A day in the life:
Got to clinic to start the day. One midwife was already at a home birth with the student so I'm alone. Charts haven't been pulled. That's ok, I can figure that out. The laundry is upstairs unfolded but I'll get to that when I have a moment. I check messages to see if anyone has cancelled or needs to reschedule or wants to make a new appointment. Nope, all quiet.
My schedule opens up because the gal in labor had an appointment. My receptionist arrives and and listens to messages that came in while I was with clients. A dad has called to report that his wife is in labor and left the message on VM. Gawd. That was an hour before. I call him and he tells me she's very uncomfortable and is trying to poop but she can't (!!!!!!!!!!). I tell them to get to the clinic ASAP and I run around preparing a room, calling the third midwife to come in and seeing if the student can come from the other birth. I drag my equipment and scrubs into the clinic. And wait. And wait. We're standing by the window waiting for the family to arrive. Finally they do. She's not pushing, has plenty of time to go before the baby arrives. I go back to my clinic visits after the other midwife arrives.
I hear Lynn calling our receptionist from upstairs. Sounds urgent. Soon I hear an ambulance coming for the mom. The baby's heart tones are very low and they need to get her to the hospital NOW. Off they go, sirens wailing. Crash c/sec with a crying baby. Whew. The dad never even got into the building because he was parking the car while she was rushed into surgery.
Sheesh. After all that, we reassure ourselves that all is well. The dad should have called the answering service, thank god Justine listened to messages as soon as she got to clinic and I insisted that she come to the clinic immediately because she sounded like she was in active labor (or getting ready to push)....Gawd.
What a crazy job. What a crazy life.
8 comments:
I got to talk with a midwife I had known forty years ago on Sunday. She lives in Maryland now and she and I used to do home births together while she was still in nursing school. She got her CNM and worked in a practice for years, went back to school and taught at Johns Hopkins for a long time and then decided she wanted to catch babies again which is she is doing with great joy at her small, local hospital. She seemed so happy. "I sit with a woman in labor all night and I realize that this is what I was meant to do," she told me.
My respect for her is vast, as is my respect for you. It IS a crazy job. Perhaps the craziest on earth. And could there be any job more important? I don't think so.
Beth I am so thankful you are in this world. Your very presence makes it a better place.
Love
Rebecca
I'm with Radish King. That sounds so scary, and you sound so serene. I wish you'd been around to deliver my three babies.
We'd all have gone to Beth, if we could!
Thank you so much for Rainy Day Midwifery's help with Patanjali's birthing of my great nephew, Pablo, on May 26, 2014. Pablo's father is my only nephew, Lee. I'm here today by way of Sabine's blog because you mentioned Seattle, and then your Facebook page mentioned Rainy City Midwifery. I put 2 + 2 together, scrolled down and found the photo of Lee, Patanjali and Pablo, which is the one I have up on my family wall. Hard to believe that Pablo will be soon be 2 years old! Love the family photos on Rainy Day Midwifery. Small world. Big world. Some craziness for sure. And sweetness, too!
Kind wishes,
am from Talking 37th Dream (Rumors of Peace)
Bellingham, WA
Aw, you guys..
Wow. Sounds kind of scary. Glad it turned out okay. xoxoxo
am-welcome here! We just saw Patanjali at a birth assisting a momma as a doula1 Small world indeed.
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