From MIDWIFERY MATTERS, Issue No. 101, Summer 2004
Mums know Best!
Two birth stories illustrating the need to support women listening to their
bodies and spirit, midwives listening to the women, taking a back seat, letting
them get on with it and learning a valuable lesson, that mothers do know best.
Out on the farm with Julie and Mick, labours taken a while, Julie is tired, Mick is regaling us with stories of calves being winched out of their mothers with ropes, and how sheep just give up, Julie is not impressed.. This is her second baby,
"I thought it was supposed to be Quicker second time around".
Contractions have been persistent, and here we are at 9cms, hooray, baby should be born soon we say. I' m going to sleep she says, and settles down to sleep on the settee, contractions have gone off, baby is fine, and off to sleep she goes, out like a light. We all look at each other, twiddle our thumbs, should we wake her, get her moving .Mick is thinking is this ok? We're thinking, in hospital it would be, "lets get the synt running,"
An hour or so later, up she sits , ok want to push now, feeling as fresh as a daisy, and out baby pops. Mum, dad and baby are fine, Midwives sit back in admiration.
Laura and Rick are having their first baby at home, it's OP, well down, baby is fine, we have been here all day and night, labour is slow but steady, we have all been asleep on and off. We have looked at all the wedding and holiday, snaps, discussed every subject under the sun, watched videos, day dawns again, will it ever happen. You know the story, we have tried every position, every technique we can think of to get this baby to move.
Laura is fantastic, still confident . Rick who never thought he would be so involved, is offering tremendous support. We are thinking should we go into hospital, feeling downhearted for Laura, should we pose the question? Pushing has been going on a while, Laura is really sleepy, keeps having naps, lying on the floor on her side. Suddenly up she gets, eyes wide open, big smile on her face "don't worry" she says to us, "I'm going to have the baby soon , his name is Thomas, and he is absolutely fine", Thomas was born 1/2 an hour later.
Jane Poon Primary Care Midwife
LW updated February 4, 2005