Tuesday, February 2, 2010
no crying
My first child was born while I was squatting on a bed. She was passed to me so quickly that I announced to my husband, doula and doctor, "It's a girl!" I put her right to the breast and after her first feed, her father and myself joined her in a big tub surrounded by the sound of prayers sung in different languages. There was one small dim light, it was warm, comfortable and she looked up at us in her new peaceful space and never shed a tear.
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Dear Hailey,
ReplyDeleteI tried to post this on your blog, but it didn't work because I don't have any of the required profiles. And then I tried to send a message through FB, which is currently having trouble here. So I am sharing it below, in case you choose to post it:
All three of my children were born at home with loving, skilled midwives and what ever family members we wanted present. My third child came into the world just 2-1/2 hours after the first "Could this be labor?" thought. Although people were around, including my 6-yr-old daughter and 3-yr-old son who had occasional conversations with me during labor, I remember being able to completely concentrate on working with my body in a peaceful way, feeling the baby slowly moving down through me until she joined us in the light and air. The pain is strong, but it cannot be compared to the rush of joy when the child is born. She nursed right away, and we were never separated, even during the measurements - it all happened on our bed. For me, the experience of giving birth is the greatest "giving" I have experienced - giving over my fears, giving up my physical tension in the face of pain, opening myself to the giving of a new life to another human being. Because I was at home I was free to be selfless instead of having to be vigilant about protecting myself from "routine procedures." Since then I have supported women in childbirth as an assistant midwife or as a doula about a dozen times, either at homes or in hospital, and I find that being a doula also allows me to be completely selfless, focused on the comfort and well-being of the mother and her child. I love that feeling.
Love and blessings to you, Hailey.
Sherri van der Wege