May is for Mothers and Midwives.

By Jennie Joseph

There are two events in May that are dear to me, Mothers Day and International Midwives Day. Of course, we all know and celebrate Mothers Day every year. International Midwives Day, May 5, on the other hand is little known in the United States. For example, most Americans are still not aware that midwives deliver the majority of the world’s babies. In fact, midwives are the guardians of normal birth and have been so since Bible times.

As I think about my "Mum" far away in the UK this year, I realize how deep the bond between mother and child truly is. As a mother myself I know that the experience of childbirth awakened in me profound feelings of joy and love which continue to grow to this very day. The bond that is formed for most women as they see their newborn for the first time is never broken. I have worked with women from all walks of life, both in Europe and the United States. Most have been thrilled at the prospect of a new life; many have been stressed, unsupported or scared. One constant remains however, that no matter what – deep down inside, every single one of them wanted a healthy, happy baby.

I was called to this profession at the age of sixteen, and completed my training in London, England by the age of twenty-one. I have thoroughly enjoyed my work since and have met countless wonderful women and families over the years. I have focused on enhancing their childbearing experiences to the best of my ability. Following the international model of midwifery was easy when I worked in England because in general that society accepts birth as a normal event, as do most of the other countries in the world. My experience in the USA has been interesting midwives and challenging however, as I have worked through the initial reactions of surprise that “ still existed”, to the growing acceptance that a medicalized, hospital experience is not the only choice for healthy, low-risk women. American women are now beginning to look at alternatives for birthing their babies. Families are attempting to regain their sense of empowerment and control by looking at birthing centers and home births as a means to receiving personal, private and professional midwifery care. Seventeen years after I arrived in Florida I am finally beginning to hear positive responses, such as, “Oh my sister had a midwife and loved it!” or “I saw a water birth on the TV- it was wonderful”.

Have you ever marveled at how God designed pregnant women so perfectly to be able to do this job? I often remark to my patients that no matter how well prepared, organized, informed or educated they are, ready or not the baby will still be born! If we know nothing and do nothing we will still be duly delivered. If we are under the care of a doctor, midwife or taxi –cab driver it makes little difference because everything is already completely in divine order for this special event to take place. Yes, sadly there are women who are ill or high-risk and there is no question that childbearing can be dangerous for them. The healthy women though, if left alone, will come to full term and deliver beautifully with a little guidance and support. I see my role as a midwife as one of keeping a vigilant eye out for any signs of problems developing, of providing pertinent information and suggestions and for liaising between the OB/GYN and the hospital as needed. The most important point about out-of-hospital birthing is that you start with less and only progress to more if it is necessary. This way both mother and baby are protected from the cycle of interventions that can sometimes end up creating more problems than they solve. An experienced, watchful practitioner providing individualized care can increase your chances of a healthy outcome significantly.

This Mothers Day (and always), let's continue to keep mothers lifted up, supported and encouraged. Let us also remember the options we have and the choices we make for our families. If you or someone you know is expecting a baby, consider a midwife, and remember, May 5 every year is International Midwives Day worldwide.

The Birth Place Birthing Center is located conveniently in Winter Garden, just off the 429 expressway and serves Orange, Osceola and Lake counties. Our mission is to provide a service to our community by providing quality maternity care for women, with a focus on family involvement. Our prenatal appointments are unrushed and an emphasis is placed on answering all your questions and concerns at every visit. You choose your delivery site, whether home, birth center or hospital and follow-up with us in the postpartum period as well. Our specialty is water birthing and we invite you to visit our facility to view our water birthing pool or check our virtual tour on line at WWW.THEBIRTHPLACE.ORG. Call for a no obligation interview at 407 656 6938

Jennie Joseph © 2004