birth student midwife midwifery homebirth childbirth cpm symposium feminism life of a student midwife love new adventures new beginnings power of women becoming a mother birthwise midwifery school cesarean doula empowerment maternity care midwife midwives new life pregnancy public health starting over student midwife to midwife Placenta crafting VBAC acceptance birth center communication death empowering birth excitement fear growing growth health policy internationally trained midwives canada labour induction med-wives midwifery regulations midwives as primary healthcare providers moving forward personal growth prenatal yoga resolutions struggles and challenges the end is nigh transitions CPM DOR HR 1054 MAMA campaign MANA MMBP PROM Placenta Libertation Front Rowan Bailey SlutWalk Suturing activism anais nin ann sexton arizona arizona midwifery augmentation and epidurals awe babymoon inn baptism by fire being on call birth centre birth positions birthwise breastfeeding c/s canada canadian midwifery cancer catching babies changes christmas eats on feets elements family foucault future midwives alliance gender identity graduation grieving having to plan for the future health promotion herbs hospital birth hypnobirthing insomnia joy joys of birth language language of birth learning licensed midwives losing my shit midwifery education midwives as a political decision mother's day mother-baby connection movie night moving to canada multi-jurisdictional midwifery bridging program natural midwife new years resolutions overcoming depression packages in the mail phoenix placenta postpartum postpartum depression power powerful births prelabour/premature rupture of membranes racism rape regina reproductive rights roots saskatchewan midwifery self love self realization sensorship sounds of birth standard-of-care statistics stillbirth student midwife hell tending fires third stage traditional midwifery transition ultrasound uterus waiting for babies washington state midwifery water birth white privilege women's health yoga

Monday, January 25, 2010

beautiful life

01/25/10

One of the most beautiful and peaceful births I’ve attended. I don’t know why. She was so beautiful as she sunk into the tub let the warm water relax her. Arms intertwined with her husband. As the surges came her voice rose to an operatic crescendo. I was waiting for her to break out in song. In a way she was.

We arrived at the house at 2am to find her in her bed. The poor soul was sick on top of being in labour. Listening to her hypnobirthing tapes she was in silent meditation. 6/7 cm, fully effaced, 0 station.

She rose from her bed and went to the tub. Within a few hours she was gently pushing her baby out as the little one rotated herself down and through her mothers pelvis. As she descended, K’s vagina slowly began to open, almost as if she were letting in the light to help guide her baby through the door, helping her to emerge into this bright world.

I sat silently in the corner. Watching. Listening. The sounds of her breathe. The moans rising in intensity as her baby was coming closer. She knew what to do. Though frightened briefly she strayed only once from the pain, until she embraced it and pushed her baby out in two surges.

Quietly the little baby came into being on her mother’s belly. Eyes open and alert, silently watching and taking in all that was around her. All those familiar voices were taking on new shapes. She felt safe and unafraid in her new environment. Still hanging on to her watery cocoon a single leg was immersed in the water.

She was placed on her father’s chest and wrapped to keep warm as her mother than birthed the home she had spent the last 40 weeks in. After mother was washed and tucked into bed, she was handed her new baby girl who latched on readily and ate until satiation.

The newborn exam done in the mother’s arms and then weighed and evaluated in front of the expanding family as they nourished themselves.

I am so blessed to be part of these experiences. One of the most intimate and important moments in a persons life, and I am privileged enough to share it with them.

Thank you.
Posted by No comments:
Labels: , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)