Hello Blog World!
I've been holding this information in so long - I almost can't believe the time has come to share it. The Silvey Family is moving to the Philippines in June. What???
Nolan and I have been praying about this possibility for more than a year. It certainly wasn't an easy decision, but we have tremendous peace about it.
We are starting a family blog to detail this journey at http://www.silveyblog.com/. I hope you'll add it to your blog roll. I'll continue writing here as well. I'll be ministering to women in severe poverty at Mercy Maternity Birth Center. I'll record most of my birth stories here - as they are sometimes a little more graphic than the "average" reader might want.
So head on over to our new blog to get all the details on this big announcement.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Silvey update
We've been spending this cold, blustery day inside building Lincoln Log forts and Lego cities while old episodes of "Tom and Jerry" were playing on the dvd player. Every once in a while Benjamin (our third born) would pause the dvd and all the kids would laugh at the funny "frozen scene" - usually Jerry beating up poor Tom. We finished our last chapter of "Henry Huggins." We ate beef stew. I'm not sure what the afternoon will bring, but I just heard Daddy may get off early - so I envision blanket forts and probably a couple good games of living room football.
This all sounds like a scene from some fairy tale family. So I must tell you, yesterday looked entirely different. By 10:30 a.m. I had already called the "principal" (aka Nolan/Daddy) in tears after one o my students rebelled - telling me he wanted a new teacher. All four of the kids spent a significant time in their rooms - and I think it was more for their protection than punishment. I was grumpy and couldn't be consoled. We all made it through the day. I apologized. They apologized. And we were all glad when Dad got home and let me retreat with a book and a hot bath.
The good days and the bad days all work together to build a family. But I prefer to talk about the good days - so here are a few "moments" that stand out in my mind of some fun times we've had lately.
Willow. She'll be two in a month. Wow! Her favorite activity is reading. I've always hoped to have a daughter who loved to read. I have favorite books that I wanted to help her discover and hopefully love as much as I do. Soon after I had her, I shared this dream with one of my friends and she wisely told me to lay down that dream as she may not take that path. And I made the hard decision to lay it down. I still don't know what she'll like as she gets older, but for now she loves books. She brings a stack of books to me. She'll back up to my lap and sit down for a good read.
Benjamin. He turned 3 in November. Such a sweet kid. His favorite thing right now are his cowboy boots with orange tops. They are hand-me-downs from Caleb, but Benjamin is sure he got them for his birthday. He wears them everyday with every outfit. Pretty darn cute, I must say! Especially when he gets them on the wrong feet.
Isaac. 6 1/2 years old. Full of fun and fire. He's been putting on "concerts" everyday at lunch. His stage is our Little Tykes picnic table that he pulled into the living room. His guitar is an ancient training guitar Nolan learned on years ago. He has a kids karaoke microphone and sings/plays all original music. He even hand-makes concert tickets and sets up the seating himself.
Caleb. Just a couple months away from 8 years old. My first-born is growing up. While he still loves to play, he also has quiet moments of reflection that show signs of maturity. He is also becoming a proficient reader, but views it as a necessity not a love. If you want to get him really excited, talk sports - especially football. He also loves facts...who's the tallest person on earth, what's the biggest animal on earth...we are always looking up questions on the computer.
Nolan is busy planning a mission trip to Nicaragua. It was a "youth trip" - but lots of adults have signed on and we are now taking 40 people for a week at the beginning of June. He is excited to help that many people experience the mission field first hand - but it also means a lot of work up front. All that in addition to his regular youth pastor duties and his commitment as a Kairos (prison ministry) team-member.
I am busy with home school, motherhood, and studying midwifery. Life is good. Even on the "bad days."
This all sounds like a scene from some fairy tale family. So I must tell you, yesterday looked entirely different. By 10:30 a.m. I had already called the "principal" (aka Nolan/Daddy) in tears after one o my students rebelled - telling me he wanted a new teacher. All four of the kids spent a significant time in their rooms - and I think it was more for their protection than punishment. I was grumpy and couldn't be consoled. We all made it through the day. I apologized. They apologized. And we were all glad when Dad got home and let me retreat with a book and a hot bath.
The good days and the bad days all work together to build a family. But I prefer to talk about the good days - so here are a few "moments" that stand out in my mind of some fun times we've had lately.
Willow. She'll be two in a month. Wow! Her favorite activity is reading. I've always hoped to have a daughter who loved to read. I have favorite books that I wanted to help her discover and hopefully love as much as I do. Soon after I had her, I shared this dream with one of my friends and she wisely told me to lay down that dream as she may not take that path. And I made the hard decision to lay it down. I still don't know what she'll like as she gets older, but for now she loves books. She brings a stack of books to me. She'll back up to my lap and sit down for a good read.
Benjamin. He turned 3 in November. Such a sweet kid. His favorite thing right now are his cowboy boots with orange tops. They are hand-me-downs from Caleb, but Benjamin is sure he got them for his birthday. He wears them everyday with every outfit. Pretty darn cute, I must say! Especially when he gets them on the wrong feet.
Isaac. 6 1/2 years old. Full of fun and fire. He's been putting on "concerts" everyday at lunch. His stage is our Little Tykes picnic table that he pulled into the living room. His guitar is an ancient training guitar Nolan learned on years ago. He has a kids karaoke microphone and sings/plays all original music. He even hand-makes concert tickets and sets up the seating himself.
Caleb. Just a couple months away from 8 years old. My first-born is growing up. While he still loves to play, he also has quiet moments of reflection that show signs of maturity. He is also becoming a proficient reader, but views it as a necessity not a love. If you want to get him really excited, talk sports - especially football. He also loves facts...who's the tallest person on earth, what's the biggest animal on earth...we are always looking up questions on the computer.
Nolan is busy planning a mission trip to Nicaragua. It was a "youth trip" - but lots of adults have signed on and we are now taking 40 people for a week at the beginning of June. He is excited to help that many people experience the mission field first hand - but it also means a lot of work up front. All that in addition to his regular youth pastor duties and his commitment as a Kairos (prison ministry) team-member.
I am busy with home school, motherhood, and studying midwifery. Life is good. Even on the "bad days."
Thursday, January 27, 2011
A Missed Birth and a Wreck
Crazy day on Tuesday. Our second January mama (who was a week and a half overdue) started labor. I knew it could be fast as she was already dilated to a four and this was her third baby. So, I started to Amarillo at the first sign of labor, which really wasn't much - just some occasional back pain. I got half way there (an hour down the road, for those of you not from 'round here) and turned around after I heard things had subsided. I arrived home and about thirty minutes later got another text saying contractions were strong, but not terrible, and about four minutes apart. So once again, I got in the car and this time made it 3/4 of the way, when things stopped again. Normally, I may have continued on to Amarillo to stay with my brother and sister-in-law, but we had our twice-a-month Life Group that night and if I hurried I would just be a little late. (As you can tell, I love this group!) So, I started home again.
Just a little ways down the road, I was driving along when a shadow passed over my car. I thought to myself, is someone passing me? But the shadow was moving in the wrong direction. So I glanced in my rear view mirror, and what do I see? A car - upside-down - flying through the air - nearly landing on my back bumper. It was sundown and the sun was behind me, so this entire scene was silhouetted. I didn't see the car coming - and I was on a divided highway, so it must of come across the ditch. I didn't see the car land. And, I didn't hear any crash sounds. It was very surreal. I immediately grabbed my phone and dialed 911 - which was a first for me. I kept driving as I wasn't sure of the traffic situation behind me. My adrenaline was pumping and I could hardly find the words I needed for the 911 operator - but somehow I communicated what needed to be told. Then I turned around and went back to the scene to give a statement and offer help if needed. Two troopers and an ambulance raced past me arriving before I did. Soon there were three ambulances, two fire trucks, several police vehicles, a couple of witnesses and lots of gawkers. Miraculously, no one was seriously injured. The car landed upside-down on the other side of a four-lane divided highway! God deserves a big "Praise God"!
On my way back to the wreck (about 5 miles) I wondered to myself if I hadn't invented the whole thing. It was that surreal. I thought to myself, am I under some kind of stress that I'm not recognizing that would cause me to invent a story like this? What if we keep driving and never find this wreck. I found these thoughts quite puzzling. Obviously, they weren't true. There really was an accident. But I still find those thoughts disconcerting.
While I waited to give a statement (which I ended up not having to do, as there was a witness who actually saw everything happen), I called Nolan and cried. Then I drove home. And was about an hour later to Life Group than I intended.
Later that evening when we got home, another text. The mama's water had broken and contractions were immediately a minute apart. I was wiped, but I got back in the car to set out once again. A short time later my midwife called saying this mama was going fast. We decided there was no way I could make it - so I turned around and went home. Thankful for my warm bed, but disappointed to miss another birth. One thing about midwifery in the U.S. is the close relationships you develop with your clients - and to miss the birth is turning out to be really disappointing. I hope this doesn't become a habit!
By the way, this mama delivered a sweet baby girl about 30 minutes after her water broke - the midwife only made there about 15 minutes before the birth.
That was my crazy Tuesday.
Just a little ways down the road, I was driving along when a shadow passed over my car. I thought to myself, is someone passing me? But the shadow was moving in the wrong direction. So I glanced in my rear view mirror, and what do I see? A car - upside-down - flying through the air - nearly landing on my back bumper. It was sundown and the sun was behind me, so this entire scene was silhouetted. I didn't see the car coming - and I was on a divided highway, so it must of come across the ditch. I didn't see the car land. And, I didn't hear any crash sounds. It was very surreal. I immediately grabbed my phone and dialed 911 - which was a first for me. I kept driving as I wasn't sure of the traffic situation behind me. My adrenaline was pumping and I could hardly find the words I needed for the 911 operator - but somehow I communicated what needed to be told. Then I turned around and went back to the scene to give a statement and offer help if needed. Two troopers and an ambulance raced past me arriving before I did. Soon there were three ambulances, two fire trucks, several police vehicles, a couple of witnesses and lots of gawkers. Miraculously, no one was seriously injured. The car landed upside-down on the other side of a four-lane divided highway! God deserves a big "Praise God"!
On my way back to the wreck (about 5 miles) I wondered to myself if I hadn't invented the whole thing. It was that surreal. I thought to myself, am I under some kind of stress that I'm not recognizing that would cause me to invent a story like this? What if we keep driving and never find this wreck. I found these thoughts quite puzzling. Obviously, they weren't true. There really was an accident. But I still find those thoughts disconcerting.
While I waited to give a statement (which I ended up not having to do, as there was a witness who actually saw everything happen), I called Nolan and cried. Then I drove home. And was about an hour later to Life Group than I intended.
Later that evening when we got home, another text. The mama's water had broken and contractions were immediately a minute apart. I was wiped, but I got back in the car to set out once again. A short time later my midwife called saying this mama was going fast. We decided there was no way I could make it - so I turned around and went home. Thankful for my warm bed, but disappointed to miss another birth. One thing about midwifery in the U.S. is the close relationships you develop with your clients - and to miss the birth is turning out to be really disappointing. I hope this doesn't become a habit!
By the way, this mama delivered a sweet baby girl about 30 minutes after her water broke - the midwife only made there about 15 minutes before the birth.
That was my crazy Tuesday.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Brotherly (and sisterly) Love
I haven't given any Silvey updates lately. Seems like all I talk about it birth. While that is a big part of my life right now, it isn't anywhere near as important (or time consuming) as my sweet family. I just get overwhelmed by all that I could say - and how to narrow it down.
Today I was reminded how much I enjoy my kids. (I need that reminder every once in a while.) We did school this morning. Most days we are finish up with our "morning school" by 11 a.m. Then we do another 30 minutes to an hour in the afternoon while Benjamin and Willow nap. This gives us time for the subjects that require more focused attention from me. Anyway, after morning school Caleb and Isaac decided to build a tent in the living room made out of blankets and furniture and "heavy books" to hold the blankets in place. I was in the kitchen making lunch. As I listened to their planning, and trial and error, and "let's try this" conversation, I was again so thankful that they are such good friends. Don't get me wrong, it's not always so evident that they are friends, but in the simple moments it shows!
It's not just Caleb and Isaac who are friends. Today Benjamin had the flu and stayed in bed most of the day. Willow played with Caleb and Isaac, but later in the day when Benjamin was feeling better, Willow was giddy - dancing around the living room - as her best buddy was back in action.
And I could go on about the special relationships between each of the siblings. I pray God's protection over them - and that they will all always be friends.
Today I was reminded how much I enjoy my kids. (I need that reminder every once in a while.) We did school this morning. Most days we are finish up with our "morning school" by 11 a.m. Then we do another 30 minutes to an hour in the afternoon while Benjamin and Willow nap. This gives us time for the subjects that require more focused attention from me. Anyway, after morning school Caleb and Isaac decided to build a tent in the living room made out of blankets and furniture and "heavy books" to hold the blankets in place. I was in the kitchen making lunch. As I listened to their planning, and trial and error, and "let's try this" conversation, I was again so thankful that they are such good friends. Don't get me wrong, it's not always so evident that they are friends, but in the simple moments it shows!
It's not just Caleb and Isaac who are friends. Today Benjamin had the flu and stayed in bed most of the day. Willow played with Caleb and Isaac, but later in the day when Benjamin was feeling better, Willow was giddy - dancing around the living room - as her best buddy was back in action.
And I could go on about the special relationships between each of the siblings. I pray God's protection over them - and that they will all always be friends.
Come on Baby...
Home birth #4 complete. About a week ago my midwife called to say one of our mamas was in labor. It wasn't the one I was expecting. But the one due at the end of the month. But according to dates she was 37 weeks so she was a go (and according to sonogram dates she was 40 weeks). This first time mom labored like a champ...ALL day. She dilated slowly and stayed in control. Took some time in the tub. Ate a few bites of fruit. Drank gatorade off and on. Tried different positions. Walked. All the right things. But nearing the 24 hour mark she still wasn't complete. And she was tired. My midwife discussed the options with the mama and dad. And they agreed if things didn't change in the next hour we'd proceed to the hospital. The last thing you want is a mama who is too tired to push. Nothing changed. So we went to the hospital. Well, I didn't. I went home. To many midwives (or apprentices) in a hospital can make the staff a little uncomfortable. The mama was given a low dose of pitocin and her contractions were a bit more effective. Still it took several hours to go from a 7 to complete. Then she pushed and pushed and pushed. Just before sun-up her sweet baby made her debut. 30 hours after labor began. This mama and her husband were troopers. They managed to achieve their goal of a natural birth (without pain meds) even through all of that.
I learn so much from each birth. This one was a little harder on me. In the moment we couldn't see anything else that would help this mama along. In hindsight, maybe some nipple stimulation to get the oxytocin (natural pitocin) flowing would have helped? But it seemed like her contractions were consistent and effective. Maybe, maybe not? I was so disappointed to labor so closely with this woman and not be there for the delivery. It's like I missed out on the prize.
Oh, and one more unusual thing about this birth. The electricity went out in the house for about two hours. We were in the dark and it was cold. I put the mother-in-law and sister-in-law in charge of figuring out a solution. He he he.... They found some orange extension cords dragged them to the neighbors (who were not home) and helped themselves to their outside outlets. It let us power a room heater and a lamp in the birth room. Everyone else remained in the dark and the cold. I loved their ingenuity!
Oh and one more thing. I took my neonatal resuscitation program course. I should get my card in the next week or two. Very interesting!
I learn so much from each birth. This one was a little harder on me. In the moment we couldn't see anything else that would help this mama along. In hindsight, maybe some nipple stimulation to get the oxytocin (natural pitocin) flowing would have helped? But it seemed like her contractions were consistent and effective. Maybe, maybe not? I was so disappointed to labor so closely with this woman and not be there for the delivery. It's like I missed out on the prize.
Oh, and one more unusual thing about this birth. The electricity went out in the house for about two hours. We were in the dark and it was cold. I put the mother-in-law and sister-in-law in charge of figuring out a solution. He he he.... They found some orange extension cords dragged them to the neighbors (who were not home) and helped themselves to their outside outlets. It let us power a room heater and a lamp in the birth room. Everyone else remained in the dark and the cold. I loved their ingenuity!
Oh and one more thing. I took my neonatal resuscitation program course. I should get my card in the next week or two. Very interesting!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Another Baby!
I've been remiss in writing my latest birth story. A couple of weeks ago, our December mama went into labor - one day after her due date. This is the couple's first baby, and they were so well-prepared. I got the call about 6:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning....of course 2 of the 3 births I've been to recently are on Sunday's - not the most convenient for Nolan - but he's a trooper! Anyway, I headed out shortly after that call as the mama's contractions were coming pretty close together, and I had a 3 hour drive ahead of me. I drove the speed limit, and as is my custom, prayed for mama and baby and midwife for most of the drive. About a mile from my destination, the midwife called to see where I was and to tell me mama was complete and ready to push. I thought to myself, "well, won't this work out just perfectly. I'll help with the birth, get things cleaned up and still make it back for our church staff Christmas outing to the Nutcracker." That's what I get for thinking that birth is predictable.
So, I walk in, say a quick hello, change into scrubs, get oriented by the midwife, and begin to offer labor support. I was able to really lend a helping hand with labor support. And between the midwife, dad, mom, and me - we made one heck of a team through an extremely long pushing phase. Mom was a champ; I really don't think I could have given that much effort for as long as she did. Dad was great - offering continual praise and anything else mom needed. And, the midwife was awesome - offering different ideas/techniques and alternating between active pushing and getting mom to rest and recuperate with small drinks and snacks. We changed positions. We changed locations. We prayed. And through it all the entire team remained calm and committed. And most importantly the babies vital signs remained strong! Finally, after trying everything to get baby to finish his debut, the difficult decision to cut an episiotomy was made.
Now, let me take a short side-track here. This was the first episiotomy my midwife has performed in 90 births. Episiotomies do not need to be routine. But occasionally, they are helpful. And this was one of those rare times.
And, baby was out with the next push. And, then I had my first experience with a "scary birth". Every midwife I've talked to says in order to know if you are cut out for this kind of work, you need to see a scary birth. It's a question I've asked myself many times - and many of my friends/family have asked me - what do you do IF. Well, I came face to face with some of those IFs that day.
Several of my "what ifs" became reality. And, by the grace of God - And, because of a professional, trained midwife watching the warning signs - And, because of a calm team - And, because of the grace of God. Scary turned out okay. Both mama and baby were transferred to a nearby hospital for observation. It was the right thing to do. And, I'm glad I work with a midwife who is secure enough to do the right thing. Both mama and baby were released the next morning and are doing beautifully.
I am constantly humbled by the thought of what could happen. It's almost enough to cause me turn from this calling. But, I truly believe this is the path God has for me; and to bow to fear would not be right. I pray that God will give me wisdom. I pray that God will grant my mamas and babies (and myself) protection. I pray that He will never give me more than I can handle. And I leave myself there.
So, I walk in, say a quick hello, change into scrubs, get oriented by the midwife, and begin to offer labor support. I was able to really lend a helping hand with labor support. And between the midwife, dad, mom, and me - we made one heck of a team through an extremely long pushing phase. Mom was a champ; I really don't think I could have given that much effort for as long as she did. Dad was great - offering continual praise and anything else mom needed. And, the midwife was awesome - offering different ideas/techniques and alternating between active pushing and getting mom to rest and recuperate with small drinks and snacks. We changed positions. We changed locations. We prayed. And through it all the entire team remained calm and committed. And most importantly the babies vital signs remained strong! Finally, after trying everything to get baby to finish his debut, the difficult decision to cut an episiotomy was made.
Now, let me take a short side-track here. This was the first episiotomy my midwife has performed in 90 births. Episiotomies do not need to be routine. But occasionally, they are helpful. And this was one of those rare times.
And, baby was out with the next push. And, then I had my first experience with a "scary birth". Every midwife I've talked to says in order to know if you are cut out for this kind of work, you need to see a scary birth. It's a question I've asked myself many times - and many of my friends/family have asked me - what do you do IF. Well, I came face to face with some of those IFs that day.
Several of my "what ifs" became reality. And, by the grace of God - And, because of a professional, trained midwife watching the warning signs - And, because of a calm team - And, because of the grace of God. Scary turned out okay. Both mama and baby were transferred to a nearby hospital for observation. It was the right thing to do. And, I'm glad I work with a midwife who is secure enough to do the right thing. Both mama and baby were released the next morning and are doing beautifully.
I am constantly humbled by the thought of what could happen. It's almost enough to cause me turn from this calling. But, I truly believe this is the path God has for me; and to bow to fear would not be right. I pray that God will give me wisdom. I pray that God will grant my mamas and babies (and myself) protection. I pray that He will never give me more than I can handle. And I leave myself there.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
10 Wonderful Years!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Birth Week
My long anticipated initiation into helping with a home birth kicked off full force last week! I've been attending prenatal appointments and learning from the midwife for the past five months - and finally my first births to attend. We had two mamas (originally three, but one moved in September) due in November. Both their due dates came and went and still no babies. That is one really nice thing about home birth, no one is in a super hurry to get baby out. Of course the mama's were ready to meet their babies and tired of swollen ankles and labored breathing, but they were comfortable letting their babies cook just a little longer.
One mama had fairly consistent contractions for several weeks. Her baby was in a fairly odd position - face-up (occiput posterior) and off to the side. This meant the baby's head was making contact with the cervix, but not really settling in to get things going. After a waiting a week past her due date, the mama asked that we reposition the baby (try to get the baby to flip over) and break her water. And boy howdy was baby ready to come! Two hours later a sweet, ten-pound, baby girl made our hearts melt! Mama was amazing! Really working with her body. Walking or bouncing (on the birth ball) through contractions. And when it came time to push she picked a position that seemed natural to her for this birth. She chose the hands and knees position - which in hindsight was perfect for a baby of this size. Just three pushes later and baby made her debut. I was in awe. I learned lots from this birth - repositioning, setting up, I even got to do my first vaginal check (TMI - I know). I saw how the baby's heart tones move lower and lower in the mama's abdomen as the baby descends. I learned about meconium in the water and when to be worried (or not) about it. And I was once again, convinced and amazed at how well women's bodies can do this thing we call birth!
The next morning, I got an excited call from the midwife. Mama number two was having contractions every ten minutes. This mama was known to have precipitous (fast) labors and she was 2 1/2 hours from my house, so I kicked in high gear and got on the road. Fortunately this labor was a little slower than her last one, and I arrived about 2 hours before baby. This was another beautiful birth - but completely different than the one the night before. This mama too worked through her labor she moved around some, but then chose to relax on her bed with her family. Her husband rubbing her back and getting her a hot water bottle. We never even did a vaginal check, but instead just watched her for signs of transitioning. (Per her request). It's not hard to tell when a woman is getting close to having the baby as everything intensifies and it's often important that the mama's support team keep her focused. This mama did great and again just a few pushes and baby arrived. Another beautiful little girl - 6 lbs. 8 ounces. I learned a whole new set of skills with this birth - like how to manage a bleed afterwards and how to do the newborn exam. I also examined the placenta and tested the babies blood type. Amazing.
After a few hours of checking and watching mama's and babies we left these families in the comfort of their homes with selected friends/family to enjoy this sweet time. The mama's breastfed and bathed and grabbed a snack and settled in to get to know their new little ones. I'm not against hospital birth! But there sure are some nice things about home birth!
Finally, a dear friend of mine also a week and a half past her due date called Saturday morning asking for some laboring tips. She and her husband had hired a doula to be at their hospital birth, but having gone a week and a half past her due date and into the Thanksgiving holiday, her doula was out of town. This mama was cooking right along and really looking forward to a better labor than with her first baby. She was excited and fresh. We talked briefly, and I expected the baby to come before noon. At three that afternoon she called sounding tired and frustrated. She had dilated to an eight and stalled - she'd been there since nine that morning. After hours of painful contractions she got an epidural and agreed to having her water broken. That was at one. It was now 3 and her doctor told her she had an hour before he wanted to start pitocin (a labor augmenting drug) and then possibly consider a c-section if things didn't progress quickly. She asked the doctor for two hours since the baby's heart tones sounded great, and then she called me. She sounded dejected - like she had somehow failed. That was the furthest thing from the truth! We just needed to try some things to get this labor going again. I was able to give her a few techniques to try in bed (with an epidural). I started with the "roll-over" technique, which gets mom into five or six different positions either sitting or lying on her side for 15-20 minutes each. This allows baby to get into different positions and hopefully make better contact with the cervix and get things going again. I also suggested nipple stimulation. What??? I know, when I first heard about it I thought to myself, "there is no way I'll every recommend that to a mom, that is just too private." Guess what, it really works! Nipple stimulation causes oxytocin (a natural hormone that encourages labor - among other things) to get flowing. She agreed and went to work. Just before five she called back. She was a 9 1/2 (cm dilated) and wanted some techniques for pushing as they had discovered the baby was face-up (occiput posterior). Now the stalled labor made sense. Oh how I wish they could have tried to reposition the baby earlier in the day. But we discussed the best options for pushing with an OP baby. I know that the mama still had a cervical lip that they needed to get out of the way, so it was three hours later before she was allowed to push. And, with the first push the baby rotated into the face-down (occiput anterior) position and came soon after. I have a lot of questions for the mom about what happened in the hours I didn't hear from her, but I'll give her a couple of days to rest and recoup before I bombard her!
These were amazing experiences. What a blessing to be a part of watching a new soul enter the world. I'm amazed at how much I've learned this week, but also in the past 9 months. I remember helping my first doula clients back in May. They were so sweet to let me "practice" on them. I was able to help this mom more over the phone this week than I did for supporting the mom through 13 hours of labor last spring. And, I know I have SO much more to learn. I can imagine that I'll look back at this post in a few months or a year and shake my head at all I didn't know "back then". But we have to start somewhere - and I'm blessed to have people who are letting me be a part of their stories as I learn!
We have one more mama due before Christmas and then a little break until January. I'm looking forward to this birth as I'm sure I'll learn so much more!
One mama had fairly consistent contractions for several weeks. Her baby was in a fairly odd position - face-up (occiput posterior) and off to the side. This meant the baby's head was making contact with the cervix, but not really settling in to get things going. After a waiting a week past her due date, the mama asked that we reposition the baby (try to get the baby to flip over) and break her water. And boy howdy was baby ready to come! Two hours later a sweet, ten-pound, baby girl made our hearts melt! Mama was amazing! Really working with her body. Walking or bouncing (on the birth ball) through contractions. And when it came time to push she picked a position that seemed natural to her for this birth. She chose the hands and knees position - which in hindsight was perfect for a baby of this size. Just three pushes later and baby made her debut. I was in awe. I learned lots from this birth - repositioning, setting up, I even got to do my first vaginal check (TMI - I know). I saw how the baby's heart tones move lower and lower in the mama's abdomen as the baby descends. I learned about meconium in the water and when to be worried (or not) about it. And I was once again, convinced and amazed at how well women's bodies can do this thing we call birth!
The next morning, I got an excited call from the midwife. Mama number two was having contractions every ten minutes. This mama was known to have precipitous (fast) labors and she was 2 1/2 hours from my house, so I kicked in high gear and got on the road. Fortunately this labor was a little slower than her last one, and I arrived about 2 hours before baby. This was another beautiful birth - but completely different than the one the night before. This mama too worked through her labor she moved around some, but then chose to relax on her bed with her family. Her husband rubbing her back and getting her a hot water bottle. We never even did a vaginal check, but instead just watched her for signs of transitioning. (Per her request). It's not hard to tell when a woman is getting close to having the baby as everything intensifies and it's often important that the mama's support team keep her focused. This mama did great and again just a few pushes and baby arrived. Another beautiful little girl - 6 lbs. 8 ounces. I learned a whole new set of skills with this birth - like how to manage a bleed afterwards and how to do the newborn exam. I also examined the placenta and tested the babies blood type. Amazing.
After a few hours of checking and watching mama's and babies we left these families in the comfort of their homes with selected friends/family to enjoy this sweet time. The mama's breastfed and bathed and grabbed a snack and settled in to get to know their new little ones. I'm not against hospital birth! But there sure are some nice things about home birth!
Finally, a dear friend of mine also a week and a half past her due date called Saturday morning asking for some laboring tips. She and her husband had hired a doula to be at their hospital birth, but having gone a week and a half past her due date and into the Thanksgiving holiday, her doula was out of town. This mama was cooking right along and really looking forward to a better labor than with her first baby. She was excited and fresh. We talked briefly, and I expected the baby to come before noon. At three that afternoon she called sounding tired and frustrated. She had dilated to an eight and stalled - she'd been there since nine that morning. After hours of painful contractions she got an epidural and agreed to having her water broken. That was at one. It was now 3 and her doctor told her she had an hour before he wanted to start pitocin (a labor augmenting drug) and then possibly consider a c-section if things didn't progress quickly. She asked the doctor for two hours since the baby's heart tones sounded great, and then she called me. She sounded dejected - like she had somehow failed. That was the furthest thing from the truth! We just needed to try some things to get this labor going again. I was able to give her a few techniques to try in bed (with an epidural). I started with the "roll-over" technique, which gets mom into five or six different positions either sitting or lying on her side for 15-20 minutes each. This allows baby to get into different positions and hopefully make better contact with the cervix and get things going again. I also suggested nipple stimulation. What??? I know, when I first heard about it I thought to myself, "there is no way I'll every recommend that to a mom, that is just too private." Guess what, it really works! Nipple stimulation causes oxytocin (a natural hormone that encourages labor - among other things) to get flowing. She agreed and went to work. Just before five she called back. She was a 9 1/2 (cm dilated) and wanted some techniques for pushing as they had discovered the baby was face-up (occiput posterior). Now the stalled labor made sense. Oh how I wish they could have tried to reposition the baby earlier in the day. But we discussed the best options for pushing with an OP baby. I know that the mama still had a cervical lip that they needed to get out of the way, so it was three hours later before she was allowed to push. And, with the first push the baby rotated into the face-down (occiput anterior) position and came soon after. I have a lot of questions for the mom about what happened in the hours I didn't hear from her, but I'll give her a couple of days to rest and recoup before I bombard her!
These were amazing experiences. What a blessing to be a part of watching a new soul enter the world. I'm amazed at how much I've learned this week, but also in the past 9 months. I remember helping my first doula clients back in May. They were so sweet to let me "practice" on them. I was able to help this mom more over the phone this week than I did for supporting the mom through 13 hours of labor last spring. And, I know I have SO much more to learn. I can imagine that I'll look back at this post in a few months or a year and shake my head at all I didn't know "back then". But we have to start somewhere - and I'm blessed to have people who are letting me be a part of their stories as I learn!
We have one more mama due before Christmas and then a little break until January. I'm looking forward to this birth as I'm sure I'll learn so much more!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Counting the Cost
Counting the Cost. This seems to be the theme for my life this year. Right now it's just an idea that I spend a lot of time pondering. But I want it to be more than an idea; I'm just not sure what that means just yet. Jesus was pretty specific about what He required of His disciples - read Luke 14:25-35 - you'll get the idea. Thing is, do we really know what He meant by "hate your mother, father, sister, brother, wife, children....", "take up your cross", or "lay down your life." I'm not ready for a theological debate, I just want to find what He intends for those words to mean to me. I certainly don't want to jump into an emotional decision to follow Christ - I want to wisely "count the cost" as He instructs.
I've been reading several stories of people living lives sold out to Christ. Does that mean that those of us living comfortable lives dedicated to our jobs and families aren't true disciples? That isn't for me to decide. But I know a little soul-searching, heart-to-heart time with God never hurts! I trust His guidance - it is always loving and gentle.
Here are a few links to get you thinking.
Kisses From Katie is a blog about a young woman living in Africa with her 14 adopted daughters and Amazima is the organization born out of her desire to help the children of Uganda.
David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills, taught a radical series on Luke 14 that is causing me to take a hard look at some of the hard words of Christ. I'm not through listening to all of the messages, but so far I'm feeling pretty energized! Dr. Platt has also written a book on the subject called "Radical"; I haven't read it, but I plan on it. It reminds me of another book I read earlier this year that started this whole "Counting the Cost" theme - called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan.
Finally, I follow several midwife missionary blogs from around the world. One girl linked me to this great article that follows several inspirational stories of people helping people. I'm a sucker for inspirational stories!
By the way, are you wondering about missionary midwives? I know you are :) Here's a great link to a girl working in Sudan.
I've been reading several stories of people living lives sold out to Christ. Does that mean that those of us living comfortable lives dedicated to our jobs and families aren't true disciples? That isn't for me to decide. But I know a little soul-searching, heart-to-heart time with God never hurts! I trust His guidance - it is always loving and gentle.
Here are a few links to get you thinking.
Kisses From Katie is a blog about a young woman living in Africa with her 14 adopted daughters and Amazima is the organization born out of her desire to help the children of Uganda.
David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills, taught a radical series on Luke 14 that is causing me to take a hard look at some of the hard words of Christ. I'm not through listening to all of the messages, but so far I'm feeling pretty energized! Dr. Platt has also written a book on the subject called "Radical"; I haven't read it, but I plan on it. It reminds me of another book I read earlier this year that started this whole "Counting the Cost" theme - called "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan.
Finally, I follow several midwife missionary blogs from around the world. One girl linked me to this great article that follows several inspirational stories of people helping people. I'm a sucker for inspirational stories!
By the way, are you wondering about missionary midwives? I know you are :) Here's a great link to a girl working in Sudan.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Running?
Nolan and I went to the big centennial celebration at WT this past weekend. And so enjoyed catching up with several friends. It's amazing how you can jump right back in with people you haven't seen in a decade.
At the football game we sat with some friends who we've kept in better contact with, but haven't seen in almost a year. Somehow our conversation turned to running. Nolan was a runner in high school and can still run further/faster than I ever dreamed of. I have only tried running once in my life. After the birth of my third baby, I decided to try running to shed a few pounds. I was doing well - running fairly consistently for a couple months, when I began to get dizzy on my runs. For me dizziness is a sure sign of pregnancy.
Sure enough, the test came back positive, and the dizziness kept me from returning to running. After the birth of baby #4, I considered running again, but somehow I now associated running with getting pregnant - and you couldn't pay me to start back up. I seriously had issues!
A few weeks ago, I convinced myself to try again. But lacking motivation, it didn't last long. All that to say, our friends convinced us to run a 5K with them on Thanksgiving morning - so now I have the motivation. I seriously doubt that I'll be in race shape by Thanksgiving, but I guess I'll be closer than I would have been without the motivation. Tonight, training day two, I ran a full mile without stopping - and continued a walk/jog combo for almost 2 more miles.
**Let me add this disclaimer - when I say "run" it is relative. There are probably a lot of people who could walk faster than I run.
At the football game we sat with some friends who we've kept in better contact with, but haven't seen in almost a year. Somehow our conversation turned to running. Nolan was a runner in high school and can still run further/faster than I ever dreamed of. I have only tried running once in my life. After the birth of my third baby, I decided to try running to shed a few pounds. I was doing well - running fairly consistently for a couple months, when I began to get dizzy on my runs. For me dizziness is a sure sign of pregnancy.
Sure enough, the test came back positive, and the dizziness kept me from returning to running. After the birth of baby #4, I considered running again, but somehow I now associated running with getting pregnant - and you couldn't pay me to start back up. I seriously had issues!
A few weeks ago, I convinced myself to try again. But lacking motivation, it didn't last long. All that to say, our friends convinced us to run a 5K with them on Thanksgiving morning - so now I have the motivation. I seriously doubt that I'll be in race shape by Thanksgiving, but I guess I'll be closer than I would have been without the motivation. Tonight, training day two, I ran a full mile without stopping - and continued a walk/jog combo for almost 2 more miles.
**Let me add this disclaimer - when I say "run" it is relative. There are probably a lot of people who could walk faster than I run.
Neighborhood Kids
A few days ago I was talking to my mom on the phone, when like every mother of young children, I had to interrupt the phone conversation with several mini-conversations with the children in my care. This particular day, in addition to my own brood, the neighborhood kids were also playing in my yard.
Mom had been listening to me call out instructions to each of the kids and laughed again at something that has been funny to us for several years now...
"Jeremiah, take that dog home. He's scaring Benjamin."
pause....
Abraham, you are going to have to help your brother.
Caleb, can you and Isaac please make sure little Nehemiah doesn't get in the way.
Seriously, we have half the Old Testament represented on our block. Willow is the only one who doesn't evoke thoughts of camels and donkeys and old cities and deserts. But rest assured, she's got her place too - check out Isaiah, he says, "Children are a heritage from the Lord, like Willow trees planted by streams of water."
I wonder if I would fit in with the Old Testament mamas.
Mom had been listening to me call out instructions to each of the kids and laughed again at something that has been funny to us for several years now...
"Jeremiah, take that dog home. He's scaring Benjamin."
pause....
Abraham, you are going to have to help your brother.
Caleb, can you and Isaac please make sure little Nehemiah doesn't get in the way.
Seriously, we have half the Old Testament represented on our block. Willow is the only one who doesn't evoke thoughts of camels and donkeys and old cities and deserts. But rest assured, she's got her place too - check out Isaiah, he says, "Children are a heritage from the Lord, like Willow trees planted by streams of water."
I wonder if I would fit in with the Old Testament mamas.
Well Behaved Women
"Well behaved women seldom make history."
I first saw this quote on a bracelet that my mom was wearing. To be honest, I wasn't quite sure what to think of it. When I think of women who aren't behaving, history-makers aren't exactly what come to mind.
Fast-forward a year and I'm looking over a midwifery school website and lo and behold what do I see, "Well behaved women seldom make history" attributed to Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Pulitzer Prize winner, Author: "A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard based on her diary 1785-1812.
I am definitely okay with keeping company with these kinds of history makers!
I first saw this quote on a bracelet that my mom was wearing. To be honest, I wasn't quite sure what to think of it. When I think of women who aren't behaving, history-makers aren't exactly what come to mind.
Fast-forward a year and I'm looking over a midwifery school website and lo and behold what do I see, "Well behaved women seldom make history" attributed to Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Pulitzer Prize winner, Author: "A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard based on her diary 1785-1812.
I am definitely okay with keeping company with these kinds of history makers!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Busy, Busy, Busy
I really hesitate to talk about how busy I am because I think we often use busy-ness as an excuse. I can always find time that could be better used. In fact, this weekend in Sunday School in our discussion about the book, "How to Stop the Pain" we talked about how we use 20% of our time to produce 80% of our results. That means 80% of our time could be better spent.
And, that little rant was not even the point of this blog.
Actually we've been in a season of more activity than what I'd consider normal for our family. We started year two of Silvey homeschool in mid-August, and Nolan kicked Mpact (youth ministry) off for the fall semester around the same time. And we've been running since then.
We celebrated Isaac's 6th birthday at the end of August with a family party at my brother and sister-in-law's house, and then Nolan and I along with Caleb and Isaac went to Wonderland Park for the afternoon while Benjamin and Willow went to spend the day with Nana and Grandpa.
Mpact had it's 8th annual "Operation Reality" weekend retreat in September. It is always a lot of fun. If you are familiar with "Disciple Now" retreats it is essentially the same idea. College students with a group called Glowing Heart come to P-town for the weekend and lead small groups in Bible based discussions. More than 70 junior high and high school kids attended this year's retreat. They stayed at host homes in our community and were grouped by grade/gender. In addition to the Bible studies we made time for attending the football game Friday night, big group rec time Saturday morning, and a concert Saturday night. The college students went on and on about how much they enjoyed our students and how much potential they showed this year!
The Wednesday following Operation Reality was See You At The Pole - a student led prayer gathering around school flag poles before school. That evening all the community youth groups got together and blitzed the community with prayer. I was inspired to see 140-160 teenagers show up at the high school gym with no incentive (like free food or a concert) to be put into groups of 3-4 and given an area of town to go door-to-door to pray with people. It was the most moving thing I've been a part of in a long time! The testimonies they had when they returned an hour later were amazing. And the town is still buzzing about those "sweet kids" who came to pray with me! It was also good for our kids to see that even in small-town America there are people with real, material needs and people who want nothing to do with God - even if it means slamming doors in kids faces. Way to go teenagers - you truly made a difference!
The next week our church hosted Dr. Art Mathias of Wellspring Ministries out of Anchorage, Alaska for a four-day conference. His scripture based healing ministry is powerful. If you are in need of physical or emotional healing, I'd encourage you to check out his ministry and book, "Biblical Foundations of Freedom."
I also found time to finish up my midwifery course in mid-September and am trying to finalize my decision on which school to continue my studies through. This has been one of those times that I'd really like some real clear direction - like writing on the wall or something of that nature. But, no such luck, it seems like it's been more of a waiting game.
I'm also continuing my midwifery apprenticeship and have had the pleasure of working with Rebekah Dorsey, CPM, LM for the past several months learning how to do prenatal appointments. I'm looking forward to attending my first home births as her apprentice in November when we have three mamas due - and many more in the months after that.
Home school is keeping us on our toes this semester. We had quite an adjustment this year as Willow isn't napping through school anymore. That means Willow and Benjamin need a little more attention and our school schedule had to change a bit to fit those needs. What we figured out was that Caleb and Isaac have several things that they can do with minimal input from me - such as handwriting and spelling words - that they do while I keep track of B&W. We save the more teaching intensive stuff for the afternoon while the little ones are asleep. We've had to give up some of our afternoon activities, but we know it is just for a season. We also started a new curriculum this semester - Sonlight. And, I am very pleased with it. One thing that I've really enjoyed about home schooling is being so involved with what my kids are learning. It's amazing how often things come up in coversation and/or activities outside of our "scheduled school time" that allow for reinforcement of what we learned about in school. I love it.
Caleb and Isaac are also playing fall sports through our local activity center. Isaac is in soccer, and Caleb is in flag football. That means practice two days a week and games in the morning and afternoon on Saturdays. It's been a lot of fun, but I, for one, am glad the season is just four weeks long! Caleb and Isaac probably feel differently, as they have had so much fun! I'll just remind them that basketball season is just around the corner.
Well there's the update for the past few weeks in the Silvey household. I hope all is well with each of you!
And, that little rant was not even the point of this blog.
Actually we've been in a season of more activity than what I'd consider normal for our family. We started year two of Silvey homeschool in mid-August, and Nolan kicked Mpact (youth ministry) off for the fall semester around the same time. And we've been running since then.
We celebrated Isaac's 6th birthday at the end of August with a family party at my brother and sister-in-law's house, and then Nolan and I along with Caleb and Isaac went to Wonderland Park for the afternoon while Benjamin and Willow went to spend the day with Nana and Grandpa.
Mpact had it's 8th annual "Operation Reality" weekend retreat in September. It is always a lot of fun. If you are familiar with "Disciple Now" retreats it is essentially the same idea. College students with a group called Glowing Heart come to P-town for the weekend and lead small groups in Bible based discussions. More than 70 junior high and high school kids attended this year's retreat. They stayed at host homes in our community and were grouped by grade/gender. In addition to the Bible studies we made time for attending the football game Friday night, big group rec time Saturday morning, and a concert Saturday night. The college students went on and on about how much they enjoyed our students and how much potential they showed this year!
The Wednesday following Operation Reality was See You At The Pole - a student led prayer gathering around school flag poles before school. That evening all the community youth groups got together and blitzed the community with prayer. I was inspired to see 140-160 teenagers show up at the high school gym with no incentive (like free food or a concert) to be put into groups of 3-4 and given an area of town to go door-to-door to pray with people. It was the most moving thing I've been a part of in a long time! The testimonies they had when they returned an hour later were amazing. And the town is still buzzing about those "sweet kids" who came to pray with me! It was also good for our kids to see that even in small-town America there are people with real, material needs and people who want nothing to do with God - even if it means slamming doors in kids faces. Way to go teenagers - you truly made a difference!
The next week our church hosted Dr. Art Mathias of Wellspring Ministries out of Anchorage, Alaska for a four-day conference. His scripture based healing ministry is powerful. If you are in need of physical or emotional healing, I'd encourage you to check out his ministry and book, "Biblical Foundations of Freedom."
I also found time to finish up my midwifery course in mid-September and am trying to finalize my decision on which school to continue my studies through. This has been one of those times that I'd really like some real clear direction - like writing on the wall or something of that nature. But, no such luck, it seems like it's been more of a waiting game.
I'm also continuing my midwifery apprenticeship and have had the pleasure of working with Rebekah Dorsey, CPM, LM for the past several months learning how to do prenatal appointments. I'm looking forward to attending my first home births as her apprentice in November when we have three mamas due - and many more in the months after that.
Home school is keeping us on our toes this semester. We had quite an adjustment this year as Willow isn't napping through school anymore. That means Willow and Benjamin need a little more attention and our school schedule had to change a bit to fit those needs. What we figured out was that Caleb and Isaac have several things that they can do with minimal input from me - such as handwriting and spelling words - that they do while I keep track of B&W. We save the more teaching intensive stuff for the afternoon while the little ones are asleep. We've had to give up some of our afternoon activities, but we know it is just for a season. We also started a new curriculum this semester - Sonlight. And, I am very pleased with it. One thing that I've really enjoyed about home schooling is being so involved with what my kids are learning. It's amazing how often things come up in coversation and/or activities outside of our "scheduled school time" that allow for reinforcement of what we learned about in school. I love it.
Caleb and Isaac are also playing fall sports through our local activity center. Isaac is in soccer, and Caleb is in flag football. That means practice two days a week and games in the morning and afternoon on Saturdays. It's been a lot of fun, but I, for one, am glad the season is just four weeks long! Caleb and Isaac probably feel differently, as they have had so much fun! I'll just remind them that basketball season is just around the corner.
Well there's the update for the past few weeks in the Silvey household. I hope all is well with each of you!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Almost Done
I know some people really put a lot of stock in certain numbers. Maybe they have a favorite number or....well, I'm not sure why else numbers would be important. I've never given much thought to numbers. In fact, the only significance I can think of relating to numbers is a game we used to play in junior high or high school that you could make a wish when all the numbers on the clock were the same.
But, for some reason, for the past six months or so, the number 33 seems to be following me around. At first I noticed that I every time the clock said 6:33 I happened to see it. I related that to Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Not a bad daily reminder. Then I started noticing that it wasn't just 6:33, but other "33" times throughout the day. I bet I see it 5 or 6 times a day. At first I thought maybe I was imagining it. Then I began to think that maybe there was a message in it. But what? I'll be 33 on my next birthday. But that's not something I don't already know. Anyway, I've gone through several thought patterns from wonder to worry. Finally I've decided on acceptance. Now every time I see "33" on the clock throughout the day, I take a second and tell God I love him and smile a little smile that He knows means I trust him with whatever "33" means. Imagined or not, I figure this turned out ok.
My "Introduction to Midwifery" class is coming along splendidly. I have been able to put in some serious study time the past few weeks, thanks to my awesome husband! My goal of finishing all my assignments by the end of August was achieved! Now I am in the process of proof-reading all 75 pages of work that I completed (in essay form). Next is completing the pre-test and then the course final. One really good thing about the school I'm going to is the study habits they teach. One is surveying how much you feel you know about a particular subject before you begin a course and then again after you complete the course. Well, I'm blown away at how much I have learned! There have been several facts that have really made me stop and ponder the amazing intricacies of the human body - and the God that put it all together. For example, before a woman ever knows she is pregnant, the fertilized egg begins dividing exponentially. The resulting cells do not have specific purposes. However, when the cells reach the uterus and implant into the uterine lining, the cell division stops temporarily. When it resumes after implantation is complete all the resulting cells are task specific - meaning they may be cells that will make the heart or the brain and so forth. Simply amazing! (I'm really nervous I didn't get all that terminology exactly right, but I don't have my text book with me, so I'm going to go with it and hope the anatomy and physiology people in my life grant me grace!)
One thing that is REALLY on my mind right now is "the next step." Nolan has encouraged me from the beginning to take this journey one step at a time, as I'm notorious for wanting to know the ending from the beginning. So, I've tried to honor that advice - to the best of my ability. So, now, I'm nearly through with the introductory course, and I'm desperately seeking God's plan for the next step. Do I continue with the school I'm with now - which I believe would give me a very high quality education. Or do I go with another of my "top" choices. Do I start right away or continue with my apprenticeship and do some self-study until the choice seems more clear. One thing that keeps rearing it's ugly head is the fact that I'm not getting any younger, and this school thing will take 3 years minimum. I never dreamed of starting a career in my late 30's. Which, by the way, I know is not old to the people who've already been there!
So, I guess we'll see where all this leads.
But, for some reason, for the past six months or so, the number 33 seems to be following me around. At first I noticed that I every time the clock said 6:33 I happened to see it. I related that to Matthew 6:33 - But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Not a bad daily reminder. Then I started noticing that it wasn't just 6:33, but other "33" times throughout the day. I bet I see it 5 or 6 times a day. At first I thought maybe I was imagining it. Then I began to think that maybe there was a message in it. But what? I'll be 33 on my next birthday. But that's not something I don't already know. Anyway, I've gone through several thought patterns from wonder to worry. Finally I've decided on acceptance. Now every time I see "33" on the clock throughout the day, I take a second and tell God I love him and smile a little smile that He knows means I trust him with whatever "33" means. Imagined or not, I figure this turned out ok.
My "Introduction to Midwifery" class is coming along splendidly. I have been able to put in some serious study time the past few weeks, thanks to my awesome husband! My goal of finishing all my assignments by the end of August was achieved! Now I am in the process of proof-reading all 75 pages of work that I completed (in essay form). Next is completing the pre-test and then the course final. One really good thing about the school I'm going to is the study habits they teach. One is surveying how much you feel you know about a particular subject before you begin a course and then again after you complete the course. Well, I'm blown away at how much I have learned! There have been several facts that have really made me stop and ponder the amazing intricacies of the human body - and the God that put it all together. For example, before a woman ever knows she is pregnant, the fertilized egg begins dividing exponentially. The resulting cells do not have specific purposes. However, when the cells reach the uterus and implant into the uterine lining, the cell division stops temporarily. When it resumes after implantation is complete all the resulting cells are task specific - meaning they may be cells that will make the heart or the brain and so forth. Simply amazing! (I'm really nervous I didn't get all that terminology exactly right, but I don't have my text book with me, so I'm going to go with it and hope the anatomy and physiology people in my life grant me grace!)
One thing that is REALLY on my mind right now is "the next step." Nolan has encouraged me from the beginning to take this journey one step at a time, as I'm notorious for wanting to know the ending from the beginning. So, I've tried to honor that advice - to the best of my ability. So, now, I'm nearly through with the introductory course, and I'm desperately seeking God's plan for the next step. Do I continue with the school I'm with now - which I believe would give me a very high quality education. Or do I go with another of my "top" choices. Do I start right away or continue with my apprenticeship and do some self-study until the choice seems more clear. One thing that keeps rearing it's ugly head is the fact that I'm not getting any younger, and this school thing will take 3 years minimum. I never dreamed of starting a career in my late 30's. Which, by the way, I know is not old to the people who've already been there!
So, I guess we'll see where all this leads.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Summer Update
As I write this post, Nolan, Caleb and Isaac are in the kitchen canning pickles using my Granny's famous recipe. I love summer for the simple things.
Nolan and I just returned from our 10th anniversary trip to Colorado. We were gone for six days while my parents kept the kids! We had a lovely, relaxing time, and the kids were not ready to go home with us if that tells you how much fun they had! Nolan and I wandered through bookstores, took hikes in the mountains and ate gourmet breakfasts at the B&B where we stayed. The kids gathered the eggs (multiple times a day), helped Grambo in the garden, had water fights, played games (including learning chess), played with cousins, ate lots of hot dogs, watched movies, stayed up late and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. There were several funny stories, but one Benjamin story took the cake!
It turns out Benjamin wasn't tired one night. So, after everyone else was asleep, he entertained himself. Being the "helper" that he is, he cleaned the bathroom using an entire roll of toilet paper. And, then, he decided to wash Caleb and Isaac's dirty clothes. Mom heard him upstairs and went to explore. Like any good kid, as soon as he heard her coming up the stairs, he jumped back in bed. She checked on him and then went to check on the other kids - including Willow. The lights were off, so mom felt in Willow's pack-n-play to be sure she was covered. That's when she discovered a week's worth of dirty, wet clothes. She went to Benjamin to question his behavior, and with a sweet smile he said, "I wash the clothes!" Indeed he had...in the toilet. And, for reasons known only to him, he then put them in Willow's bed. Willow slept peacefully through the entire thing, I might add.
This story reminds me of another that happened shortly before we left on vacation. One evening, Nolan and the kids were playing in the backyard. I noticed a baby bird (from the nest above our front door that we've watched as intently as any National Geographic special) had fallen and couldn't fly. I asked Nolan discreetly to put it out of its misery so the kids wouldn't be traumatized. Well, before he could do so, the kids saw the bird and wanted to hold and pet it (YUCK!). Nolan, thought this was a great opportunity to see nature up close and personal - all I could think of was the germs. But they loved on the bird for a little while....and then it died. I didn't know this part of the story until later the next day, or I possibly could have prevented the rest of the story. They lovingly buried the bird, which they had named "Pecky" under the shed in the backyard.
The next morning, I recruited Caleb and Isaac to pick up apples in the backyard so we could mow later in the day. Isaac, then recruited Benjamin to help - promising him (unbeknownst to me) to do Benjamin a favor later on. Next thing I know, the apples are all picked up and all four kids have disappeared. As I go to do a little investigating, Isaac runs into the house asking if we can have bird soup for lunch. (Remember, I didn't even know "Pecky" died.) I make my way to the backyard behind the shed and find the other three kids and a dead bird. (YUCK, YUCK, YUCK!!!) It turns out the promised "favor" was unburying and playing with the dead bird. I promptly threw the bird over the fence and took all the kids to disinfect.
That's when the questions began. This was Benjamin's first experience with death.
He watched me throw Pecky over the fence (somewhat heartlessly), and he wanted to know where Pecky went.
I told him that Pecky went to Heaven to live with Jesus (which by the way I have no way of knowing.)
Benjamin wanted to know why.
I told him because Jesus would make him all better so he could fly.
Benjamin wanted to know when Pecky would be back.
What the heck??? I need a lot more schooling before I'll be qualified for this parenting thing!
But I wouldn't trade it!
BTW, when Benjamin asked when Pecky would be back, I quickly offered him candy to distract him and went on my way. ;)
Oh, and one more story. Tonight we were playing croquet in our front yard. Nolan had already played several games with the kids when I entered the picture. He explained that mommy is the croquet champion and Caleb and Isaac better bring their A-game. Which, by the way, is totally bogus. So Caleb, Isaac, and I proceeded to play croquet. It was a good, hard-fought game in which I came in second. At the end we stood on our imaginary podiums (like the Olympics) and sang the national anthem. Unfortunately half way through I couldn't remember the rest of the words and instead I sang, "I can't remember the rest of the words to this song..." The boys thought that was hilarious and have been singing those words all evening. Shoot. If they start singing that at the next home football game, I apologize in advance to all the home school families who work hard at proving they teach their kids the important things like the national anthem. We'll work on it.
Speaking of...year two of Silvey Home School Academy commences Monday - ready or not.
And, I continue to work on midwifery studies. My original goal of having all my assignments completed by the end of August is seeming more impossible every day. But, I'm still on track to meet the school's deadline of October 10.
Nolan and I just returned from our 10th anniversary trip to Colorado. We were gone for six days while my parents kept the kids! We had a lovely, relaxing time, and the kids were not ready to go home with us if that tells you how much fun they had! Nolan and I wandered through bookstores, took hikes in the mountains and ate gourmet breakfasts at the B&B where we stayed. The kids gathered the eggs (multiple times a day), helped Grambo in the garden, had water fights, played games (including learning chess), played with cousins, ate lots of hot dogs, watched movies, stayed up late and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. There were several funny stories, but one Benjamin story took the cake!
It turns out Benjamin wasn't tired one night. So, after everyone else was asleep, he entertained himself. Being the "helper" that he is, he cleaned the bathroom using an entire roll of toilet paper. And, then, he decided to wash Caleb and Isaac's dirty clothes. Mom heard him upstairs and went to explore. Like any good kid, as soon as he heard her coming up the stairs, he jumped back in bed. She checked on him and then went to check on the other kids - including Willow. The lights were off, so mom felt in Willow's pack-n-play to be sure she was covered. That's when she discovered a week's worth of dirty, wet clothes. She went to Benjamin to question his behavior, and with a sweet smile he said, "I wash the clothes!" Indeed he had...in the toilet. And, for reasons known only to him, he then put them in Willow's bed. Willow slept peacefully through the entire thing, I might add.
This story reminds me of another that happened shortly before we left on vacation. One evening, Nolan and the kids were playing in the backyard. I noticed a baby bird (from the nest above our front door that we've watched as intently as any National Geographic special) had fallen and couldn't fly. I asked Nolan discreetly to put it out of its misery so the kids wouldn't be traumatized. Well, before he could do so, the kids saw the bird and wanted to hold and pet it (YUCK!). Nolan, thought this was a great opportunity to see nature up close and personal - all I could think of was the germs. But they loved on the bird for a little while....and then it died. I didn't know this part of the story until later the next day, or I possibly could have prevented the rest of the story. They lovingly buried the bird, which they had named "Pecky" under the shed in the backyard.
The next morning, I recruited Caleb and Isaac to pick up apples in the backyard so we could mow later in the day. Isaac, then recruited Benjamin to help - promising him (unbeknownst to me) to do Benjamin a favor later on. Next thing I know, the apples are all picked up and all four kids have disappeared. As I go to do a little investigating, Isaac runs into the house asking if we can have bird soup for lunch. (Remember, I didn't even know "Pecky" died.) I make my way to the backyard behind the shed and find the other three kids and a dead bird. (YUCK, YUCK, YUCK!!!) It turns out the promised "favor" was unburying and playing with the dead bird. I promptly threw the bird over the fence and took all the kids to disinfect.
That's when the questions began. This was Benjamin's first experience with death.
He watched me throw Pecky over the fence (somewhat heartlessly), and he wanted to know where Pecky went.
I told him that Pecky went to Heaven to live with Jesus (which by the way I have no way of knowing.)
Benjamin wanted to know why.
I told him because Jesus would make him all better so he could fly.
Benjamin wanted to know when Pecky would be back.
What the heck??? I need a lot more schooling before I'll be qualified for this parenting thing!
But I wouldn't trade it!
BTW, when Benjamin asked when Pecky would be back, I quickly offered him candy to distract him and went on my way. ;)
Oh, and one more story. Tonight we were playing croquet in our front yard. Nolan had already played several games with the kids when I entered the picture. He explained that mommy is the croquet champion and Caleb and Isaac better bring their A-game. Which, by the way, is totally bogus. So Caleb, Isaac, and I proceeded to play croquet. It was a good, hard-fought game in which I came in second. At the end we stood on our imaginary podiums (like the Olympics) and sang the national anthem. Unfortunately half way through I couldn't remember the rest of the words and instead I sang, "I can't remember the rest of the words to this song..." The boys thought that was hilarious and have been singing those words all evening. Shoot. If they start singing that at the next home football game, I apologize in advance to all the home school families who work hard at proving they teach their kids the important things like the national anthem. We'll work on it.
Speaking of...year two of Silvey Home School Academy commences Monday - ready or not.
And, I continue to work on midwifery studies. My original goal of having all my assignments completed by the end of August is seeming more impossible every day. But, I'm still on track to meet the school's deadline of October 10.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Twins
I had the amazing opportunity this past weekend to doula for a dear friend as she gave birth to beautiful twin girls.
We were all a little concerned when her water broke at 32 weeks, but even during the first uncomfortable moments of getting mom (and dad) to the hospital and deciding on a plan of action with the medical staff, God's presence and peace was very real.
This mama was an absolute marvel. She handled the stress and pain with grace that I never found even after four births. She progressed quickly, and while we knew things were getting harder to handle, we were surprised to find her ready to push just 3 - 3 1/2 hours after contractions began.
Pushing was a little harder as Baby A was sunny-side-up, meaning she came out face-up rather than face-down. This position often cause lots of painful back-labor - and it was no exception in this case. It took an hour, but baby rewarded us by being 4 lbs. 5 ounces / 17 inches and maintaining oxygen saturation well.
Baby B came quickly after her sister. She too, was in an odd position with her arm up around her head and her feet next to her chest, but mama did a tremendous job. This baby was 4 lbs. 1 ounce and 1/2 inch longer than her sister. She required a little more breathing help.
Even the seasoned medical staff marveled at how well this delivery went. Twins born vaginally without pain medication is somewhat of a medical anomaly!
Both girls are doing well although they will have to spend a little time in the NICU.
Mama and Papa (who also acted like this wasn't his first rodeo) are recovering well and looking forward to bringing their baby girls home!
I am continually in awe of the miracle of life!
And, by the way, my website is making considerable progress. Check it out if you haven't already!
Friday, July 23, 2010
New Web Site
By the way, I'm working on building a new web site. It is a LONG way from being finished, but I thought I'd go ahead and put up a link in case you want to look around. It's about my "birth services".
Deliver Me Birth Services
Salem
Deliver Me Birth Services
Salem
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Birth High
So it's 10:31 p.m. and I've been up for almost 40 hours straight - although I did get a 2 1/2 hour nap somewhere in the middle of the night. But my adrenaline is still flowing so fast, I decided to make a quick post to reflect on the last two days in my birth bubble.
A sweet friend of mine was induced yesterday morning and labored throughout the day - slowly. I made a couple of trips to the hospital to check on her. Finally at 9:30 p.m. things started getting a little harder, and she asked me to come to the hospital to help her out. I knew that I was going to get to attend her birth, but I wasn't sure she really wanted me to support her during labor. What a privilege! She was so strong - enduring Pitocin contractions (the REALLY hard kind) for 13 hours - before she reached her goal of dilating to a 5 and getting an epidural. She was so amazing! Her mom also happened to be her nurse throughout the night. And, I learned so much from her. We tried several comfort techniques. I learned to operate the hospital beds. And, hour by hour we made it through. Finally after reaching a 5, the epidural allowed her some time to rest before time for baby. (Thus the 2 1/2 hour nap.) Around 5 a.m. baby surprised us during a check and said, "It's time!" The medical team rallied; I took a coveted position next to mama's knee; and then got to coach her through pushing. And she was a champ. Her beautiful daughter was born at 5:27 a.m. - not bad for a first-time mama. What an amazing experience. My first opportunity to watch a new life enter the world - I didn't exactly see my own children as they made their debut, as I was a little bit busy ; ) And, to top it all off, the medical team, knowing my deep interest in childbirth, involved me by explaining several procedures as they went along - including suturing and checking out the placenta. I am blessed! Thank you!
Then my day went on. I went home, showered, did the morning routine with my kiddos - Nolan is at church camp this week - so our sweet babysitter spent the night with the kids while I was at the hospital. Then we got in the car (the kids and I - not the babysitter) and went to Amarillo for a day full of prenatal appointments. My sister-in-law and brother were the best, as they volunteered to keep my four little ones while I went and did midwifery apprenticing stuff.
Six prenatal appointments later - and I am on a birth high! I palpated (pushed around on pregnant tummies to feel the baby's position); I found and listened to heart beats; I tested urine (I even liked this part!); I measured the uterus; I charted (wrote down all the important stuff in the file); I listened and learned from my mentor as she listened to her clients and gave advice on a number of pregnancy related issues. I met six sweet women who are allowing me a place in their birth stories. Joy, Joy, Joy! And, I came home with six more big books to read.
After all that, I picked up my peeps, and we headed home. And, by some miracle (thank you Jesus) I wasn't even tired on the LONG drive home. What a day!
Goodnight! Sweet dreams!
A sweet friend of mine was induced yesterday morning and labored throughout the day - slowly. I made a couple of trips to the hospital to check on her. Finally at 9:30 p.m. things started getting a little harder, and she asked me to come to the hospital to help her out. I knew that I was going to get to attend her birth, but I wasn't sure she really wanted me to support her during labor. What a privilege! She was so strong - enduring Pitocin contractions (the REALLY hard kind) for 13 hours - before she reached her goal of dilating to a 5 and getting an epidural. She was so amazing! Her mom also happened to be her nurse throughout the night. And, I learned so much from her. We tried several comfort techniques. I learned to operate the hospital beds. And, hour by hour we made it through. Finally after reaching a 5, the epidural allowed her some time to rest before time for baby. (Thus the 2 1/2 hour nap.) Around 5 a.m. baby surprised us during a check and said, "It's time!" The medical team rallied; I took a coveted position next to mama's knee; and then got to coach her through pushing. And she was a champ. Her beautiful daughter was born at 5:27 a.m. - not bad for a first-time mama. What an amazing experience. My first opportunity to watch a new life enter the world - I didn't exactly see my own children as they made their debut, as I was a little bit busy ; ) And, to top it all off, the medical team, knowing my deep interest in childbirth, involved me by explaining several procedures as they went along - including suturing and checking out the placenta. I am blessed! Thank you!
Then my day went on. I went home, showered, did the morning routine with my kiddos - Nolan is at church camp this week - so our sweet babysitter spent the night with the kids while I was at the hospital. Then we got in the car (the kids and I - not the babysitter) and went to Amarillo for a day full of prenatal appointments. My sister-in-law and brother were the best, as they volunteered to keep my four little ones while I went and did midwifery apprenticing stuff.
Six prenatal appointments later - and I am on a birth high! I palpated (pushed around on pregnant tummies to feel the baby's position); I found and listened to heart beats; I tested urine (I even liked this part!); I measured the uterus; I charted (wrote down all the important stuff in the file); I listened and learned from my mentor as she listened to her clients and gave advice on a number of pregnancy related issues. I met six sweet women who are allowing me a place in their birth stories. Joy, Joy, Joy! And, I came home with six more big books to read.
After all that, I picked up my peeps, and we headed home. And, by some miracle (thank you Jesus) I wasn't even tired on the LONG drive home. What a day!
Goodnight! Sweet dreams!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
June Update
I just got home from running a few errands, and I took a quick inventory of my van. One blown-up, yellow baby floatie in the passenger seat; a small, blue plastic dinosaur - triceratops, I think; a child's Dallas Cowboy's jersey; a Bob the Builder fleece toboggan; and one black batting glove. Those are just the things I could see from my seat - and they are all still in the van - even though I really should have brought them in and put them away. Come to think of it, tomorrow would be a great day to teach my kids how to clean out the van.
Summer will officially be here on Monday, but traditionally I consider the first warm days of May to suffice. This year, however, I'm late. I'm not sure why. May was colder than usual, so the weekend barbecues didn't happen. And, our schedule was interrupted by a few out-of-the-norm events. Maybe those things put me behind. All I know is that I really hope to get in the groove because I really enjoy summer, and I'm afraid I'm going to miss it before I really get into it.
Nolan performed his second wedding on the 5th of June. Two of our youth group kids grew up and got married. What a privilege to have had such an important role in their lives. And, thanks to technology, we get to continue our friendship with them even though miles now separate us. In the same wedding, Isaac made his debut as a ring bearer. He took his job very seriously. Dressed in tuxedo, shiny shoes and cuff links in our hotel room, he made note of how handsome he looked and practiced keeping his eyes on the bride as Nolan and I (pretending to be the bride) jumped around the hotel room to see if he could stay focused. After the wedding, he mentioned that the flower girls were being pretty nice to him and he was being pretty nice to them. After all, he "figured he'd marry one of them someday." At the dance following the wedding, Caleb and Isaac showcased a few dance moves that we've never seen before. What fun memories!
My mom and I took a quick trip to New Mexico to celebrate our birthdays (a few days early). I'm blessed to count my mom among my closest friends. I hope to share that same relationship with Willow when she's grown.
This morning I was about to put Willow down for a nap when Benjamin (age 2) said, "Mama, no nap for Willow, I loves her." Melt my heart! (But Willow took a nap just the same.)
Midwifery study continues. It's quite overwhelming, and I'm having still having trouble trying to balance study and family. Nolan is a jewel allowing me most evenings to bury my nose in a book - and then proceed to tell him what I've learned about vaginal breech birth or placentas or breastfeeding - you get the idea.
What a blessed life I lead!
Summer will officially be here on Monday, but traditionally I consider the first warm days of May to suffice. This year, however, I'm late. I'm not sure why. May was colder than usual, so the weekend barbecues didn't happen. And, our schedule was interrupted by a few out-of-the-norm events. Maybe those things put me behind. All I know is that I really hope to get in the groove because I really enjoy summer, and I'm afraid I'm going to miss it before I really get into it.
Nolan performed his second wedding on the 5th of June. Two of our youth group kids grew up and got married. What a privilege to have had such an important role in their lives. And, thanks to technology, we get to continue our friendship with them even though miles now separate us. In the same wedding, Isaac made his debut as a ring bearer. He took his job very seriously. Dressed in tuxedo, shiny shoes and cuff links in our hotel room, he made note of how handsome he looked and practiced keeping his eyes on the bride as Nolan and I (pretending to be the bride) jumped around the hotel room to see if he could stay focused. After the wedding, he mentioned that the flower girls were being pretty nice to him and he was being pretty nice to them. After all, he "figured he'd marry one of them someday." At the dance following the wedding, Caleb and Isaac showcased a few dance moves that we've never seen before. What fun memories!
My mom and I took a quick trip to New Mexico to celebrate our birthdays (a few days early). I'm blessed to count my mom among my closest friends. I hope to share that same relationship with Willow when she's grown.
This morning I was about to put Willow down for a nap when Benjamin (age 2) said, "Mama, no nap for Willow, I loves her." Melt my heart! (But Willow took a nap just the same.)
Midwifery study continues. It's quite overwhelming, and I'm having still having trouble trying to balance study and family. Nolan is a jewel allowing me most evenings to bury my nose in a book - and then proceed to tell him what I've learned about vaginal breech birth or placentas or breastfeeding - you get the idea.
What a blessed life I lead!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Different Kinds of Midwives
When I began to consider becoming a midwife, I really didn't know where to begin - so I did what anybody else would do - I googled it. "How to become a midwife." The next month of research showed me just how little I knew about midwifery - and I'm not talking about the pregnancy/delivery part - I'm simply referring to the term "midwifery." I'll try to sum up in very basic terms what I learned, just in case any of you are interested.
There are two basic types of midwives: direct entry midwives and nurse midwives.
Let me begin with direct entry midwives. They have many titles depending on their education, licensing agency, and sometimes personal choice. Some of these titles include Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), Licensed Midwife (LM), Direct Entry Midwife (DEM). Occasionally midwives choose to go without licensing, and in some areas direct entry midwifery is actually illegal.
Direct entry midwifery has been going through some dynamic change during the past several years. Traditionally direct entry midwives learned their trade through apprenticeships and self-study. In the past several years, several organizations have begun the process of formalizing the training a midwife receives while still holding onto the valuable hands-on skills she gains from apprenticeships. Now, in order to hold one of the above titles, a midwife must study and apprentice and then pass an exam. Most licensing agencies, including the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, uses the NARM (National Association of Registered Midwives) -http://www.narm.org/ - exam which would be equivalent to passing an all encompassing exam in other professions like law or nursing. In order to be registered with NARM, a midwife must meet several criteria including passing the written exam and a hands-on skills exam and attending 20 births as an active attendant and 20 additional births as a primary under supervision.
A direct entry midwife primarily practices in homes and/or birth centers, but not hospitals. Although, if a client needs to transfer to a hospital a midwife should submit her charts to the attending physician and can possibly stay as the woman's labor assistant. A direct entry midwife does not generally carry malpractice insurance. The availability of such is limited and most direct entry midwives have opted not to carry the insurance because of the prohibitive cost - desiring to keep costs low for their clients. Most direct entry midwives act on the belief that by only assisting low-risk women and by developing a in-depth, personal relationship with a woman and her family, the risk of lawsuits are greatly diminished.
A nurse midwife's training differs considerably. A nurse midwife is first a nurse, having attended and graduated from nursing school and gone on to work as a nurse for a period of time. Following that, she may apply to nurse midwifery school to obtain her master's in midwifery. Upon graduation she is a nurse midwife.
Generally nurse midwives practice in hospitals or birth centers. The lack of malpractice insurance that covers nurse midwives practicing in home birth situations has limited their availability in that arena.
There are lots of opinions about which type of midwife is the best. Studies have shown the safety of both representatives, so my recommendation is to interview a few different midwives, pray about it, and go forward with the person that seems to suit you best. By the way, midwifery needs all the support it can get from the grassroots level to add your voice to the mix, go to the Citizens for Midwifery http://www.cfmidwifery.org/ site.
*Sorry for my links...I couldn't get them to work right, so I just typed the addresses into my post.
There are two basic types of midwives: direct entry midwives and nurse midwives.
Let me begin with direct entry midwives. They have many titles depending on their education, licensing agency, and sometimes personal choice. Some of these titles include Certified Professional Midwife (CPM), Licensed Midwife (LM), Direct Entry Midwife (DEM). Occasionally midwives choose to go without licensing, and in some areas direct entry midwifery is actually illegal.
Direct entry midwifery has been going through some dynamic change during the past several years. Traditionally direct entry midwives learned their trade through apprenticeships and self-study. In the past several years, several organizations have begun the process of formalizing the training a midwife receives while still holding onto the valuable hands-on skills she gains from apprenticeships. Now, in order to hold one of the above titles, a midwife must study and apprentice and then pass an exam. Most licensing agencies, including the Texas Department of Health and Human Services, uses the NARM (National Association of Registered Midwives) -http://www.narm.org/ - exam which would be equivalent to passing an all encompassing exam in other professions like law or nursing. In order to be registered with NARM, a midwife must meet several criteria including passing the written exam and a hands-on skills exam and attending 20 births as an active attendant and 20 additional births as a primary under supervision.
A direct entry midwife primarily practices in homes and/or birth centers, but not hospitals. Although, if a client needs to transfer to a hospital a midwife should submit her charts to the attending physician and can possibly stay as the woman's labor assistant. A direct entry midwife does not generally carry malpractice insurance. The availability of such is limited and most direct entry midwives have opted not to carry the insurance because of the prohibitive cost - desiring to keep costs low for their clients. Most direct entry midwives act on the belief that by only assisting low-risk women and by developing a in-depth, personal relationship with a woman and her family, the risk of lawsuits are greatly diminished.
A nurse midwife's training differs considerably. A nurse midwife is first a nurse, having attended and graduated from nursing school and gone on to work as a nurse for a period of time. Following that, she may apply to nurse midwifery school to obtain her master's in midwifery. Upon graduation she is a nurse midwife.
Generally nurse midwives practice in hospitals or birth centers. The lack of malpractice insurance that covers nurse midwives practicing in home birth situations has limited their availability in that arena.
There are lots of opinions about which type of midwife is the best. Studies have shown the safety of both representatives, so my recommendation is to interview a few different midwives, pray about it, and go forward with the person that seems to suit you best. By the way, midwifery needs all the support it can get from the grassroots level to add your voice to the mix, go to the Citizens for Midwifery http://www.cfmidwifery.org/ site.
*Sorry for my links...I couldn't get them to work right, so I just typed the addresses into my post.
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