The Busiest Shift I had!

So far this month, I experienced the busiest shift I ever had for the past 3 years of working as a midwife at Mercy Maternity Center. Before coming on shift yesterday night, I was praying to GOD that HE will give me a slow shift because I was really so tired but I guess this is one of those days that GOD is testing my character. I came at the birthroom with 4 labors endorsed to us plus a postpartum. With only 3 people on  who are catching, me, Michaela and Jacquiline with Salome who is still a first year and still needs to assist more births before catching under a Supervisor's close supervision. But praise GOD that one of the girls, Lincey volunteered to work with us that night eventhough she was not on schedule plus with Hannah whose continuity (a special patient who you've known for a long time or  close to you, relative or referred to you by a friend which you wanted to deliver her baby) is in active labor.

L-R: Hannah, Me, Jacquie, Lincey, Michae and Salome

The night was very busy. Jacquiline was first up and her patient delivered right after endorsements. After an hour Hannah's cont started to push and delivered within a couple of minutes followed by  Michaela's. My labor started to get active too, as she's G3 and could deliver fast. I immediately went to her cubicle and check on her, but she started pushing and had ruptured of bag of water. She started to push with a very fast progress, head was visible immediately. She was suppose to be Jacquie's second catch but since she's still with her patient who just delivered an hour ago, she needs to be with her  and so I took over so she could take care of her immediate postpartum for a little longer. But right after my patient delivered her baby, Michaela came in and told that she just checked in a very active labor which is premature according to her dates. I immediately instructed her to refer the patient even though she told that she felt hard fetal head when she did IE to the patient. Surprisingly while waiting for my patient's placenta to come out, Michae was shouting, calling my name at the postpartum area (we have to use the extra bed at the other side as our birthroom was full) saying that her patient started pushing and head was visible. So she delivered her second catch, and praising GOD that the baby looked term even though her record stated that she's premature. Then a labor came in and Lincey had her. Jacquie's second labor started to push as with Lincey's but after an hour pushing of Jacquie's patient was transported to SPMC* due to maternal exhaustion, long pushing and slow progress. And just as Jacquie came from transporting the patient, another labor came in who was also in active phase of her labor. That time Lincey's patient just delivered.

The baby I caught that night.

So, for the record we have 6 babies in 8 hours and the 2 remaining labors which was also taking cared by Jacquie and Michae had there babies right after our endorsement. So technically, we almost had 8 babies on that shift.

That night was so exhausting and yet so full of joy and FUN, not that I had the busiest and craziest shift so far in being a midwife and a supervisor but I was working with these wonderful ladies who really are an inspiration and a blessing to me. As well as being able to see new lives came to earth "officially". We are all beaming that night, laughing at each other even though we wanted to go to our beds already.

GOD has been teaching me lately that despite of all the bad things in life that has been happening around, I have to fix my eyes on and continue to trust HIM.


'My dear children! I feel as if I'm going through labour pains for you... and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives' (Galatians 4:19 NLT)