I feel as though I should apologize or something, after my last post. Upon reading it in the light of day it made me wince a bit. I meant not disrespect re. what midwives do, and I think what I wrote could come across as ungrateful for midwifery care, or worse.


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Today I gave a little butt-bath, as I call it, to a newborn girl whose mother was just pleased as punch to have had her. I was grateful that this baby didn't seem to mind her little bath, which is routine here and since she was covered from waist to toe in newborn baby poop, it was not something I could skip today. She just sat there in my hand, and at one point as she was kind of slumped over my right forearm as I tried in vain to wipe the thick, white, waterproof vernix off her back, I realized she was contentedly sucking on my arm (this despite the fact that she had just spent the last 45 minutes sucking on her mother).

I got her dressed up and returned her to her momma, and helped her get settled on breast number 2 for some more.

Then I thanked the midwives here, got some hugs, got some high-fives, promised to write and send pictures (specifically, of Louisa's baby, due in May...), and took my leave.

I wonder if I will ever be back.