Midwife means "with women" but wait, there's more....

NOTE: This article is not wholly my original content, but was adapted from an article shared by a student-midwife colleague (thanks Doran!) on a midwifery list serve. No authorship was offered, other than to refer to the author, "from a friend"... otherwise I would give credit where credit is due. Thus, I have "tweaked" and "fine-tuned" the original to fit my own perspective on the "job" of being a midwife. Enjoy.

Most folks would say that I "deliver" babies (though I like to say that I "catch" them) and this is true, but it is a fraction of what I do.... what this calling requires of me. The contrast between the “jobs” within my calling are surprising to me and unknown by many, if not most, who see the signs on my car and think they know who I am.

I am a teacher of an age-old "profession" which carries great responsibility. It is almost a given that a midwife will train others to be midwives, this is how midwifery has survived all of these years. Though I don't feel that I am a great teacher, I love to share what I know… there is much to glean from me and if someone is willing and observant enough, they will learn the art & skills of midwifery as they sit at my side, as they lend me a hand, and as they serve the women with me.

You'll see me at the copy place as I work for hours, making copies, putting together the information that I have been given, and that I have created, that gives the best informed consent I can provide. I want all those who hire me to know who I am and what the responsibilities are when they choose to give birth outside of a hospital. Making copies, creating folders and booklets of information, ordering books and DVDs, staying informed in all the ways available. It can be exhausting, but I know it is a necessary part of being a current midwife, one who teaches others how best to interview a midwife & plan a home birth. I need to continue to learn and to discover, especially what evidenced-based care is - and practice it.

I can find a fetus’ heartbeat and can tell if it is breech, without a doppler or an ultrasound machine. I know of many ways to cope with weeks of nausea and what is safe to take - whether herb or medication and can explain how to time contractions and what to do if your baby is jaundiced. I know many tricks to get a baby to nurse and how to make an herbal bath. I can recommend holistic treatments for a myriad of maladies and complaints for pregnancy from heartburn to urinary tract infection.

I keep my supplies stocked and inventory my bags, car, office & home supplies to ensure I have everything I need for every birth. You will sometimes find me sterilizing instruments at midnight or 1 in the morning because they didn't get done earlier in the day and a baby might decide it's not going to wait until the midwife has time the next day.

I am trained and certified to resuscitate newly born babies, the ones that seem to think that breathing is an option… I don't allow them this lazy notion and go to work, convincing them that it’s not so bad here after all. Nevertheless, the greatest teacher I have ever had was baby Caroline, who taught me that it was not MY decision whether she stayed or left and that I could do everything right and yet I was not in control. She left.

I know how to follow directions and to be more dependable than my mother ever thought I could be. The weather can have little affect on my travel - I go when I am called and it matters not how bad the roads, although I do hate the ice & snow! My partner knows and understands this, a midwife needs one of those, too - an understanding partner. In bad, icy weather, he drives me to a birth or postpartum visit, no matter the time of day or night. 

There is no job "beneath" my title - I wipe away vomit, clean toilets, and feed the family dog. I hope to never feel that I have "earned" anything better. A midwife should always know that she is there to serve, in any way that is needed, and it has nothing to do with what her needs are.

I am an ambassador for all midwives when I enter a doctor's office, clinic, or hospital and I take this responsibility very seriously. I've learned that I gain more trust and respect by saying fewer words and respectfully admitting our need for assistance and collaboration during a consult or transport. I have worked hard, for many years, but respect has been attained and my clients have received better care because of this simple principle of humility. A midwife has to be strong for her clients, they need to know she will not waiver. I have learned to have a “thick skin” when entering a hospital, while being professional and cooperative all at the same time. A midwife needs to learn from those who may not even realize that they are teaching her. There is always something to glean and take with you for another time. A midwife never stops learning. I have changed and matured over time, learning to be mindful and learning to listen to the voice of intuition.

Most of the time I truly love what I do - though my back, neck, arms and legs may ache and I have gone without food and sleep or had to miss a family celebration. I love the associations and sweet friendships I have made and the relationship that last beyond the years and the miles.

Midwifery is a precious calling and it truly can be the easiest thing in the world, but now you know that it comes with much more than just “catching babies”!