April 2004 « A Midwife’s Muse

April 2004

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Tuesday, 06 April 2004

Names and more
Ffion; Sophie; AmyEllis; Hayden; Douglas; Max

Today was better than I thought It would be. Clinic ran smoothly and by the end I was only running 15 minutes late, and, 5 minutes of that was because one of the women was late. Everyone was well and had no problems – I love sessions like that, especially on my first day back. Visits were more problematic. Lots of sore boobs and one nasty infection. Visited one lady whose babe had not done a dirty nappy for 4 days, he was 10 days old. The colour had just started changing from the greeny/black of meconium to normal yellow. Since then, nothing. Baby was feeding well. Was content and his tummy was soft. Normally I wouldn’t worry, I would just reassure Mum and say that for a breast-fed baby anything from 5 dirty nappies a day, to nothing for 5 days is fine. What concerned me though was that baby had not yet produced a true dirty nappy. I told Mum I would return on Friday, Health Visitor was going in on Thursday, and hopefully by then baby would have performed. Carrying on with visits I kept thinking about this baby, so popped back to the hospital and tracked down a paediatrician. “Don’t worry”, was his advise, “unless it hasn’t opened it’s bowels by Friday.” Oh well, right decision but now I’m going to have this baby’s bowels on my mind until then. Unfortunately I’m going out for a curry tonight, I’ll avoid Korma.

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Posted by: midwifemuse

Monday, 05 April 2004

Same old, same old
Oh well, back to work tomorrow. Mind you I’ve just spent 2 hours sitting here doing the off-duty, but that doesn’t count. Job share partner is away for two weeks, lucky B, so hope there is not too much to catch up on otherwise I’ll be manic, if I’m not already. Easter is going to be a non-event. I’m working all of the 4 days and on-call 2 of the nights. Time off was good though, did everything on my list except make the curtains. Sister has found my blog and brother-in-law has put a link to it from his offering, I’ve got to be careful what I write now, I don’t feel anonymous anymore. In the post this morning came my usual samples of cream for sore nipples (breast-feeding!) and in the package was an advert for a video called ‘Breast-feeding without tears’ by Clare Byam-Smith, can’t comment personally as I’ve not seen it, but apparently Kate Beckinsale and Tiggy Legge-Bourke think its the business. Slightly worried though cos the blurb also states “…a true baby whisper”, shades of the ‘Contented little Baby’? Also a booklet about Bravado designs, maternity underwear, something else to put in the waiting-room. Just missed out on some aromatherapy oils I wanted on E-Bay, thought I’d got them grrr. Oh well, I just have to keep bidding!»17:25 »1 Comments (0

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Posted by: midwifemuse

Mon, 05 Apr 2004 16:25:22

False labour? What\’s in a name?
On Saturday I worked a shift at our local birth centre. I love it there, very laid back, woman-centred, what I think midwifery is all about. I took over the care of a lady, C, having her first baby. She had come in in the early hours of the morning and gone home again as it was very early on in labour. She had returned at 7 in the morning as her contractions were coming every 3 – 4 minutes and her waters had broken. When she was examined things had really not altered from six hours earlier. She had her TEN’s on, and started using gas and air. Later on she had a chamomile and lavender bath. I took over her care just after lunch. I went in and chatted to her, her partner and her sister. All during this time C was marching on the spot, a common movement when a woman’s having a contraction, if this was a contraction it was going on for ages. Eventually I asked her why she was marching? To get the contractions going, was the response. It was obvious that the contractions had slowed right down so I made the suggestion that they all went home again. They didn’t feel happy with that idea, and the sister gave me a look. Okay then, how about going out for a walk? Find some steps and try stomping up and down them. That idea was taken up on. Off they went. Just 10 minutes later they returned. Whats up? Have the contractions returned? No. She, they, were exhausted. Awake all night, hadn’t slept for over twenty-four hours. At the Birth Centre we have a relaxation room, bean sofas, coloured lights, aromatherapy burners, soft music. I suggested they go in there and relax. C was worried about lying down, it will stop labour. I felt that it was more important that she recoup some energy as it was obvious things were not really going to get going for a while yet. I popped my head round the door 20 minutes later, all asleep. When they woke up we had another chat. I said that I felt that going home was the best option now. The ‘contractions’ were only coming every half-hour and they were so short that they couldn’t have been doing anything. I said that I saw no indication to do another examination as Mum and baby were okay, but that if C wanted me to I would. Then came the telling comment – ‘No. Don’t examine me if you don’t have to, that was more painful than contractions.’ I knew then that I had made the right decision. If a woman is having useful contractions there is no way an internal examination is more painful. Painful, sometimes, but contractions are worse. Hurrah, everyone was in agreement, go home, have a sleep, eat some high energy foods, try to relax, don’t sit there waiting for a contraction. I went outside to write up the notes and out came C’s sister. ” Was that false labour then? You can tell me, I’m a medical student”. Ah, that explained the odd looks she had been giving me. I responded that I didn’t think that was it, just a long latent phase. She said she hadn’t read anything about that, only about false labour and false alarms. I don’t like those terms, it almost belittles the womans experience. To her those pains are terrible, she truly believes that she is in labour. Most of the time she is, but really, really early on. This is the time when, if she was busy doing housework/gardening or caring for another child, she would dismiss them as ferocious Braxton Hicks. Anyway, I would rather that a woman came in to us, was reasurred, and went home, than was too frightened to phone in case we thought she was crying wolf.»10:52 »3 Comments (1

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Posted by: midwifemuse

Modified on 05 April 2004 at 11:11

On the trail
So then a message comes on my mobile. ‘Go to the top of the drive and follow the balloons’. So off I go, following balloons that are blowing about in the wind, tied to any available branch, at about 5 metre spaces. When I reach our local hostellry, about 1/2 mile away there are loads of different coloured balloons all tied on the sign outside. This must be the destination. In I go, and there they all are, offspring with partners. Another helium balloon and a pile of cards and pressies! They took me out for lunch. I felt really special, and loved. All the lead up was enough without the meal and the pressies. For me, today, it was true, “It’s the thought that counts”.I think for many parents you often feel very much taken for granted. You are always there, you arrange things for them, you very much take second place. When they are little that special hug or kiss feeds your instincts and on you go. As they get older, and particularly when they are teens you often question what is it all about. The rewards are very thin on the ground. Parenthood is now, for me, finding a new and different facet. When they all flew the nest a year ago I didn’t feel lonely or abandoned, in fact being an ‘empty nester’ was, and is, a wonderful thing. Now it’s really showing me how great family life is. They are always popping round, we communicate more now than we did when they were all at home. We enjoy seeing each other. Two weeks ago they made Mothers Day special, and today they have excelled themselves for my birthday. We all sat at that table today and I felt so proud, and so loved that I would not swap my family, all the trials, all the upsets, all the worries there ever were, for anything. Next, the new generation will be with us. All being well, within the next 6 weeks, our family will expand again and my first grandchild will be showing me yet another role and facet in my life, I can’t wait.

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Posted by: midwifemuse

Surprises
The door bell rings. Open the door, no one there, but on the porch is a helium balloon, and lying on the tiles is a large piece of card saying ‘Happy Birthday, be ready to go out at 12.55, and wait for the beep on your mobile.’ How exciting. It looks like eldest daughters writing, could be pregnant one though, very similar. What do I wear? Where am I going? I love surprises.