My first birth

Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia.
March 28, 2004

On Thursday I witnessed a birth for my first time. Our visiting medical student, soon-to-be Doctor Charlie has done Caesarian Sections (emergency and scheduled) and assisted with natural births but had yet to deliver a baby naturally herself. (Charlie is specializing in obstetrics and gynecology.) When her chance suddenly arose I rushed along with her to the Liberian Government Hospital to witness the miracle of birth for myself.

When we arrived the 17-year-old prima gravida* mother was 8cm dilated and incredibly noisy. Whenever she wasn't emitting a pure piercing yell she was demanding an operation (she meant a Caesarian) and for someone called 'Jasmine' to 'come to my rescue'.

Charlie quickly took charge but was expecting to learn from the midwives. They were marvelous - guiding but respecting Charlie as she learned the routine procedures. From time to time Charlie or the midwives would refer to the clock or to hand-drawn circles of different diameters on the wall. (It was all too technical for me.) Their style with the Mom was a bit rougher than I expect we have in the west - slapping her when she didn't hold her ankles properly or for any other infringement.

(The Liberian Government Hospital's obstetrics ward has about 12 beds which often have to hold two women and one or two babies each, a nursery with five cots and two incubators - awaiting proper wiring - and a room with two delivery beds. We deliver an average of about twenty babies a month. A large proportion of those are complicated cases because ordinary births can be done at our nearby 'Well Baby' clinic - or, very frequently - at home.)

The midwives tickled the woman's (huge) belly to provoke contractions - which in turn provoked the intense screams, which made me wonder whether Merlin should install sound absorption materials. I tried to pretend to be useful by stroking the mother's head - she didn't pay me the slightest bit of attention. Finally the baby's tiny head emerged. Charlie seemed to yank it around terribly roughly but she knows what she's doing. The head took about a minute of manipulation and then Charlie pulled the rest out easily. It was a baby girl - incredibly tiny but way way more beautiful than I'd ever imagined. (I thought babies were just slimy little animals until this. Maybe that stage starts after a day or two.)

She was a kind of grey-blue colour. I've learned that African babies turn black only a bit later on. The first thing Charlie did once the baby was out was to suction goop out of it's mouth and nose. I was incredibly nervous until it started crying. Then she clamped the cord in two places and snipped it off - leaving about 10cm on the baby. Then I think they washed it and weighed it and stuff like that - I was watching the mom who'd gone catatonic and therefore thankfully quiet.

They wrapped up the baby and showed it to the Mom who just stared without expression. (Later my sister Ruphine told me that when that happens you refer to the history and form certain suspicions. but maybe the Mom was just in shock.) Anyway when we went out into the main OB ward and told the family they started to dance with joy and then I realized that I'd really seen the growth of a family.

I think I'd like to see another birth but I'll never forget this one. I was honoured that I witnessed Doctor Charlie's first complete personal delivery. And I was pleased that the Mom finally stopped her ghastly screaming. It is truly the miracle of birth but I'm so glad I had a vasectomy.