Thursday, October 06, 2005

Catching Your Grandchild

This year I took up the ACNM on their offer of a "friend of the college" membership. I get the Journal of Midwifery and Women's Health delivered to my door and read it cover to cover. It contains articles and research written by nurse-midwives on research subjects near and dear to the natural birth community (e.g. "A Description of the Outcomes of Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Birth in the Homebirth Setting").

My favorite part of the subscription, however, may be reading the personal notes in the back of Quickening, their organization newsletter (I propose a name change). Usually there are several birth announcements in which nurse midwives not only announce the birth of their children, but also thank the midwife (CNM and CM) teams that supported them in labor.

The best ones of all, however read like this, "Mary Durante (CNM) and Carl Matice are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Maria, born into the loving arms of her granmother, Joan Durante (CM) on June 4, 2005."

Can you imagine catching your own grandchild? It gives me goosebumps just to think of it.

4 Comments:

Blogger Milliner's Dream, a woman of many "hats"... said...

I have spoken to some doulas who have been there for the birth of their babies and a few midwives. My man boys have said that I will be there when their babes are born someday. (I have said, of course, "If your wife wants me there, right?") I'd find it such a privilege to be there, let alone catch the babe. I caught one a year ago and it was a most amazing experience. But my own grandchild? It gives me chills.
Hh

10:48 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why the proposed name change? I think it is sweet. Quickening, I am sure you know, is the term used to describe those first fetal flutters an expectant mother experiences. I kind of liked it.

5:09 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

At our local doula meeting this week, a doula friend told me how she caught her grandbaby's head in the car in the ER parking lot as they waited for the paramedics. You should have seen how she lit up when she talked about it. You could definitely tell it was a significant experience.

I hope my daughters want me to doula for them one day. That would be enough for me, even without 'catching'.

7:11 PM  
Blogger doulicia said...

Ahava, I agree. If I am permitted anywhere near the birth room of my grandchildren, should either of my sons choose to have them, I will be thrilled beyond words. I'm already sensitive to the fact that the laboring mother will probably prefer her MIL not be there, sigh. Though Hannah, you give me hope!

As for the name change, I guess Quickening just seems a little predictable and the slightest bit hoaky. I have a very sensitive "hoaky" meter, so I could well be overreacting. I am also viscerally opposed to anything with hearts on it. I don't think you'll find anything "hearty" in my entire house/wardrobe/journals!

I know, how can a doula not like hearts? The DONA logo uses about 8 of them!

7:52 PM  

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