The Way to a Midwifery Student's Heart....

Oh, yes, there are three ways to a midwifery student's heart...actually, maybe more, but these are the ones that come quickly to mind.

1) Be excited that the student is coming to be with you at your birth! I have a school project that requires that I see at least 5 clients in the office for prenatal visits 3-5 visits, then come to their births, and follow-up by phone call and/or visits after the baby arrives. I've selected 6, and have now been through visits and birth with 3 of them. But this week was the best! I told two of them that I was making a list of women that I wanted to follow through birth and afterward. One of the women asked, "Can I be on your list?" The other asked me (before I could tell her about the list) if I was coming to her birth. When I told her I was planning to, she seemed so happy! I felt like I was going to shed happy tears! I think it's a huge compliment when a woman actually wants a student at her birth!

2) Ask for the student to be there and help you during your birth! I was attending one of the four births I tell about in the next post, and the mom reached out and asked me to hold her hand. Something so simple, yet something I hadn't had time to do when I was a staff nurse. I think that anything I can do to convey that she can do what she's trying to do when birthing her baby is bound to bring necessary confidence and strength to help her through the process.

3) Realize what you've done and lay claim to your power after you give birth! Birth can be a very empowering experience, and once you've brought your child into the world, you're a very powerful woman. You see, it's really women who deliver their babies, we midwives simply catch! Twice at this clinical site, I've heard it....on my first day, we told a young mom, "You did it!", and she responded, "YES, I did!". During the long, long day (next post), the mom who was able to avoid a Cesarean, said, somewhat in disbelief, "I really did it! I can't believe it, but I did it!"

What a joy it is to help empower women and help babies into the world! It makes this midwifery student's heart sing!