Welcome to our new series, The Motherhood Diaries – a safe space for you to share your experiences, advice, hopes and heartbreaks. We’ll be hearing from industry experts giving practical advice alongside Capsule readers (You!) sharing your firsthand experiences. We’re looking at everything from fertility, trying to conceive, pregnancy, the fourth trimester, newborns, toddlers, raising children and teenagers and everything in between!
If you have a topic you’d like to discuss, share your thoughts, experience or advice about, drop a line to [email protected].
This week we hear from Guest Writer, Franki Hobson from 9Honey on Midwives – arguably one of the wisest and age-old professions that exist, supporting mothers and newborns across cultures through their most vulnerable moments and biggest milestones.
Here, we share some modern midwifery words of wisdom gifted to new mums.
“You will cry on day three”
“I had no idea how important the midwife’s role was until 12 hours into labour! Mine was so kind, encouraging, supportive… I couldn’t have birthed without her. The day after Eddy was born, she visited to see how we were faring and explained the ‘post baby blues’ – that on day three, a surge in hormones would flood my body and I’d cry uncontrollably. I was on such euphoric high that I couldn’t fathom it, but then on day three, a flood of tears appeared! I was so grateful my midwife prepared me.”
Nina, mum to Eddy.
“Freeze your colostrum”
“I’m due to give birth any day now! My midwife told me to hand express my colostrum and freeze it. I’ve been doing this since 36 weeks, and have a good supply! When my baby is born, we’ll use the frozen colostrum until my milk comes in, ready for night feeds and a hungry baby.”
Darlene, mum-to-be.
“Eliminate negativity from the labour ward”
“My mum wanted to be at the birth, but I was unsure. I talked to my midwife about it and explained that mum wasn’t particularly nice to my husband, and that I felt awkward being naked in front of her. My midwife advised not to have anyone in the labour ward if there were underlying issues, because it affects the success of the birth when you’re feeling emotionally vulnerable. Her advice really helped me find the courage to tell mum I didn’t want her in the room.”
Caitlyn, mum to Jacob, 3.
“Have trust in your ability”
“I was exhausted after hours of pushing through labour, but I knew I was only pushing at 80 per cent. My midwife was an older, lovely and gentle lady, and she knew I was struggling. I remember her looking at me – like she had a window into my soul – saying, ‘I know what you are thinking: With my next push, everything from my inside will come out of my body.’ She was right, that’s exactly what I thought! She assured me that wasn’t going to happen, and gave me the confidence to push at 100 per cent and deliver my baby girl. Her advice also helped calm me before labouring my second baby.”
Adriana, mum to Lila, 8, and Poppy, 4.
“Freeze the fingers”
“I had a brilliant, clever midwife. After delivering my baby, she handed me an ‘iced finger’ and told me to insert it into my sanitary pad to reduce vaginal swelling. It worked! She said she advises all new mums when they get home to fill up rubber gloves with water, freeze them and then cut the fingers off to use in the pad each day until swelling subsides.”
Mandy, mum to Brooke, 5.
This article was reproduced with permission from 9Honey. To read the original article, click here.
