Sunday, September 13, 2015

A Poem for New Midwives

A dear colleague of mine is starting on the path of becoming a midwife. Last night, some midwife-sisters gathered to wish her well and share encouragement. I quickly jotted down some words; through my sleep and today, they have expanded and I share them here with her but also with all folks who are starting on this road.

Births will be glorious.
Births will be ferocious.

Babies will be welcomed through joy, laughter, gratitude and prayer.
Babies will be welcomed through weeping, sorrow, heartbreak and prayer.

Families will be wondrous.
Families will be tumultuous.

There will be unfathomable beauty. 
There will also be blood, urine, amniotic fluid, mucous, poop, sweat and tears.

Being 'with woman' is all engrossing; it requires tenacity, intellect, passion and grace.
Be mindful and feed your soul as well, do not become consumed.

Being 'with woman' is all rewarding; it will give you peace, community, strength and pride.
Be humble and remain rooted, do not become boastful.

Remember that you are not alone.
There is a history of ancestral knowledge behind you.
There is a circle of support around you in the now.
There is a place for you at the table in the future...and the view is glorious!

This post was recently republished on Birth Wisdom, a resource for maternal health advocates by Birth Institute. Want to become a midwife? Check out the Birth Institute Holistic Midwifery program

3 comments:

  1. Please help me think of a title for this poem. What would you call it?

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  2. I'm sharing this on my Doula Nana FB page as it seems to apply to us as well and I quite love it!

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  3. I love this and will definitely remember and read it many times when I begin my journey to become a CNM...whenever that is ;)

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