What is the best part about being a midwife?
Recently I saw a 19 year old woman for her postpartum visit. She had given birth 6 weeks ago, and was still feeling overwhelmed. She’s undocumented, doesn’t speak English, and has no job (now that she has a newborn to take care of), so she can’t move out of her abusive uncle’s house since she has nowhere else to go. She was supposed to move in with her boyfriend but he decided at the last minute that he didn’t want to be that serious, so now she’s just kind of fucked. When I saw her, she told me that her boyfriend had been over the day before and they had unprotected sex. She admitted to me, through the interpreter phone, that she just doesn’t know how to say no to him. I asked her if she wanted to get pregnant again and her eyes got wide and she shook her head vigorously. I explained the emergency contraception options that were open to her, and she whole heartedly agreed to get a Paragard IUD, the most effective emergency contraception, and an exceedingly effective birth control option for the next 12 years.
That is the best part of being a midwife.
I had a patient come in for her second prenatal visit practically unable to walk herself into my office. She was exhausted, pale, sick, and had to run to the bathroom to vomit halfway through the appointment. I talked her through morning sickness comfort measures and I prescribed her vitamins and medications for the nausea. For weeks later and I hardly recognize her, she’s vibrant, excited about her pregnancy, healthy and gaining weight. It’s beautiful.
That is the best part of being a midwife.
I’m congratulating a patient after she gives birth, giving her a hug and walking out of the room when she grabs my hand. "Thank you,“ she says, and I immediately respond by telling her she has nothing to thank me for - she’s the one who did all the work. Her eyes tear up, her lip wobbles, she holds my hand tighter, and she says again, ”Thank you.“
That is the best part of being a midwife.
I sit down with a patient for her first prenatal visit, “So my first question for you,” I start, “is: was this a planned pregnancy?” She shakes her head, “Definitely not.” So I continue, “Do you want to be pregnant right now? Or do you want to hear about some other options?” She seems a little confused. "Options?“ she repeats. I explain about our family planning service, and I talk about the adoption service that I work with. She listens closely, fascinated. At the end of my long speech she leans forward, eyebrows furrowed, "You mean, I can have an abortion?” I tell her yes, and explain the various abortion procedures. I ask if she wants to meet with the counselor right now before we even finish the visit. She closes her eyes and leans her head back on the wall, silent hiccuping sobs shaking her. She smiles. She says yes.
That is the best part of being a midwife.
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