tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733Wed, 11 Feb 2026 20:14:11 +0000<center>The tale of a fledgling midwife as she learns to fly. A bit of personal life, a bit of birth stories, a bit of everything, mostly.</center>http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)Blogger232125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-7738964027808157495Wed, 03 Aug 2011 21:58:00 +00002011-08-03T16:58:12.311-05:00Her man snores softlyon the other sideof her cozy bed,smooth sheets twisting around his legs,the toddler a bridgebetween their shoulder blades.Blue light from the bathroomilluminates the numbers of the clockwhen the phone jangles.She answers cheerily.They think she was awake anyway.She wasn’t.She rises quickly,splashes the sleep from her eyes,brushes peppermint into her teeth, anddresses in http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2011/08/with-woman-with-family.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-5465622313750651298Wed, 09 Mar 2011 12:35:00 +00002011-03-09T11:03:45.560-05:00I've been cogitating on this post for a while now. I have had a couple of experiences lately with women wanting an unassisted birth (UC). I bet this will create a firestorm, so I'm getting out my asbestos panties.There is this thought among some circles that UC is the ultimate birth experience possible. That it is more "pure", "better" or even "holy/sacred". I don't buy it. Some even call ithttp://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2011/03/ive-been-cogitating-on-this-post-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-4976788859527519353Sat, 07 Aug 2010 22:04:00 +00002010-08-07T17:06:04.257-05:00I listenThe silence thunders in my earsMissing the swishes, thumps, and rhythmThere is no ocean hereOnly the salty streamsOn my cheeksThe gravid moundYields to my fingersBut does not press backMy heart beatsIcy in the hollow of my stomachI taste bileI must be wrongI’ve made a mistakeBlack and whiteBlurred imagesStillNo rhythm thereI was not wrongTears gatherRefusing to rush forthBarely filling http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2010/08/sound-of-silence.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-1430532485498850337Sun, 01 Aug 2010 21:23:00 +00002010-08-07T17:03:25.144-05:00I've been to three lovely waterbirths since my own baby was born. He came with me, Violet came to watch the baby. Each time, the mama had her baby within two hours of me arriving. Simply gorgeous births.Then on Wednesday, July 28th, I heard from a client what no midwife ever, ever wants to hear. She texted me: "Can I come over and hear the baby's heartbeat? I haven't felt any movement todayhttp://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2010/08/ive-been-to-three-lovely-waterbirths.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-2535102767431069073Mon, 14 Jun 2010 23:56:00 +00002010-06-14T18:56:28.770-05:00I look in the mirrorLifting a flap of skin, adipose and dimpledUnderneath is a twisted smile of a scar.It mocks me.“Why so serious?” it asks“You have a healthy baby. That’s all that matters”It doesn’t hurt now. It didn’t hurt then.When it felt like a pen drawing a lineA line that bled red and exposed my thin, shiny womb beneathA line that opened to allow hands to roughly grabYour delicate tiny http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2010/06/why-so-serious.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-8941443041203236567Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:54:00 +00002010-04-12T12:12:18.379-05:00My water broke in Payless shoe store at 12:40 PM on Saturday, April 3.I was standing in line to pay for the girls’ Easter Sunday shoes and I felt a little gush. I went to the bathroom and there was a spot of brown on my pad, about the size of a nickel. I looked in the toilet and there was a big chunk of brown, so I figured it was just plug.We got home and I went to the bathroom, changed my pad http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2010/04/necessarean.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-3235912431235743112Thu, 08 Apr 2010 20:48:00 +00002010-04-08T15:51:45.472-05:00Baby boy arrived by c-section on Easter Sunday (my prediction!) at 1:50 PM. He weighed in at 7 lb 3 oz and 20" long.I have quite a story to tell about his birth, and I certainly will tell it. I'm still getting all my thoughts in order to put it all to words.http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2010/04/baby-boy-is-here.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-1701787638797254173Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:17:00 +00002010-03-12T19:32:29.474-05:00This is a weird pregnancy and birth for me. I feel like a first time mom, in that I have NO IDEA WHATSOEVER of what to expect from this birth.I guess this is a good thing. My early births where I had no expectations went very well indeed!After Posie's birth, where she "broke" all my "rules" about how I birth, I know that there is nothing certain coming up except the baby comes out. I felt veryhttp://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2010/03/it-feels-like-very-first-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-1204708231206295021Mon, 22 Feb 2010 19:00:00 +00002010-02-22T14:36:46.280-05:00I'm now almost 34 weeks pregnant. (34 weeks today if you go by my doctor's dates).Initially, when I got pregnant, I was fairly certain that I was going to end up getting an epidural. At 27 weeks I had a total meltdown and freaked out about having to go through labor again and how traumatic Posie's labor was for me. I didn't feel Preacherman was really behind me and the potential for me needinghttp://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2010/02/getting-close.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-5758393090915216835Sun, 21 Feb 2010 00:20:00 +00002010-02-20T19:20:57.197-05:00I have added my gmail address to my profile if anyone wants to email me.http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2010/02/contact.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-2137697158677612993Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:57:00 +00002010-02-16T08:52:03.590-05:00You know what happens when you assume?I got this comment in my previous post:In your previous post, you said that your family income is low enough to qualify or WIC. Does that mean that you will be supporting this pregnancy and this child on public assistance? Perhaps in this day and age when so many of us are putting off having children for many years until we can responsibly and consistently http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2010/02/ass-u-me.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-8565336491649965292Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:39:00 +00002010-01-28T20:12:09.714-05:00A few free things for mamas.Nicki's Diapers is giving away a free Ergo baby carrier with infant insert! Lots of ways to enter. It is one of the organic ones -- a pretty sea green color with silver insert. They are doing weekly giveaways, so if you don't want a carrier, check out the diapers they have...Link fixed!Also, if you look to the side of the blog, you'll see a Swagbucks "swidget". The http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2010/01/spamalot-free-stuff-for-you.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-8924706755760092640Fri, 18 Dec 2009 21:35:00 +00002009-12-18T17:07:18.546-05:00I swear no one is taught basic manners anymore.Recently Preacherman was "outed" at work as being an expectant dad. Again. The stream of rude comments has been unbelievable. Of course, there is the marvelously original standby, "Don't you know what causes that?" DUH. Not only do we now what causes it, we like it! And of course, its corollary, "Was this PLANNED?" Are you asking me about my http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/12/if-you-cant-say-something-nice.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-2430944324583397829Fri, 18 Dec 2009 11:35:00 +00002011-01-04T19:42:06.774-05:00I've been formulating this post in my mind for quite a while now. I feel torn in two different directions when it comes to The Business of Being a Midwife. On the one hand, this is a ministry for me; to serve couples/families, to show them the love that is within me, to protect their space and experience, to help them bring, as safely as possible, their new little babies into this world.On the http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/12/for-love-or-money.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-3362887200708874132Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:28:00 +00002009-12-02T18:34:28.299-05:00For a while I made this blog private, then I decided instead of depriving the world of the entire thing, I would just go through and remove certain posts from view. This was by request.http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/12/housekeeping.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-1343949286025744515Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:57:00 +00002009-10-06T15:11:53.242-05:00One of the hardest lessons of being passionate about something is learning when to shut your mouth about that very subject.I recently went to the home visit for one of Faerylady's clients. This mom was 38+ weeks and her baby had turned frank breech the week before. I was very anxious to share with this mom all the things I know about giving birth vaginally to a breech baby. I talked with her http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/10/learning-to-shut-my-mouth.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-7363621089839275915Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:04:00 +00002009-09-27T15:15:19.386-05:00The last six weeks have been a total whirlwind. First I took the NARM in the middle of August. I left three homebirth moms and one doula client who were all due. They all waited for me too. Then all four of them had their babies in 9 days. Whew. 3 of those 4 babies were within 2 oz. of 10 lbs too. All of them had great vaginal births. Two of them were VBACs.After the second of these http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/09/busy-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-1760529721735054003Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:33:00 +00002009-09-05T16:35:25.727-05:00...that I ordered. The ones that say, "Certified Professional Midwife"!That's right! I passed the NARM. After an intensive several days (4 babies in 9 days) I was feeling like I was going to go insane not knowing. Then yesterday the letter came and I am official. 7 years of study, apprenticing, preparing, all has culminated in this achievement! The other midwife I took the test with also http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/09/i-get-to-use-those-business-cards.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-379347683797399927Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:10:00 +00002009-08-24T07:20:41.414-05:00Still no babies! I have: lady having her 7th baby (she's the ones who had the twins 2 years ago), only had two periods while nursing the twins when she got pregnant, so her dates could be off by a good bit. By LMP she was due on the 9th, but she's also been measuring under, so we'll see. Lady having her 3rd who was due on the 14th. Good dates. Giant baby. Like, probably 11 lbs. Her last http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/08/waiting-is-hardest-part.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-1778960651935715963Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:40:00 +00002009-08-23T08:46:59.190-05:00Did I pass? Wow, I have NO CLUE. I was totally not expecting the format/style of the test. So many questions with confusing answers (or answers where I would do half of A and half of B, but not ALL of either! So, which to pick?), or so many confusing questions -- with just ONE piece of missing info, etc. The sample questions in the CIB are really representative of the entire test. Still no http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/08/narm.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-2669284218589015205Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:21:00 +00002009-08-12T17:26:53.702-05:00I'm baaaaaaaaaack. Didja miss me?T-minus 7 days to the NARM exam and guess what I saw 2.5 weeks ago?Answers to the questions you're all thinking:1. Yes, it says what you think it says2. #83. Elated!4. Yes, and we like it.5. Yes, and we use it so the kids don't hear us6. If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all.Waiting on three mamas to have their babies before I leave andhttp://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/08/here-i-go-again.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-8650006131664293095Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:15:00 +00002009-02-17T13:34:44.938-05:00Two baby boys born in the last ten days. Both were quick births, both had some weird stuff afterwards. Both are fine now!At both births, there were family members present who were nurses. At the second birth, it was the baby's grandma who was the nurse. She was quite, um, critical, of many of the things we did. She used an almost accusatory tone to state (to MountainMama and her daughter, http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/02/grandmas.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-7406929651265758997Fri, 23 Jan 2009 01:52:00 +00002009-03-10T13:26:38.409-05:00There is a lady in my church who just had an elective repeat C-section today.This in itself is not shocking or notable. What gets me is that with her first baby, she took my natural childbirth classes, hired a doula and really wanted to have her baby vaginally without drugs. So she said. More on that in a minute. With her first baby, she got the story from her OB that she had "low fluid" and http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/01/prophet-is-never-heard-in-her-own-town.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-1052145092498149609Sun, 18 Jan 2009 13:30:00 +00002009-01-18T14:09:07.473-05:00I was asked in the comments how often I do a VE (Vaginal Exam) and since I have a lot of thoughts about this topic, I thought I would just make a post.I don't like to do VEs. Women don't like to have them done. How often do I do them? When there seems to be a clinical need for one, or we need the information to make a care decision. I also will do them reluctantly if begged by the woman, http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/01/undress-from-waist-down.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31166733.post-661826606535766384Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:58:00 +00002009-01-13T08:08:57.400-05:00My first solo flight and two babies were born before noon yesterday. One was a multip, "E" having her 5th baby. She lives 2 minutes from my house. I missed the birth. But, I wasn't at home when she was close to having her baby.4:18 AM, phone call from my primip ("C") due 1/23/08. "My water just broke." Water was clear, baby moving good, mild contractions every 5 minutes or so. She was http://meconiumhappens.blogspot.com/2009/01/it-never-rains-but-it-pours.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (One Hot Mama)7