Wednesday 13th may 2020

Thanks to the mother from baby number 2, I met another mother who contacted me at the beginning of February asking me to lead her through pregnancy and birth. We met a few times face to face before the curfew, but then we kept in touch via what’s app messages discussing everything over the phone. I have to be very careful what information I provide to women. I have to be professional, objective, factual and give evidence-based information and current research whilst giving them space to make their own informed decisions.

She spent 39 weeks disappointed with her doctor, including attempts to force her to accept induce labour without any clinical reason.  After losing confidence with him in the last week, she transferred her care to another doctor who coincidentally was the one present at the first water birth.  He reassured her, and wonder to the world she went to labour spontaneously at 40 + 4 days. During the night from Monday to Tuesday, I was in contact with her via WhatsApp as she was in an early labour, so neither of us slept properly. After facilitating a training in the morning, I went to see her at 15.00 on my way from the maternity hospital.  She had contractions every 20 minutes, I gave her a massage and talked to her mother drinking coffee and eating chocolate cake while she was bouncing on the ball.

When she called me to come again at 19.30, it all worked out well; I was able to cook dinner and even had a quick swim. Friend Pavel came to see us that evening, so he had a curfew pass and was able to give me a lift there.  We were doing some breathing exercises for a while, but the doctor called and he wanted her to go to the hospital, so we all got in the car (even the grandmother and me holding an exercise balloon) and we drove on. Maternity hospitals here generally do not allow partners in childbirth, but this particular maternity hospital will allow one (partner) and also a doula – a help with childbirth – which I act as; I do not tell anyone that I am a midwife.  She was strong and birthed beautifully, but because she did not sleep 2 consecutive nights, it slowed down a bit though with effective pain relief, she was able to rest and on Wednesday, May 13 at 14.48 a beautiful healthy girl Zanskar Lily – Zali, was born.

Even after such a long labour marathon, she had a beautiful smile on her face just minutes after giving birth. Once again, I was amazed by the strength and determination of women during birth, and it is always a privilege to be present during such an important event, when not only the mother and baby are born, but also a new family is born.

The next day they let them go home, baby is feeding well, pooing well and the whole family including grandmother enjoying it, even though it is still forbidden to go out. The best time to have a baby is during a pandemic, where everyone is at home and mothers can concentrate on looking after their babies and rest after birth. It\’s like in the old days, 10 days in the maternity hospital when just feeding and resting. 

I can\’t wait for the curfew to be lifted, to be able to visit the new family and have a cuddle with baby Zali.  However, I was so tired from two nights awake, that it took me to the end of the week to catch up with my sleep. The older I am, the harder I get over the sleep deficit.

Rennie