HANDS OFF THE BABY!
Ah you’re a midwife , must be a lovely job cuddling babies all day! That old chestnut! 🙄😆
I need to set the record straight. Babies belong by the side of the women who birth them , in their arms , on their skin , not in the arms of the midwife. Even if the woman is bone tired and asking for baby to be taken away for a while , no partner or family sharing the load , we don’t have staffed nurseries any more or time to sit for long periods cuddling newborns , I wish!
Midwives hands touch the baby minimally (hopefully) at the birth
All observations , measurements checking ID’s can be done with babe in arms
Our role is to hover , to be there , to empower (makes me cringe but can’t think of a better word) new parents , recognise when to step in and when to step back
However current hospital systems of care for pregnant women mean a high likelihood of labour being induced , often the start of a cascade of interventions , they’re more likely to need an epidural, an instrumental delivery or a Caesarean , an abdominal surgical birth. More often than not the babies of these women initially need lots of help feeding , need regular heel prick blood sugar testing or need antibiotics via a cannula in their vein
Babies arrive with their own temperaments, some easier to feed and settle than others. Midwives know and love that cranky little baby that seems outraged at being here and feel for its parents , knowing the sleep deprived , overwhelming time they have ahead
An aside , we have lots of Indian and Asian couples who pre covid usually had mum or mum-in-law fly over to stay with them and help. A common site the non English speaking grandmas arriving on the ward with smells of gorgeous food they’d prepped at home (reminds me of the time I caught a Vietnamese bloke poised at the microwave door with a whole FOIL WRAPPED FISH in his hands 😱🤦🏼♀️😂😂) Shame these couples deprived of this support for the moment
On the postnatal ward midwives are often stretched too thin , wishing they could have more time to do the “hovering” or just give the hands on help that’s needed before parents leave the building.
In our fire fighting equipment cupboard along with the extinguishers there’s a tabard type overhead garment thing with slots in it (god forbid we ever have to use it) to help transport babies in the event of an actual fire. Some days I feel like throwing it over my head , slot the cranky babies in the pouches and get on with my shift! Hahaha
The good thing is , none of us remembers being a baby , do we? We can’t remember if we didn’t get skin to skin initially , we can’t remember the heel prick tests or immunisations or our frustrated crying because we were not fed or cuddled immediately
I mean look how well I turned out 💪🏻😆 a fully formula fed 1965 Scottish baby born with pethidine circulating in my veins , baboushka wrapped , no doubt given glucose water to “test” my stomach and initially separated hours at a time from my poor first time mum, was the result of an induction too. Remember non of it
All the babies will be fine eventually , when they’ve had the guidance and help to promote their natural reflexes and behaviours , just takes some longer than others
Women you’ve grown a human being in your body , given birth to it by whatever means , caesar , unassisted vaginal birth or vacuum/ forceps , you are amazing a rockstar! Please don’t be feeling ANY guilt around events that didn’t go according to plan and if feeling traumatised by it or by you caregivers 😭😭😭 please reach out and access help. There are psychologists and psychiatrists trained in exactly this who will believe you , affirm your memories and can actually help to dull or minimise them
🤍Birth professionals need to do so much better around reducing our crazy high induction and caesarean rate
🤍Women need to empower and educate themselves , be aware of the birth outcomes of the service provider they’ve chosen
🤍 More women need to have confidence in their body to birth , I believe education around this should start in schools! Little girls and teens would LOVE it!
Next I’m planning to circle back to my years as 21yr old brand new nurse next!
Lins xx
The Midwife/Nurse Hobbyfarmer 