Tonight I am worried about finances. Where will I work after graduation? Will I be near my family? How will I afford to pay for the NARM test? I am also considering getting my midwife her CPM so that I can then have another preceptor sign my skills and I will not have to take the Skills exam. At least if I have to take it, I will have several months to say up some money. Maybe I will return to doula work. Who knows? I do know that I can’t worry about it tonight.
Today we went to a birth of a fourth baby to a mom who had all previous hospital births. They were all fast. This one was not any different, but it goes to show you that you need to know your clients well and be prepared for them and your sake. I am usually very good at having everything ready when moms get into tubs. They seem to usually go so fast that none of us can catch our breaths, let alone get gloves on. This mom got into the tub when she was like 6 cms, but a plus 1 almost 2 and I think ten minutes later she said her water broke in a scared way. The baby was just so low and was not waiting. Her kneeling position made it easy for me to grab the Doppler and make a sliding motion across the floor to the tub where she labored. I began to get heart tones when the midwife just shouted I need gloves and see if you can feel head. So, I dropped the Doppler (thankfully not in the water) and reached down bare handed in the water between her legs. Now I very well could have been feeling in the wrong place. I hope not since I am a fourth semester student, but it could happen. No baby head so I pulled my hands out and began drying them off. Meanwhile the midwife had her hands in the water, albeit gloved. She said she needed me to support the perineum as an elbow was coming. So, once again, my hands dove back in and supported this motherbaby. It had only been 3 pushes. The cord was short so we got mama and baby out. We were waiting patiently for the placenta when a fellow student took a pulse. She said it was 100. Again, knowing your client is second to knowing your own history. The midwife and I instantly both reached for this mom’s wrist and counted the pulse rate ourselves hoping we didn’t have an occult bleed somewhere as this mom had minimal bleeding. Thankfully the student just couldn’t count. Sigh.
It is experiences like these where my midwife trusts me and knows I will do what needs to be done that I am feeling more confident. Heck, even the grandmother came over and was talking with my midwife and me and thanked us for being such good midwives to her daughter. LOL. I am no midwife yet, lady—I wanted to say—wait until SWTC is done with me! I am also so thankful to all the women who have helped me learn, inspired me to do better, and taught me a thing or two!
My Journey as a Licensed Midwife in Louisiana 