A Midwife’s Life

When people hear about my job, they sometimes reply with “Oh, so you get to hold babies!”…which actually sounds like a really cool job, but is definitely not the one I have.

While I sometimes get to snuggle a baby or two- the work leading up to that point is so much more complex.

You could sum it up into labors, births, and sweet newborn cries.

But it is infinitely so much more.

It’s answering text messages during dinner, or asking the waiter for your check before the food ever makes it to the table.

It’s sometimes getting no dinner, and hoping you still have that granola bar somewhere in the glovebox.

It’s walking out of a movie right as the previews end, and disappointed faces when you skip another family event.

It’s nights spent tossing and turning, knowing the phone that sits next to your pillow could ring and send you right back out the door.

It’s showing up at a labor and giving every ounce of yourself that's left.

It’s getting antsy with full moons, or skeptical when the weather does something dramatic.

It’s heartbeats, and contractions.

Gloves, and never-ending charting.

It’s cat naps while sitting in a corner, and coffee when your mornings start before they should.

It’s wiping exhausted tears, and encouraging tired bodies.

It means getting to celebrate with families during the greatest moment of their lives….and sometimes walking with others through the darkest of trials.

Midwifery never agreed to be a 9-5 job, but sometimes I’m still surprised when Tuesday bleeds into Saturday and I'm left wondering what happened to the days that used to live in between them.

Midwifery oozes into every area of our lives.

It can be exhausting, unpredictable, beautiful, exciting, & bittersweet.

And I think, that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be.

(*This was originally posted to Facebook here on 08/2016.)