Fw: I learn something every day (long)

[Heartlogic Consultancy]

Sheryl wrote:   That's one of the many things I love about this job............. Every birth I have ever attended has never been like any other.   ain't it the truth!  :-)   she says to him , so can you tell what that is then and he looks between her legs and sees what looks like the baby's head. So that's when he calls us, on the cordless phone while Alison's in the shower. He hangs up the phone and she stands up to turn the shower off and out comes the baby!   Isn't this wonderful???!!!  So funny.  And what a testimony to the preparation that you two gave them that they were able to manage and stay calm and collected (even though bemused :-)   Loved Robin's story too of the woman who went from 2 cms to fully quick smart - helps us to recognise the limitations of the findings of VE's - despite the myths around the need to do them.   One labouring woman I cared for as a hospital midwife, was three cms and head -2 and as I withdrew my fingers, the baby followed - sure surprised me that day!   Took me a while to integrate that one and provided me with firm basis of skeptism about the 'need' for VE's - I do concede they are a useful tool on occasions - more so for the mother so she 'knows' where she's at.   Another amazing and delightful story is of the time when the husband of a (primigravida) woman I cared for as a private practitioner rang to say she was in labour and feeling pressure. This woman was booked to birth in hospital. According to her husband, she refused to go to hospital until she was checked, she'd heard all about these false labours and was keen to be sure it was the real thing.  I was out and about in the late evening and had no gear in the car or at her place.  As I drove to her place, thinking oh oh and what if there is meconium?? and what if there is...etc etc, I went through every possible disaster scenario with no equipment and thought, well, I'll just have to handle it whatever happens.  When I arrived, I was shown into their bedroom. They had full length mirrors and an en -suite bathroom.  She was kneeling and looking at herself over her shoulder in the full length mirror. The baby's head was just about crowned.   I said 'how are you feeling?'  she said "I've been better!" and then "I'm glad you are here, I don't have to hold on anymore" and with that, out came the baby.  The placenta followed in similar expedient fashion. Her perineum was intact. Her entire labour was 2 hours and 15 minutes.   The next baby they chose to have a homebirth saying that it was just as well to have it planned this time.   The birth of the second baby was also very efficient, neat and controlled.    Had the pleasure of assisting a woman last week who had a normal birth after a caesarian. She was stuck with an anterior lip for hours last time and finally went for a caesarian with the full spinal headache after.  During the pregnancy we explored every possibility and the ins and outs of the physiology.  She was well prepared and focused.  Wanted the baby early, so as to avoid the being late issue so common with women wanting a VBAC.  Went into labour at 38 weeks. progressed quickly.  Had to do some mental gymnastics regarding pushing the baby out.  Was telling herself she was tired (her contractions went off then) and had to change it to "I have energy and I can do it!" with passion and feeling.  Her contractions came on in greater force and she pushed the baby out beautifully (he had a 37cm head and she's built like a wippet).  We were just discussing the labour and her thinking tonight and she was relating how she had to get her head around birthing her baby and what an effort it was to stay focused.  We talked about how at one point during second stage she was sitting on the toilet and we were in the bedroom having a chat and she yelled out "Shut up out there!  Don't you know I'm having to focus on having a baby and I can't do it with you all talking!"  We all sniggered quietly, but pleased she had claimed her space - women so often are so busy worrying and caring for others that they don't claim the environment they need to birth in and when she did that, we knew she would be fine.   It's so true what Sheryl said - learning all the time - the astonishing potential and capabilities of birthing women.  Thanks for telling us such a wonderful story Sheryl.  Sharing the stories is so important - it's great that you have got us going again.   Celebrating women's innate birthing intelligence,   Carolyn Hastie