she was, saying she needed a minute. She cried softly to herself and said "i did it" and when she was ready she turned to meet her daughter. Which was such a sweet surprise because they chose to not find out the sex. She was thrilled that Zoe had a little sister now.
The birth up to this point had already been amazing and beautiful. Such a sweet family all coming together. I was able to take pictures for them while they met and got to know their new little girl. Seeing for the first time her perfect little nose, her gorgeous chinese/caucasian eyes, her plump little lips. Zoe was able to say "baby" and "sister" and was super excited to meet her. Tender kisses were passed between husband and wife, mother and daughters, father and daughters. A lot of love filled the room.
Eventually A started to get a bit crampy, a sign that the uterus was ready to contract again and expell the placenta. They were ready to cut the cord and what happened next was a rare and precious moment. A asked for them to wait so she could talk to her baby before they cut the cord, which was still connecting them. We all respected her space as she spoke to her daughter, caressing and kissing her "I'm going to let you out into the world now. Thank you for choosing me to be your mother, I am going to miss having you inside me, but I will always be here for you. I love you so much." Tears welded in my eyes because I knew what a sacred moment that was, honoring the connection between mother and baby, knowing that so many mothers so often have their babys cut away from them briskly.
So with that the proud papa cut the cord and Zara was welcomed into the world as her own person. She then cuddled with her dad while the placenta was birthed, and we helped A dry off and get into her bed. Soon the whole family was in the bed cuddling, baby nursing and since everyone was fine we let them be for about 20 minutes. At their first birth with Zoe it was a bit hectic with family and friends there, and they never got a chance to be alone and bond with their baby. So this time they requested that we made sure they got their time together.
Once they were ready to recieve people again the midwife did the newborn exam while Zara rested on her mothers breast. Perfectly healthy little girl =) Each birth I have been to so far has been amazing and beautiful in their own ways. But this one will always hold a special place in my heart. It truly was a precious moment.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Practice makes perfect
Part of my apprenticeship involves practicing hands-on and so far I've been doing things I know how to do well. Last week one of the midwives, D, offered that I could draw blood for one of the tests. (If the mom wanted to do the test and was fine with me doing the draw.) I learned how to draw blood (venipuncture) about a year ago during my Heart & Hands course. A very skilled midwife taught us and in small groups we practiced on each other. Of course everyone was nervous, but we all did fairly well. Needless to day I haven't done any since then and was a bit nervous at the thought of practicing on a pregnant momma.
I told the D how I felt and she was still confident in me. To my relief the mom opted to not take the test, so I didn't draw any blood. I did get to take her blood pressure though... much easier, hehe. I asked D if I could borrow some supplies and try to practice drawing blood at home on anyone who was willing =) She thought it was a great idea and gave me everything I needed. Since I live with three boys, ahem, I mean men... I thought it would be easy to get a volunteer. One roommate declined, my hubby was squeamish, but on the fence about it... and the other roommate said sure, but not right now.
The next day I came home from a yoga class and our good friend S was over. Anxious to have at least 2 victims I asked him straight out "Are you afraid of needles?" and without hesitation he said adamantly "No". haha. If you have to practice on someone, its always better to have someone who is less nervous than you =) So I got all my stuff set up and reviewed the steps one last time in my course binder. I felt ready and confident.
I won't go into minute details. But I missed the vein the first time =( I should have been holding the skin a bit more taught and the vein kinda rolled to the side. I've seen nurses deal with this by pushing to the side to try and find the vein, but since I'm less experienced I wanted to try from scratch. I confirmed w/ S and he was fine with me trying again. Success! I hit the vein, collected a decent amount of blood and he was good to go. whew! I did it!
Even though I missed the first time, I feel more confident now. And I'm hoping to practice it at least one more time before drawing a mommas blood. The roommate who said "sure, but not now" is not so sure anymore after watching me take S's blood, haha. But we'll see if i can convince him =) Practice will make perfect!
I told the D how I felt and she was still confident in me. To my relief the mom opted to not take the test, so I didn't draw any blood. I did get to take her blood pressure though... much easier, hehe. I asked D if I could borrow some supplies and try to practice drawing blood at home on anyone who was willing =) She thought it was a great idea and gave me everything I needed. Since I live with three boys, ahem, I mean men... I thought it would be easy to get a volunteer. One roommate declined, my hubby was squeamish, but on the fence about it... and the other roommate said sure, but not right now.
The next day I came home from a yoga class and our good friend S was over. Anxious to have at least 2 victims I asked him straight out "Are you afraid of needles?" and without hesitation he said adamantly "No". haha. If you have to practice on someone, its always better to have someone who is less nervous than you =) So I got all my stuff set up and reviewed the steps one last time in my course binder. I felt ready and confident.
I won't go into minute details. But I missed the vein the first time =( I should have been holding the skin a bit more taught and the vein kinda rolled to the side. I've seen nurses deal with this by pushing to the side to try and find the vein, but since I'm less experienced I wanted to try from scratch. I confirmed w/ S and he was fine with me trying again. Success! I hit the vein, collected a decent amount of blood and he was good to go. whew! I did it!
Even though I missed the first time, I feel more confident now. And I'm hoping to practice it at least one more time before drawing a mommas blood. The roommate who said "sure, but not now" is not so sure anymore after watching me take S's blood, haha. But we'll see if i can convince him =) Practice will make perfect!
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Beautiful Lioness
My trip to SF was wonderful. I had such a great time visiting with all my friends, co-workers and of course lil Dexter. Being in the city felt great, i missed the smells and sights, the random conversations you can have on public transportation, and even the guy holding the "FREE HUGS" sign, who gives amazing hugs =) I'm looking forward to visiting again soon.
I got back on Satuday, spent a really nice day with Simon on Sunday, and was looking forward to starting my adjusted work schedule to have more time for apprentice work. Monday night I went sleep looking forward to the 3 prenatal visits scheduled for Tuesday, but was awakened by a call at 3am from D asking if i was ready for another birth. =) Of course I am! haha.
So bleery eyed and groggy I threw on whatever was at hand, squinted at my computer to get directions to where the family's home was, and headed off into the dark morning. Thankfully the freeway was almost completely empty so it took my only about 10 minutes to get there. When I arrived mom was in her birthing tub already relaxing and talking with her sister and husband.
Since this was her third baby, the midwives thought that things would progress pretty quickly, but... you never really know and this was one of those cases where the unlikely was happening =) The hours passed by as mom focused on her contractions and we gave her support and comforted her.
Inspite of moms efforts pushing, the baby didnt seem to be making progress. Sometimes the baby's head might be at a funky angle or the cervix has trouble dialating and staying out of the way, and it seemed that this was the case. Mom was getting really tired by now and frustrated that things werent progressing. The midwives suggested trying a couple more things to help the baby reposition his head, like having mom walk up and down a couple stairs like a sumo wrestler, and if those didnt help then we would consider transporting to the hospital. Not because anybody was at risk, but just because she was really tired and an epidural might help her get some rest.
Mom didn't want to go to the hospital, so she tried the sumo waddle, and sure enough it did the trick and her contractions became more intense. She was standing being supported by her husband as she growled and screamed with each push. She used her voice to give her strength and power and it did just that. Soon the head was out and then the body followed being caught and supported by the midwives till mom could reach down and lift her to her chest.
Everyone was so happy and relieved. Mom laid down to cuddle with her new daughter and we all admired how pink she was and how she was breathing just fine without needing any suction. Her husband was so proud of her, and grateful to us for helping them. I did get a bit choked up at the overwhelming emotions in the room. It was beautiful.
Even though this birth was more challenging, it was a wonderful experience to see how the midwives deal with situations like this. How they didnt panic, but gave constant support and observation, trusting in mom and respecting her wishes. We all worked really well as a team, each with a dutiful task, and it felt great.
I helped with clean up and packing up while the proud papa forced bagels, fruit and juice on us. Soon after the mothers parents arrived and the house was full of blessings. I was able to help the midwives other apprentice inspect the placenta to make sure it was intact, and that was very educational. You can look at pictures so many times, but the real thing is very different. She showed me the "tree of life" on the placenta, which is made up of the arteries, veins and cord. If your curious here's a picture =) (its black and white, so dont be afraid)
I got home around noon a bit dazed and tired but not tired at the same time. The midwives rescheduled appointments for that day, and I was very grateful to have time to myself to reflect and rest. I fed my foster kitties, took a shower, ate some lunch and then took the best nap ever =) Dreaming of little Isabella and her strong lioness mother =)
I got back on Satuday, spent a really nice day with Simon on Sunday, and was looking forward to starting my adjusted work schedule to have more time for apprentice work. Monday night I went sleep looking forward to the 3 prenatal visits scheduled for Tuesday, but was awakened by a call at 3am from D asking if i was ready for another birth. =) Of course I am! haha.
So bleery eyed and groggy I threw on whatever was at hand, squinted at my computer to get directions to where the family's home was, and headed off into the dark morning. Thankfully the freeway was almost completely empty so it took my only about 10 minutes to get there. When I arrived mom was in her birthing tub already relaxing and talking with her sister and husband.
Since this was her third baby, the midwives thought that things would progress pretty quickly, but... you never really know and this was one of those cases where the unlikely was happening =) The hours passed by as mom focused on her contractions and we gave her support and comforted her.
Inspite of moms efforts pushing, the baby didnt seem to be making progress. Sometimes the baby's head might be at a funky angle or the cervix has trouble dialating and staying out of the way, and it seemed that this was the case. Mom was getting really tired by now and frustrated that things werent progressing. The midwives suggested trying a couple more things to help the baby reposition his head, like having mom walk up and down a couple stairs like a sumo wrestler, and if those didnt help then we would consider transporting to the hospital. Not because anybody was at risk, but just because she was really tired and an epidural might help her get some rest.
Mom didn't want to go to the hospital, so she tried the sumo waddle, and sure enough it did the trick and her contractions became more intense. She was standing being supported by her husband as she growled and screamed with each push. She used her voice to give her strength and power and it did just that. Soon the head was out and then the body followed being caught and supported by the midwives till mom could reach down and lift her to her chest.
Everyone was so happy and relieved. Mom laid down to cuddle with her new daughter and we all admired how pink she was and how she was breathing just fine without needing any suction. Her husband was so proud of her, and grateful to us for helping them. I did get a bit choked up at the overwhelming emotions in the room. It was beautiful.
Even though this birth was more challenging, it was a wonderful experience to see how the midwives deal with situations like this. How they didnt panic, but gave constant support and observation, trusting in mom and respecting her wishes. We all worked really well as a team, each with a dutiful task, and it felt great.
I helped with clean up and packing up while the proud papa forced bagels, fruit and juice on us. Soon after the mothers parents arrived and the house was full of blessings. I was able to help the midwives other apprentice inspect the placenta to make sure it was intact, and that was very educational. You can look at pictures so many times, but the real thing is very different. She showed me the "tree of life" on the placenta, which is made up of the arteries, veins and cord. If your curious here's a picture =) (its black and white, so dont be afraid)
I got home around noon a bit dazed and tired but not tired at the same time. The midwives rescheduled appointments for that day, and I was very grateful to have time to myself to reflect and rest. I fed my foster kitties, took a shower, ate some lunch and then took the best nap ever =) Dreaming of little Isabella and her strong lioness mother =)
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