You work with babies...ah, how sweet !

I always find this statement very interesting. Yes, I love babies. I was a preschool directoress for many years, I love children. I am fascinated by them. But, what I really like is working with women!
Women are the most complex beings God created.

• We are strong and powerful, but like to be protected. (I am going to speak in generalities. I know this is not politically correct. If you don't agree with me, it's ok. I know there are exceptions to every rule.)
• We are tough when they have to be and incredibly gentle. Women have insecurities that may have began at very young age about the oddest things--"you would have been a tall girl if you didn't have so much turned under for feet" and we believe them!
• We hear and process everything around us as if it appied to us. We are protective of our children--I have seen women beat the *snot* out of their child, but you let a neighborhood child call them a name and the claws come out.
• Women can whine about a hangnail to the point you would have thought amputation was going to be necessary, and endure difficult long labors without a peep.
• We want independence at time, but love support-emotionally and physically.
• Women are highly emotional, but try to come across as cool and collected at all time.

I love working with women! There is always a delicate dance when women are together. We are intuitive, but miss the signs at times. We put out feelers to see what is going to be helpful and thrive on feedback. It gives me no greater thrill for an expectant woman to call me and express an interest in natural birth. We walk through the pregnancy together, week by week. We get to know each other. I learn likes and dislikes. I hear of insecurities and tried to provide wise counsel. We overcome fears and inhabitions. We process news reports, scarey stories, comments from the guy at WalMart, The Baby Story, and what aunt Susie's 2nd cousin once removed had to happen to her back in 1909. Sometimes we cry together at the end of pregnancy when the pregnancy just seems too long or when someone has dealt with just one too many negative comments about how "big" they are getting.

In labor the dance continues. What is working, what isn't. What helps, what makes it worse. The baby's heart beat gives delight...to both of us. I rub backs and talk moms through contractions when that seems needed or I stay completely out of the way and facilitate normacy. When women get ready to push their baby into my welcoming hands, I trust them to know when to push and how to push. I am watchful and expect everything to go just as it is planned because we are wonderfully created to give birth.

I receive their new baby as I would a gift, with a thankful heart. I rejoice that another young woman has been empowered with the knowledge and confidence that giving birth brings. I treat that newborn with all the love and respect possible holding them gently and welcoming them to this world. I want their first experience with people to be positive. I believe we can change the world by treating other like we want to be treated... this includes babies.

I love watching women become mothers. We are tender, warm and compassionate. We have an inborn ability to be responsive to our little ones. We have the ability to provide that newborn everything he/she needs just as we did when they were growing inside of our bodies.

Women are strong, amazing beings created in the image of God.

Have I told you how much I love working with women?