Living with Midwives: Three Days, Three Births and The Full Moon

We have had a busy week. Three births in three days, each so very different from the one before and just as the midwives predicted, the babies came with the full-moon. Our first of three births was a first time mom Veronica;

Her contractions that had grown stronger and closer together in the evening, were becoming weaker and everything was rolling to stop. I was feeling her grip on my hand slacken, her breathes soften and her temperature dip. She was scared, angry and holding back. Outside the dark, cramped room, her in-laws were carrying on loudly, bickering and yelling. There had been arguments throughout the day and the voices were growing intensely angry, escalating to the loud thud of a body hitting the concrete, and a scream for "Alcohol!" In the commotion her husband had collapsed, all was playing out like an episode of a popular Novella (her husband was fine.) And all of this, so completely and utterly unfair to Veronica, who was laboring and working so hard, but was, because of these disruptive circumstances, not going to be allowed to give birth to her baby in this house. After many hours of laboring, she chose to head to the hospital, and a pick-up truck was called for.

The family continued to fuss about like chickens with their feathers ruffled. The pick-up truck arrived, parked at the end of the street and we walked, inching slowly, slowly, down the narrow alleyway, illuminated by the full-moon. Nosey neighbors peaking unabashedly over the tops of fences. Easy does it, into the passengers seat, me, Carolina and Veronica's aunt in the cab of the truck, while the back of the truck quickly filled with people. Her husband, mother, father, but then others, who I had never seen. We drove several feet and met a second truck in the road, pausing as even more people loaded in. When we arrived at the hospital, Veronica was taken to the Emergency maternity ward, and no one was allowed with her. Not her husband, midwife, no one. We waited in the waiting room while her entourage waited in the dark out front of the hospital and then we all piled back into the truck, without Veronica, and drove the hour back to Calderas.

Veronica delivered in the early morning, a normal birth and a healthy baby girl, who she is planning on naming Caitlin, "the name of the very patient gringa." She told us that one of the doctors in the hospital was very good to her and that she was only a little scared of being there. She is now in her own home, with her favorite aunt, her baby and her husband. We will visit her every day for the next week, all is well, and all are healthy and happy.

I collapsed at 3am the night of Veronica's labor, and was called to another birth early that morning. A peaceful, quiet birth. The mom Diana, walked constantly. Not stopping to rest once in the 5 hours we were there. The family was kind and calm, and we sat on the bed, drinking Pepsi, snacking on avocados and taking cat naps. Diana remained composed and focused, so much so that when it came time to push, she had to kindly tell us when she was having a strong contraction. A baby boy was born in the afternoon and we treated ourselves to a ride back home in a pick-up truck.

The next morning a third birth. The mom Rosanna, went from 2cm-10cm in under 2 hours, giving birth to a perfect, plump baby girl, with a face round and open like the moon. They had very little, but shared with us a hot meal and a great deal of appreciation.

This week has left me with a lot to contemplate and not very much sleep, so I am thrilled to have the day to nap and use the internet.