I'm always on call and can never just take a trip up North or to Eilat, because I'm always waiting for those births to happen. But it seemed like I had a small break of about 10 days when no one is due, and if I go up North I can make it back in about 2 hours with highway six 6. We take the chance and set out for a much needed mini-vacation. It is so exciting to see the still green and lush Galille and the Jordan River so full and the Kinneret, which I havne't seen for 2 years so full of water with the tree trunks covered. We check into a wonderful zimmer in Had Ness. I call my women to tell them that if they go early into labor they must let me know early as I am two hours away. We spend two romantic days with good food and even go rafting. We decide to stay another night. We find another lovely zimmer in Beit Hillel and plan to do the Banias and Manara next day. We go for a walk and I pick petel from a beautiful big tree with the sweetest petel I ever tasted. The cell phone rings and my lady tells me that her water broke. Oy vey--it's her 12th birth. I remember that her last birth it took about 24 hours from when her water broke until birth, and I want to think that again this will be so that I can still enjoy our vacation. But of course, I know that this is not realistic, since each birth is different, and she did have some quick births in the past. She has no contractions yet, and I tell her that I will discuss options with my husband and call her right back. I see the look of dissappointment on his face. I feel so badly that once again my family life is sacrificed for my career. I remember once driving to Kinneret and after a quick swim with my 8 year old, we had to drive all the way back for a birth. That was a lot worse explaining to a child. Hubby is very supportive and understanding, and we decided to pack up and hit the road. We explained to the zimmer owner that we had to leave after 2 hours and asked if half the price would do. It was agreeed, but I had the feeling that he must think we just wanted the zimmer for sex and were having an ilicit affair! Made it back in 2 hours. Still no contractions. About an hour later, contractions began irregular. Soon they were every 10 minutes, so I drove to Jerusalem for the birth. I was in no big rush, as she sounded fine on the phone and 10 minutes apart is quite early. Halfway through I am notified by the 17 year old daughter that Mom's contractions are coming quickly and heavily and she wants to know where I am and when will I be there. Oy vey! Where is Daddy I ask? He is at the Kotel praying but will be home soon. I tell them I'll be there in half an hour, and really step on the gas, searching for police all the way and praying that I won't be stopped. No traffic and I make all the lights for once. Another call, Mom is now in shower, and am I close yet???? Papa still not back, and I am thinking that this 17 year old will soon be catching the baby. I tell them to send some kids out to wait for me in the parking lot to shlep in my stuff. I pull in and run into the house. I find her in the bathtub, standing and bent over, holding Papa who finally came home, and she looks like she is pushing out the baby, and I imagine he will fall out any second into the bathtub with the water full. She is making those real pushy noises and from what I see coming out it looks like a birth any second. I must get her out of the tub because she doesn't want to be in the water. Getting her to move and cooperate is quite difficult now as she is in heavy labor, but I can't physically get close enough to her to birth her. Finally we get her out and she squats on all fours on the bathroom floor, and I am pushing shoes and other stuff away and trying to make room to squeeze myself and basic equipment for the birth. The kids are all outside, many sleeping. She pushes about 6 minutes, and nothing happens. I am surprized. Her husband tells me that until she gets on her back and pulls her legs up she can't birth and that the same thing happended last time also. He reminds her and we get her to move to the living room to the couch, and she lies down, pulls on her legs and the baby pops out, face looking up, posterior. Big baby, 4400. Placenta soon follows,, all the kids start coming in and she is nursing and all is well and everyone is happy. I am cleaning the mess which isn't too bad. The baby is passed to several children. I see that many of the kids never even woke up during the commotion. I heard from the kids that a neighbor called the police because of strange noises. It was definately worth coming back from my vacation to such an exciting and happy experience.
I get home at 4 AM. I am dead to the world when the phone rings at seven thirty and I hear that someone's water broke. No contractions yet. I tell her to call when there are contractions, meanwhile notice movements and keep good hygeine and take temperature. I go back to sleep hoping for a few good hours. Lucky for me that nothing is happening, and I am well rested. Next day, 24 hours have passed, and it looks like a high rupture with not a lot of water leaking. She comes to the zimmer, and I check her belly to see size and hear heartbeat, but no internal exam due to possible infection. There seems like a lot of water and a big baby. We decide to start with castor oil. After the third dose, contractions begin. After a few hours with every 6 minutes, I check her and the head is high and she is only 3 cm. It is late evening already. All through the night her contractions are irregular, between 5-10 minutes, and she is exhausted. Who would expect a second birth to go so slowly. Her first birth was also slow-twenty-four hours. At eight next morning the head is still high so I can't break water to stimulate contractions, and she is 5 cm. Breaking water on a high head can cause the cord to porlapse. Finally at 10 the head is low enough to break the water. The water is clear and lots comes out, and then the contractions are great, and she goes into the jacuzzi. An hour later she wants to push, and sits down on the Amish birth stool and pushes out another big baby, 4120, no stitches needed, and about one and half liter water comes out all over me and the floor with the shoulders. Then the placenta slides out, and she is nursing and smiling and the air is thick with joy and no one feels so exhausted anymore! Two hours later, after nursing, eating, and showering, all settle in for a good sleep. Next morning I call a friendly pediatrician to check the baby,and about noon they go home with their treasure. I begin to clean the zimmer and wash the linens and even do the windows that are thick with dust from the last chamsin. I forgot to tell about the biggest spider I ever saw in the corner of the jacuzzi, like the ones that kids buy for pets from the tropical rain forests. None of us could deal with him during the birth, so brave husband Asher had to eliminate him from the birthing room. Natural birth--up to a limit. Frogs OK, but no to spiders. Just finished sponga, and the phone rings. Contractions have begun, but nothing serious. This time the south, Kibutz Mifalsim, not far from Gaza, which is a bit scary to me. 20 minutes later she calls again that the contractions are every 5 minutes. I quickly load the car with my trusty equipment and hit the road. After half an hour, another call from hubby, that contractions are heavy. I increase my speed and curse at the traffic. Just at the gate he calls again to tell me that her water broke with meconium and where am I. He sounds very relieved and overjoyed to hear that I am in the Kibbutz. I run in to find her on the beanbag looking ready to birth very soon. I check her, 6 cm, with contractions every 2 minutes, and medium meconium water. I prepare all the birth stuff. There is a big birth pool in the center of the room, half filled with water, that there wasn't enough hot water left to keep it warm, and there was no time to get in even. Her back is killing her and I am massaging. Three more contractions and she wants to push so she gets on all fours and begins to push. The head comes out, there is a cord around the neck, I suction the meconium from the mouth and nose, free the cord, and out comes a sweet little baby, not so big this time, only 3250. Meanwhile the dog is very interested in what's happening and wants to learn the art of midwifery. Her mother arrives just in time for the birth and right after comes her sister and later other family and we're all eating her delicious banana cake and shmoozing while hubby is now busy draining the pool water to the garden. The baby is a great nurser and I give him a bath since he is so yucky with the meconium water. No stitches, and she feels great especially after her shower, but the nursing contractions do hurt. But she is happy that she didn't get the routine shot after birth that made her vomit after her last hospital birth. Amazing how unnecessary the shot is when you nurse after birth. I always bring it to my homebirths, but very seldom need to give it. I wonder why they won't give up on this routine in hospitals. I am ecstatic after this great birth. Daylight hours, quick and easy, and now just the drive home, but this time no speeding and very relaxed!. . ,
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