I met two new moms yesterday. At the vegan restaurant.
Mom A:
me: what is his name?
Mom A: (it's a nice, classic boy's name)
me: how old is he?
Mom A: ten weeks
me: Where did you deliver?
Mom A: (startled)--It was supposed to be a home birth...but...
me: yes?
Mom A: (names my old work; I realized that both her life and her son's was saved by swift intervention.)
me: I used to work there! I delivered there too! How was your anesthesia? Are you doing okay?
Mom A: (couldn't remember who did the anesthesia) Everyone was so nice!
me: I know. They were super emotionally supportive. After my c-section, when the Postpartum Nurse helped me take a shower, and she helped me with EVERYTHING, she smiled and said, 'Today you just gave birth; today you are the Queen.' I also shared how when my milk came in, my hormones surged and I cried something terrible. The nurses had anticipated it, for most highly-educated women do this four days after giving birth. They just do. And they supported me wonderful through it.
Mom A: I know, they were the best!
me: are you doing okay?
Mom A: It was a lot to 'process' since there was a change in plan, but I am getting more okay with it.
me: That is good. Mine was hard, too. I was an induction and got stuck at four centimeters. I was praying the whole time to be taken to Heaven and just be done with it while I was in that labor bed.
Mom A: (smiles and agrees). I felt that way too!
Mom B:
me: your baby is BEAUTIFUL! what is her name?
Mom B: (a name of a popular actress, a strong, classic name. Not 'Sophia' which is very popular now.)
me: I LOVE that name! How old is she? Ten months?
Mom B: six months.
me: Wow! good breast-feeding, mom! (give her a high five, she looks surprised I am pro- 'La Leche') She looks so healthy! Where did you deliver?
Mom B: I delivered at home.
me: Oh, that's good.
Mom B: I had a water birth. It was good. I was just really into my own thing...(she looks dreamy). It was good to be in my own home.
me: My dad was a home birth! I asked because I do anesthesia, and I work in L&D.
Mom B: You...do...c-sections?!
me: yes, if they are needed. I do epidurals too. But only if the mother wants them. Birth plan or not, when mom says she wants it, I put it in, never before. Sometimes it gets tricky when the husband doesn't want it and the wife does. We always listen to the wife.
Mom B: (very cautious, reserved) That is good that you let the mom have her say!
me: Well, the only sad thing is this: the L&D nurse that is with you knows a lot on how to have it vaginally too. They want to avoid c-sections just like you. Many times people come in with their own plan and do not take advantage of the resource that is there for them in their nurse.
Mom B: (looks at me like I have horns and cloven hooves)
me: How do you think they time it so that the OB always shows up on time for the kid to come out? They can adjust the timing.
Mom B: (sees my point, face relaxes) The nurses do most of the work, huh?
me: Well, they are very skilled and can catch a baby if they have to, but they won't. Did you know we have nurse midwives too?
Mom B: (relaxes) No, I didn't know! (smiles)
me: The (competitor hospital) has a high c-section rate, and they manage the birth so much the mom does not get much of a choice. Our hospital is more willing to let mom have her say and do everything possible to keep it a vaginal birth.
Mom B: starts to walk away.
I pat the seat next to me. She comes back.
me: Look, I don't tell most people this. I am a Reiki Master. (she looks surprised). A Karuna Reiki Master. I give Reiki to my patients, but I don't let them know. I say a special prayer to bless the baby as it is born. I hold the mother's hand during the c-section and give Reiki that way, too.
(she is stunned)
There are LOTS of us in the medical field who are just waiting for the chance to be in the open. Medicine is changing for the better.
I have over 57,000 hits on my blog, and over 1,200 followers on Twitter, and over 1000 'likes' on my Facebook page. I am internationally known. I am Reiki Doc.
I stay anonymous because I have a family to support and my work is not ready for it yet.
I am teaching nurses there Reiki though. And the night shift knows I am a medium and are always asking me if I have seen any new ghosts!
And she looked at me with new eyes!
I 'sensed' that her world was being shaken around a bit. She had a bit of processing to do. A nice doctor? An anesthesiologist who gives epidurals and spinals for c-sections holding a mom's hand and giving Reiki?
Her mental construct of her world was having to find someplace to 'fit' me and my work into it.
And there wasn't much room for it.
If she thought with her Heart Center, instead of her Mind, it would have made perfect sense.
Namaste,
Reiki Doc