Sunday, July 13, 2008
The twin Experience
OK, babies appear healthy in so far as growth 2.10 and 2.11 by ultrasound estimation. Unfortunately one baby appears to have what is possibly a dilated renal pelvis, however it is located low in the pelvis, which begs the question “is it really a dilated renal pelvis”. Anyway client has a consult with neonatal medical specialist soon, as well as a second ultrasound.
My prospective? Scared, yes, I said scared! Concerned, excited. I want to risk her out now! I what to give her every opportunity to have a good healthy birth and provide personalized care, provide nutritional counseling, I want to scare her into transferring care. I want to tell her she can do this. I want to see her make it to term with her precious baby’s. Do I emphasis all the rare but possible risk that could leave her babies’ dead, or worse, severely injured during an out of hospital birth? I want some one to mentor me through the experience, someone to hold my hand.
So, just say that I fail to transfer care and she goes into preterm labor next week. Well If I did transfer care she could still go into labor next week, end result will be the same, they will either stop the labor in a hospital setting or not stop the labor and she will have preterm boys. At this point I’m resolved to just taking it one day at a time. After all nothing is wrong till it’s wrong, right!
Friday, July 11, 2008
Unfinished/unresolved thoughts
OK here goes. Over the pass year I have had a few clients choose to circumcise their baby boys. Both sets of parents were educated and well informed, and both seem to have made up their minds on the subject. I did not dissuade them in any way.
As a midwife I do not think that it is my place to pass out anti-everything-that-I-disagree-with-literature or raise an eye brow or show my disapproval unless it directly affect the pregnancy outcome and can result in my ass going to jail or losing my license. I do not feel the need, nor do I have a desire to fight every battle that crosses my path.
I want the families I serve to feel safe, to be supported in their choices.
I told another midwife this a few months back and was told that it was my job as a midwife to provide info to help keep babies safe, honestly you might think I had told her that I was no longer going to suture client who suffered lacerations, or that I had decided to circumcise these babies myself.
The Big Disappointment
The hardest part about being a midwife is not the difficult, or occasionally, disgruntled client. It’s not the worry and concerns that are encountered from time to time when a pregnancy is slipping outside the bounds of normal.
It’s not the second-guessing yourself during those difficult births nor the time or money spent educating and expanding your knowledge base. It’s not dealing with the powers that be or the heartache that comes from neither the occasional fetal demise nor the fear associated with the possibility of losing a baby, or the worst-case scenario.
For me the difficulty has come from other colleagues in my area, the midwives who, if you’re not in their click, insist on outing you. It’s the rumors and back talk that you hear through the grape vine that makes you heart ache wondering why other midwives want to be so mean. It’s the fear that when things go wrong and others in your profession gets wind of it they’re not likely to give you support nor compassion and would be more likely to take pleasure in giving you a few swift kicks in the chest when your down, simply adding to your pain.
Yes I have seen it here where I am. A midwife has a bad birth outcome, and when she’s most venerable her fellow colleagues aid in deepening the pain.
Ya that pain suffered at the hands of colleagues can sure as hell turn to anger, and bitterness!
OK I've taken my nightly dose of 100% Natural Vertebral fortifier, I'll go to bed now.
Surprise Breech

Second breech I took part in unfolded just like this.
Surprise Breech
We put her in a room
While patiently waiting
It wasn’t long
she began dilating
We refused to do exams
For fear of intruding
A mere four hours later
she began to start pushing
The midwife checked the cervix
Proclaimed there was none
But to her surprise
found labia and bun
Call the other midwife in
She said with a shout!
Forget EMS
This baby wants out!
Across town and taking a break
The telephone rings
What’s this about?
A breech on the way?
You dare say!
She Jumps in her car
her heart is a racing
She speeds across town
Her hands are a shaking
The midwife arrives breaking
OSHA rules
With her feet well exposed
blood, poop, germs and all.
and possibly
one hell of a fall
She gives one good check
And finds only bum
Pick up the phone
and call a code one!
Up in the clown room
A vag to begin
When the intern hears
“birth in the bear room”
it comes to an end
She tosses her gloves
in the trash
In all the excitement
she makes a great dash
One midwife is calling
the head of the clan
But the number escapes her
With the phone in her hand
The butts almost out
Fetal heart tones are good
The perineum is stretching
just as it should.
The baby moves backward
The feet hit the bed
Bruising is minimal
As we wait for the head
One intern is sleeping
She missed the birth
No rest for the intern
Is what it was worth
The baby is laid gently upon mom,A little bit blue
One minute goes by, not a moment to late
The midwife turns and says give her an eight
We examen her bottom
and find not a scratch
The breech made it through
Perineum intact
Then birth the placenta
what a photo op
As there are arteries and veins
that run straight to the top
They’re big, they’re gnarly
Velamentous indeed
A major danger to baby
So says the OBs
So remember my midwife friend
When your sure your moms complete
Make her pant through ten
Just before she pushes, check her again
Don’t forget to breath
As you are worthless too
Should you hold your breath,
pass out or turn blue
Keep your hands off the breech
They will make there way through
Be a good patient midwife
So the head will fit too!
nadahfmidwife
