Midwife for His Glory: Update

Hi Everyone!

This morning, Mom reminded me I need to update my blog. My first reaction was that I have nothing to post. Not much has been going on and I haven't taken many pictures...For the most part, I've been in front of my laptop, studying midwifery, listening to music, working on a story, updating my doula information, etc. There haven't been many births and the prenatals only last the morning. Jeri and the midwives say there'll be a flood of births soon where we'll be begging for them to stop. :-D We'll see what happens...

My favorite part of birth (out here at least) is when the head is coming. I love feeling it be pushed into my hands. Then, I love reaching around and touching the little fat cheeks as they sit on the perineum. Or the ear. At that point, the midwife next to me will usually grab the head and pull down a little to free the shoulders. I'm not sure I like that, since the mom could probably get it out by herself, but a moment later, the baby is the world's newest member. It's like magic. I feel honored to be here and help.

The main drawback about being in the PI is that I can't connect with the women. In the States, I'm used to connecting with the mom and being able to actually help her and become her friend while she gives birth (hopefully I'm able to make that relationship before-hand, but there were twice we met while she was in labor). Out here, it's hard having that communication barrier. She doesn't understand my questions or comments. I don't understand her questions. The only thing I can do is smile and catch her baby. While that is helpful, I enjoy the special relationship that normally develops.

Yesterday was the first time I've connected slightly with a mom out here. It was beautiful. She spoke very good English and was happy and cheerful. At 1 in the morning, a smiling and bubbly mom in labor is not what you want to see. Translation: it's going to be a long night.

Ate Grace told the mom to lay down and try to sleep told me to lay down on the other bed in the delivery room. The mom stayed up all night talking on her cell phone with her husband. She was pretty wound up and excited. I tried to sleep. Every two hours, I checked heart tones. Everything was going smoothly.

Around 5am, her husband came and they ate breakfast. Contractions didn't pick-up at all until she started walking around outside around 9am. Then, all her smiles and bubbly-ness disappeared. Instead, she was grumpy and in a lot of pain. Whenever I see that, I always feel bad for the mom but happy knowing that birth will be soon.

Two hours later, her baby (well, everything except the shoulders. Ate Grace pulled those out) was born into my hands. He was the biggest baby I've caught so far - 3.2 kg.

There were two Filipina midwifery students from a local college observing at the birth. The moment the baby was born, they started dancing around the room, snapping pictures of everything, never mind the fact that the mom was totally exposed...They were so excited and wouldn't settle down. It was kind of funny but when the placenta came out and I examined it and needed one of them to write down the information, like she was supposed to...

Anyway, it was a beautiful birth and all is going well! :-D