A Midwife’s Muse

When writing up my diary I forgot all about my next Grandchild, Tinkerbell. How terrible is that? All that I can offer in a defense is that it is very different when it is a daughter-in law who is pregnant, or it is for me, as my involvement as been far less. Yes we do have the check-ups and the worried phone calls but I feel that I have to keep more of a distance, not ‘interfere’ as much. DIL is 32 weeks now and her bump has really expanded, she is still petite but now it looks as if she has a football hidden under her T-shirt. She is at that stage where most pregnant womem are still feeling quite well. She is just starting to have problems sleeping, and is finding that she has less room for large meals but her plan is to carr on working until she oes into labour!  I have been assuming that I am not invited to be at the birth, I haven’t asked as I don’t want them to feel pressurised, I feet sad but it is their time, I’m just anticipating driving the staff on labour ward mad by constantly checking on how things are going. Today though they asked me if I was going to bury the placenta in my garden. I was surprised, especially as it came out of the blue, but I answered that if they didn’t want to keep it then I would if it was okay with them but that they would have to remember to save it for me. Their response has me in a quandary, they said they wouldn’t have to remember about it as I could just take it with me. Does this mean that I will be in the room when the placenta is delivered, this would imply that I were there at the birth, or does it suggest that they expect me to come in as soon as baby is born? I dare not ask, it could be putting them in an awkward position. Oh well, another 8 weeks or so and I should know.