Summary Of Ina May Gaskin's Spiritual Midwife

As a nurse Midwife, you will come across a wide array of circumstances and meet families from all walks of life. No matter race, social class, language barrier, or level of education you are there to serve the purpose of providing health care and a welcoming environment.
The first major concern is the mother. Therefore you need to establish an interpersonal relationship with her. Gain an understanding of where her comfort lies and what she expects during those hours you are both together. Get to know the mother as well as you can. In Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin, the author stresses the importance of the fact that physical touch has an effect on the communication between mother and nurse; “Touch is the most basic, the most nonconceptual form of communication that we as nurses have. In touch there are no language barriers; anything that can walk, fly, creep, crawl, or swim already speaks it.” In other words, if you are unsure how to verbally express yourself, instill trust through your hands.
My first delivery as a newly graduated nurse midwife was when I experienced the importance
of instilling trust. I was assigned the blessed birth of a fifteen-year-old. This young woman despite her parents wishes of not wanting anything to do with the baby wanted to keep her child. It was no doubt a challenging experience, for all intensive purposes we’ll call this young lady Amelia Wilcott.
“Breathe Miss.Wilcott!
Two more pushes and baby will be born!” I remember telling her while carefully studying the baby’s position and the mother’s breathing. Despite the mother’s intense contractions and difficulty maneuvering; she remained composed and abided by my directions by holding my hand. Due to my lack of experience at the time I was accompanied by a head Midwife. Throughout this birth I studied the strong chemistry between the head Midwife and Amelia, so much power was radiating in that room. Baby Liam Wilcott was born a striking 9lbs and 4oz, along with the amniotic sac still intact. This rare occasion is known as a ‘caul birth’. Amelia began to cry in disbelief at the sight of how lucky her newborn was.Going off of this idea your strength lies beneath your hands and voice. Let the mother be sure that she is in good hands, and you have full control of the
situation.
Once you’ve gotten over this threshold; the next task is to make sure the mother and baby are physically and mentally fit for what they’re about to endure. You are to do this by checking vitals, dilation, position and making sure she is hydrated. Their well being should be your main goal and this crucial process ensures this. The final task at hand is to study the surrounding family members. Clear the room of any members that lack support or cause unnecessary attention. You are to remind the members that stick around the importance of reflecting emotional support, strength, and motivation on the mother.
With this information take responsibility for both lives you are to usher safely through this journey of childbirth. Birth is a sacred experience that many women endure. Every one of those women deserves a safe and comforting experience with a contributor who seeks a successful outcome. You cannot predict the future for yourself, or any of the babies you deliver, but you could ensure that you’ve put your all into providing the mothers with a positive birthing experience.