Sunday, July 13, 2008

The twin Experience

Soooo Thursday my client was confirmed to have two boys in uteri! Breech, breech Thus far she, the client, has held stud fast to the idea of a homebirth.
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

The Circumcision Argument
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