Doc can tell when women are about to deliver babies just by the noises they make. He sits in the corner of the room reading his NEJM and simply allows the family to work through their labor, the husband and wife to help each other and hold each other, and finally when the time sounds right he puts on his scrub dress and gloves up. Then, miraculously, as he walks over the woman begins to crown. He places his fingers where the pressure should be and the women know what they have to do, mother nature programmed this for our benefit.
After seeing 9 births on my own I have no idea how he can predict the timing so perfectly. I used to think that the power of putting on his scrubs used to will the woman towards crowning. Maybe someday I will understand.
I usually spend the whole 6 hours or so rubbing backs, legs and feet. I stand by the mom and talk with her, or just breathe with her. In all honesty, I have no idea what I am supposed to do during this time so usually I just watch the other nurses, midwifes or doulas and do what feels right. I wonder if some of these women are thinking "who is this crazy girl stroking my leg?? what in the world? I keep wondering if you can ever know what to do until you have your own children and experience the birth process on your own... and if that is the case I may have another 10 years of awkward labor coaching.
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