Day 145

I finished my projects today!

Before she left for the weekend, A asked me to work on verifying student info so she could finish and send out a bunch of paperwork. I'm excited to say I managed to finish three whole intern charts over the weekend. I hope she'll be super surprised tomorrow. While I worked on that project, I also created an excel spreadsheet of my own birth experiences here over the years. Once I'm home, I'll be able to transfer the into into my new birth log book. It's such a great relief to have that project done. By the time I leave Casa next month, I will have attended just about 200 births here.

As I was pulling old charts, I came across all the ones from last year. It's crazy how vividly I still remember particular births and clients. Some of them I think I will never forget. It was also interesting to see the midwives' signatures on everything, because I got a sense of just how much work they actually do on a daily basis. I have a whole new appreciation for the Casa midwives and how they balance the work of attending births, teaching, disciplining, supervising, charting, communicating with interns and residents and clients and the other staff members, and yet staying themselves, taking care of their families, and keeping a sense of humor. They really are amazing.

It has also been great for me, as a baby midwife, to see how super experienced midwives conduct themselves personally and professionally, how they handle conflicts and complications, and how they maintain a strong, calming presence in the birth room and at all times. I couldn't imagine coming here and not being able to learn anything. I'm truly learning something everyday.

Along with learning from the midwives, I'm also learning a lot from the interns. One intern is partiularly rough with the babies as they are being born. She's not doing anything to cause any damage, of course, but her style is rather harsh compared to mine. Not knowing from personal experience how painful contractions or uterine massage or manual dilation can be, I tend to believe it all hurts, so I make sure to be extra gentle, especially when handling the babies. So, either this student doesn't share my preference for gentleness, or she thinks she is being gentle, but I sometimes cringe when I see her at a birth. I guess we're all still learning.

I heard a rumor that the original owner is coming to visit this week, because Time magazine is doing an article about us and she's going to be in some photos. I'm looking forward to seeing her! She used to totally intimidate me, but not so much anymore. Still, everyone here completely respects her and treats her with a great deal of admiration. I really hope she'll be here this week.

I hope my case of drinking water arrives this week, too! Thank you, Love, for keeping me alive here in the desert.