Hope you never lose your passion for being around birth Margie. Lucky women who have you. Jan
On 5/1/03 11:39 AM, "Margie Perkins" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Oh wow! Lovely birth for all involved. And it's the small, personal steps > which will make a difference as political action and change will only occur > when enough people know the importance first hand. > > Positive story telling from woman to friend, from woman to her kids is > vital.My almost 13 year old son knows his birth story backwards and we've been > known to read birth stories by the lake side while he fishes, as bed time > stories and so on. He's always agog for info when I come home from supporting > women and desperately hopes for chances to hold my special babies. He's part > of the future who aready knows that how we give birth is important. > > I attended a birth on Thursday morning. First time Mum. Pre labour for over 48 > hours. Pretty buggered to begin with, as a result. Laboured through night.Lull > in proceedings ( after 'disappointing/devastating' 4 cm VE) in the wee hours > which was respectfully treated in hospital as a time to rest. Tons of self > doubt but me and a devoted fantastic husband there to help her find her way > through it and quietly suportive midwives in background. Contractions > strengthened up again with morning and sunshine and renewed energy. Strong > intense contractions sitting on loo while we promise the bath but it needs to > be cleaned - where are those cleaners!!! Registrar pops in to chat about bit > high blood pressure and need for another tablet 'but not if you think you want > an epidural' and also to highly recommend her 'insurance policy' of an IV bung > and bloods taken 'just in case'. ( ahhgg!) Since our birth rhythm has been > 'come on guys I can't do this for hours more I've had it, how long w! > ! > ill it be?, can't I have an epidural?' 'You're doing it really beautifully' - > and she was - how bout you try change position/shower/that bath first and if > they're no good....just try and melt now in between... rest...it's ok...' This > Registrar seems to have some sort of radar whih zooms her in at precisely a > woman's most vulnerable moments so yes to the epidural but VE first and after > only 2 hours of renewed labour- oh thank my lucky stars - the Registrar > sounds amazed that she is 9cm and epidural is off the agenda. Soon pushing > contractions start and just over an hour later a baby in great shape flies > into the world all in one go. She tore - but spends the repair time which she > is really scared of - falling in love with her baby who has just opened his > eyes and stopped crying at the suddenness of this new world and is searching > her face. She barely notices the repair happening. I stand by, holding her > stirruped knee, tears rolling down my face at the wonder and glory of bein! > ! > g priviledged to witness this beautiful love bond flitting across her > features. She's utterly buggered but strong now. > > This so special woman is over the moon. It's the 'most amazing and powerful > thing I've ever done' - and her partner too - they glow. She can't keep a mile > wide smile offf her face. She's changed forever. She says how unfair it is > that natural birth is so rare, that all women aren't given the support to do > it. Her hospital midwife congratulated her on being one of a rare breed of > first Mums who have a natural birth. She knows, now, how unjust it is for > women to be denied this opportunity by our birth system.She says how grateful > she is that she didn't succumb to the epidural because the experience is too > big to miss. > > I'm elated too, still, and I think she'll gladly send off $30 to join MC > because she really knows what the fight is for. > > Margie > > > > At Sat, 4 Jan 2003 23:11:01 +1100, > Andrea Quanchi ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: >> Well this morning I woke at 4am with the feeling that my second >> client >> for the week was in labour so when the phone rang at 6:45 I was >> not at >> all surprised. This woman has had two babies before and been very >> disappointed with both birth experiences which were long and it >> sounds >> to me like attended by obstetric nurses and doctor. She has found >> this >> whole pregnancy a completely different experience having care from >> me >> instead. >> >> Well she lives an hour away and during the time we talked on the >> phone >> her contractions that she had been resisting all night went from >> 10 >> minutely to three minutely in a very short space of time. (Silly >> of me >> huh I should have waited to reassure her until I was closer) >> Anyway by >> the time I collected my colleague and we arrived at her house she >> was >> ready to give birth. With her husband out of the room, a conscious >> decision on both their parts, and her mother in complete awe she >> birthed >> Ruby Kate. It was a glorious day and we ended up inside instead of >> in >> the carefully prepared birth pool over looking the river that Dad >> had >> prepared but everyone was over the moon. >> >> I seem to be making a practice of attending home births in small >> rural >> communities where the whole community knows what we are doing and >> comes >> to visit soon after the birth, is completely enthralled and go >> away with >> a positive perspective of the whole thing. Small steps but its >> still >> good to be a part of. >> >> As we were driving towards this birth, in beautiful sunshine, I >> was >> working with a colleague who has been my soul mate and support >> over the >> last three years, towards a family who wanted our presence over >> anyone >> else's to share a precious part of their lives and I thought I >> have to >> have the best job on earth. >> >> Andrea Quanchi >> >> -- >> This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. >> Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > Looking for a free email account? > Get one now at http://www.freemail.com.au/ > > -------------------------------------------------------- -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
