To quote a favorite BBC series, "Delivering babies is the stuff of life..." It's the truth. There's something absolutely wonderful about being present for the entrance of a new little human into the world. Then add the delight of helping the mama through her labor, or better yet, delivering that new little human. That is the stuff of life.
*sigh* Before I drift deeper into a labor induced (pun intended) daydream, I must record the latest adventure.
The friend who had been coming with me for the last few months has now left for the States and won't be back for at least a year so a new doula joined me this past weekend. She is mama to four, the last of whom she delivered in the very same hospital where we serve! There has been a lot of decline since the country received its independence and the hospital used to look very nice. This friend delivered her son some 24 years post-independence so while things looked better than they do now, it was no picnic. I am just in awe...
Back to my story... This particular day, there was a lovely Australian midwife named Jane visiting. She was staying on hospital grounds, helping for a few weeks and learning all she could from the national midwives who are a valuable source of "machine-free" midwifery information. She was the most adaptive, genuine guest I've ever observed in the ward. It was wonderful to watch her work. You could tell she loved what she did and her ability to make do with limited or no supplies made complete sense when she told us that she had worked in the poorest parts of India. It was refreshing to see a visitor who valued the women as people with families, a history and real feelings.
I moved around the ward, working with several different women. It was a typical busy day and lots of first-time mamas. I stepped into the little curtained area to watch Jane perform an examination on a mama who had just been admitted. This woman was delivering her 5th baby and progressing very quickly.
I was just standing there, soaking in the information and minding my own business when Jane asked if I wanted to listen to the baby's heartbeat. Naturally I jumped at the opportunity to do something new so after a little instruction and palpating her belly myself, I found the heartbeat and listened. Then Jane asked if I'd like to do a vaginal check to measure dilation. Uh, yes. That would be, definitely, yes! I gloved up and following Jane's direction, I inserted two fingers and could feel the cervix (although very little), the bulging bag of waters and the baby's head! It was absolutely amazing.
And if that wasn't special enough, Jane then asked if I'd like to catch the baby. Again, yes. Jane, really, you don't need to ask...
It wasn't long before that little head, covered in wet, dark hair appeared. It was so special to be so much apart of the birth and have the opportunity to learn some new skills!
When I got home, I looked up some things about measuring dilation and the internet was not helpful. (big surprise) I'm going to have to get a text book to satisfy my hunger to learn more. Besides, learning about such intimate exams online seems just a little creepy. But don't worry. I'm not going to start delivering babies in the ward on a regular basis (Remember my vow to never to do anything medical? Ha!) but I do believe the more I know, the better equipped I am to help the midwives and the mamas, not to mention the benefit of just knowing what's going on when my brain isn't translating the language fast enough.
I think some of what draws me to this work is that a large part of it is so subjective. No two labors are created equal and while you have to have a firm grasp of the physiology and intricate workings of labor, you then have to be prepared to reexamine them and figure out what this woman's labor is doing. It's hands-on, eyes-on, emotions-on work that comes with incredible joy or incredible heartache.
My name went on the paperwork that day. So official.
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