Here’s how it worked out: In order of due dates we have Mama A, Mama B, Mama C, Mama D and Mama E. Mom E’s baby is due in early December but has been confusing us by growing really large for his dates and making us believe he might make an earlier appearance.
At
The next day (Wednesday) MamaA, having her seventh baby, called me as I was driving to work at The Bookstore. I’ve attended her 5th & 6th births and know she has very straight forward labors that don’t interrupt her regular routine until she’s in transition. She reports her ctx are pretty far apart but the ones she does have are very strong and with lots of pressure. She promises to check in again soon so I go on to the store and call a co-worker to come in and cover for me. MamaA calls back at
MamaB is having her third baby and first homebirth. In the past few hours her ctx have spread out again to every 10-15 minutes. I listen to the baby who sounds perfectly content and tell her I’m going to join Apprentice at MamaC’s 24 hour visit and I’llcheck in with her afterwards. I head over to MamaC’s and find a content family trying to figure out their new life and routine. MamaC needs lots of breastfeeding advice and support but eventually all is well. I call MamaB who says things are about the same and ctx are mild so Apprentice and I head home arriving only a little late for dinner with our families. We end up getting another full night sleep after another banker’s hours birth (with slight overtime).
On Thursday morning MamaB says things are about the same but at
When driving home late at night, or more commonly, in the middle of the night, after an experience that can sometimes be an emotional roller coaster, I usually have to put the windows down and blast classic rock ‘n roll to stay alert. I like the classic rock station that plays all the songs I grew up with—the songs that I usually know all the words too. I have a silly game I play with myself to see what song will be “the homestretch song.” This is the song that begins around the time I get off the beltway exit and drive the last few miles to my house. I always want this song to be a great one that I know the words to so that I can sing it really loud and then turn it off as I’m pulling in the driveway before a not-so-great song comes on. Anything Eagles or Fleetwood Mac or Led Zepplin etc. will be perfect. Coming home from MamaBs I get a great one—Heart’s What About Love. It ends one street away from my house and I click off the radio to end my day with the ideal song. As I’m unlocking the door to the house my pager (not my cell phone), goes off. I dig the dinosaur out of my purse and see it has just 2 numbers on the screen—not a whole phone number. I figure it must have been a misdial and go on in. I’m in my pajamas, brushing my teeth, when my cell phone rings. Oh my gosh, it’s MamaE! She’s in pain and upset and crying. Remember, her baby’s not due for another 6 weeks (or maybe not—he has been measuring big . . .). As she describes the pain I realize she probably has a bladder infection which can feel a lot like labor, but just to be sure it’s not labor, I tell her I’ll be right down to check on her.
MamaE lives another 30 minutes PAST where I just came from, almost an hour from my house. I get down there on rock & roll and a little adrenaline that comes from worrying if she’s really in preterm labor. She has the cutest little doll house right on the highway in Podunk, USA—very John Mellencamp Pink Houses except hers is white with Japanese lanterns strung across the front porch and a sweet little brook with a tiny waterfall right in her front yard. There’s a white picket fence on the street side and herbs and flowers growing between the brook and stone walkway to her porch. Her home always smells like rose geranium. Suspicions confirmed, no dilation, just a nasty bladder infection. Gave her all the tricks of the trade and headed back home to sleep.
On Friday I attend my usual prenatal visits and check in for MamaB’s 24 hour visit. BabyB’s big sisters (ages 2 & 4) are home and in love with baby. I get a little rest on Saturday and then that evening there’s a call from MamaD.
MamaD is not technically my client for this pregnancy. I was her midwife for her first baby and she was transported for a non-emergency surgical delivery. She asked me to attend her for baby #2 at home but ridiculous politics and new restrictions to our regulations say we can no longer attend home VBACs (aka HBACs). I referred her to midwives in the adjoining state. She asked me to attend her birth anyway in a support role because we have a nice connection and I’m honored to do so. And I was glad not to be the primary midwife this time because when I observed a labor pattern very similar to her first one I began to worry it might end similarly. But her more objective new midwife had complete confidence and after a short labor she delivered at home!! Mama and PapaD were ecstatic! Again I was home by
Throughout this week I was also arranging a huge fundraiser for our state midwifery organization. With the help of local birth activist we brought 2 screenings of The Business of Being Born to our city. Between babies I was visiting theaters, getting donations, making & distributing flyers, etc. (and working my other part time job). The following month we raised over $1000.00 to go towards our legislative funds!
November brought baby # 8 for another family that I also adore (ok, I love them all!). She was born literally 1 minute after I walked in the door. Apprentice was downtown at a pro basketball game and just missed the delivery. I teased Mamaof8 that this was the second time in a row that I didn’t even get my gloves all the way on before her baby swooshed out (# 7 was a swoosher too). Oh, and MamaE? Bladder cleared up quickly and baby arrived near his original due date in early December.