Continuity of Care

What a glorious day! I truly experienced the joy a midwife must have at being able to provide continuity of care with final postnatal visits for two of the women whose births I attended.

Our first visit was to L* who is due in February. She has already finished work and is happily homemaking and preparing and making beautiful items for baby. Her house is absolutely gorgeous. Perfect design and decor. If L* had a hand in it I thought she should go into business, but they bouight it that way.

S* had a look around the hospital to figure out what the plan was for her birth. It looked and felt to N* as though both babies were head down, with one baby firmly descended. This looks good for S*. While N* thought it would be good for me to be at the birth, I fielded the idea with S* so that she could think about it.

V* is doing really well. We me B*'s parents. B* and V* gave me the disk back with the photos which is fantastic. I will have to wait for a copy of the other photos fom the camera so I can show other students the birth chair. N* and I don't think they realise how close that V* was to a serious haemhorrage.

J* is a character. Once again we caught her in the shower. She is being pampered by her mother in classic Indian tradition. Even though baby was premature, he is really thriving.

It was wonderful seeing D* again. As I told her in a slightly humorous way that I'll never forget the first birth I attended, and what a privilege it was. I would love to be able to keep in touch by email. The final visit offers closure for the midwife and the woman to move on to their next endeavours.

I was really stunned that L* and G* had given me a card and a box of chocolates because they had already given me a gift by allowing me to attend J*'s birth. I guess it's more to recognise the special connection I will always have with them and their baby.

I gleaned lots of practical information from N* today about midwifery practicalities to how a new practitioner might build up their practice.