Being Michelle’s partner in crime throughout her whole pregnancy was like reliving my whole pregnant experience all over again, I was blessed because my pregnancy was the most amazing enlightening time in my entire life and I was able to witness this same experience happening with Michelle. To my greatest honour Michelle asked me if I would like to be her doula and you know I humbly accepted and from then on I made a commitment to my friend and never looked back.
You see in my culture a doula is known as the Wahine Tautoko – Woman Supporter/Helper and is held in high esteem amongst the tribe and I took this role very seriously and with much honour and aroha (love) and I knew this was going to be my big chance in giving back to all the “Wahine Tautoko’s” in my life. Thank you Mum for sharing your wisdom and knowledge with me so I was able to give Michelle the tautoko she and every woman deserves.
9 months later it’s 3:45ish on a Friday afternoon and I’m finishing up with my friend Torrie when I notice that I have a voice message from Michelle’s husband Jeff informing me that Michelle has gone into labour and that now is the time to come on over. I’m excited within but I calmly call Jeff and we speak on the phone briefly and I let him know I’m on my way, hang up and get a few things situated at home, like closing down my house and getting the animals and fish sorted for a few days because we were anticipating a long labour, then the phone rings again 15 minutes later and it was Jeff saying that Michelle said not to come over yet as it could be a while and as soon as she’s 8cm they would call, it’s now 4pm. That gave me enough time to not only get my house sorted but I was able to shower my day off and prepare myself for a “New Beginning” my instincts told me that she’s gonna be fast so be ready Racheal, and then I flashback to when I was in labour with Sydney, I did 8cm at home by myself and 2 hours later Sydney was born and I had that same feeling for Michelle.
To keep myself calm and relaxed I watched my favourite cartoon “Avatar” whilst doing some painting and filling out a “Welcome to this World” baby card to present to the new parents when baby arrived.
It’s 6:30pm and the phone rings and its Jeff and he say’s “it’s show time, now is the time to come”. So I blessed my home and car and I’m on my way, it’s a 20-25 minute drive. On the way I call my husband Darryl & Sydney to let them know I was on my way to Michelle’s and Sydney screamed with excitement and promised to have them in his prayers I then proceed to call all of my healing warriors, my Mum in New Zealand, Best Friend Vita in New York, Melody, Terry, Angie and Torrie to keep us all in their healing circle, we will need their prayers tonight.
It’s now 7:06pm and I arrive at the “Root Down Home” welcomed by this beautiful Water Goddess Michelle supported by her warrior husband Jeff, both in the birthing tub, I’m greeted with loving hugs by Kathy her midwife and Amy her midwife assistant, a beautiful smile exchanged from Michelle’s lips and from then on it was magic. I slipped my birthing stool under my bottom and started to activate the reiki energy – universal life force and called on all the ascending healers of the light to be with us.
Michelle is the mother of all mothers, each time she had a contraction she’d breath and moan a sound which reminded me of the “Om” and I could hear Jeff doing it with her and my instincts was to Om with them both, it was like a temple full of Tibetan monks chanting their prayers, the vibration of the sound filled the house it was amazing.
The atmosphere was of much love and care and to see the love and caring ways of Kathy and Amy just blew my mind, I wish this love and care on all women, these two women have the best jobs in the world and they do it so well.
It’s getting close and Amy checks and she sees the head and comments on how her head is really wrinkly, unbeknown to us that baby had turned and that she was looking at her butt. Our midwives however were calm and instinctively Michelle knew as well and when Kathy told Michelle to push she did with all her might and Sunny arrived with her bottom first (I had no idea myself that she was breach I did think to myself however that I didn’t think her head was suppose to look like that not realizing I was looking at her bottom) and then came her head as perfect as she could be in the fetal position.
Kathy was fast, as soon as she came out she was up onto Michelle’s chest, she took her first breath and cried a little squeak until she heard her daddy’s voice, she stopped crying and laid there wide eyed soaking up her new environment, calm and content breathing on her own wonderfully, I could see the shock in Michelle’s face, she was wondering why we weren’t attempting to resusertate her because usually breach babies arrive with many complications, however Sunny was an act of God’s Grace and came out as if she were born head first. At this time Jeff checked and said “It’s a girl” and we all cheered and welcomed little Sunny Josephine Chapin born June 20th 2008 @ 9.43pm.
Michelle was now ready to birth her placenta so we waited, in the meanwhile her daughter laid content curious and alert on her chest, her skin was flawless, every finger and toe accounted for and the shape of her head was perfect. Michelle looked at her daughter, hugged her and wept with joy and instant unconditional love flowed between them and the love affair began.
Mother and Daughter were still in the birthing tub and Michelle asked if it was ok for the baby to still be in the water, Kathy reassured her that it was ok because the heat of the water and of Michelle’s skin to skin body temp it was keeping her baby’s body warm, I felt aroha because it was so healing to see that the baby wasn’t rushed away from her mother, she was happy where she was and so was Michelle.
Michelle feels a contraction and pushes the after birth out and a gush of blood follows, then Jeff gets the honour of separating Sunny from her food source and cuts the cord and has taken the role on as her father, protector and caretaker of her in this lifetime – TA HO - Amen
Amy quickly scoops up the placenta and checks it out to make sure its healthy and I get to see my first afterbirth and it was the most healthiest, all the veins in the right place, thick and beaming life force placenta, I have ever seen, I never got to see my own placenta which saddened me and for me to see Michelle’s was just pure joy. Amy will take the afterbirth home to dry and then place into capsules for Michelle to include with her vitamin intake to replenish all the nutrients back into her system and this helps with the baby blues and has many other benefits.
It is now time for Michelle to transfer from the water to the bed and this was done with much care and love and Kathy went into Super Midwife Mode with Amy not to far behind her, as for me well I was the Ngare ngare (person to help with what ever is needed) and Jeff held the baby. Kathy’s goal now was to make sure that Michelle was doing well, so the next few hours were very important. Michelle had lost a lot of blood and her blood pressure had dropped dramatically and Kathy was concerned and suggested that we call in the paramedics just to be on the safe side.
It was then that I was given baby Sunny Josephine to hold, I just couldn’t believe it, she was perfect and such wonderful memories came back to me, I spoke to her every second reassuring her that her mummy is going to be ok and that the two of them will be reunited very soon. While Kathy, Amy and Jeff were doing their Midwifery magic I introduced Sunny to her “Root Down Home” she listened attentively with wide open eyes peaceful and I’d swear she smiled. It was then I see a fire truck with flashing lights pull up at the front, a heavy “knock knock” at the door and in comes the paramedics, I’d swear about 10 men walked into the birthing room with their masculine, authority feel about them. Sunny, Amy and I were quietly sitting in the dark in the lounge room but we could hear everything that was going on. I didn’t understand why they needed to bring so many people into such a small birthing room, she had a baby, there wasn’t a bloody riot going on and 2 paramedics would have done the job in my opinion. I couldn’t imagine how Michelle felt but I felt invaded and like my body was stepped on when they arrived, listening to their non caring comments and questions made me feel non human almost, I looked at Amy and she was fuming, I calmed her down and said they’re only doing their jobs even though we felt they weren’t trained with compassion and love, it just encouraged me that we women will not stand for this type of treatment anymore and demand our power back.
All I could do in this situation was keep calm for the baby and immerse reiki energy – transform the negative energies into love & light.
They gave her oxygen and that helped, the paramedic strongly suggested that they take her to the hospital because of a low blood pressure and would give Michelle a few minutes to think about it. Jeff stepped outside to speak to the head paramedic and asked what would they do for her at the hospital and the paramedic said all they would do is run tests and keep her hydrated which that’s what we could do for her at the house, (I believe that they would prod her poke at her for no apparent reason ask her stupid questions and stress her out more so under bright lights if she did go).
In the meantime Michelle had heard one of the paramedics talking to Jeff about if it were his wife he’d blah blah blah and that was enough for Michelle to make her so mad that her blood pressure shot up where we actually needed it to be and then Jeff and Michelle decided that it was in the best interest that she not go to the hospital as Kathy, Amy & Jeff could give her the best care she needed right there at home, I could tell that the meds were disappointed, read her a waiver claim and got her to sign the form, but in reality is wasn’t about them it was about Michelle and what was best for her and truthfully Michelle knows her body better than any ER Doctor would ever profess to know and so the paramedics cleared the house with their high testosterone masculine selves and were on their way.
I was so proud of Jeff & Kathy because even though the paramedics spoke to them both with condescending voices they were very polite, calm ad appreciative towards them and showed nothing but respect, I saw their true authentic selves and learned a lot from them both about humility and compassion.
It’s going on midnight and everyone was doing their thing, Kathy & Jeff keeping Michelle balanced and hydrated, Amy cleaning the tub and preparing special herbs in the pot for Michelle’s & Sunny’s herbal bath tomorrow, me & Sunny just hanging out giving reiki energy. Then finally the house settled down and we all fell into a slumber, I wasn’t sleepy but I knew that the following day was just important as well and needed to shut down and get rejuvenated.
Rise N Shine its 8am in the morning and house is rustling a little, breakfast, baby feeding, smiles and joy, wonderment, Kathy was called off to another birthing experience but was due back in a couple of hours, at this stage Michelle was able to make her first attempt with the help of her husband to walk to the bathroom, this was a great sign. Whilst Michelle did her girly thing I quickly stripped the bed and cleaned up a little so that when she returned it would be nice and comfortable for her.
Then we had unexpected visitors come in, it was Dave, Kara, Zora & Charlie the dog, they weren’t expected home until tomorrow and Michelle was half naked in the bathroom, I had Sunny and Jeff asked them to wait a bit so that Michelle could at least get sorted and herself together, I don’t think they heard him because they came barging into the birthing room and I was there on the rocking chair with baby, I told Sunny that her Aunty Kara & Uncle Dave and Cousin Zora had come to visit, Michelle waddled back from the bathroom and was surprised to see them there, poor Michelle was only wrapped in a bath towel, guests were an unexpected happening and I felt embarrassed for her that they had to see her almost half naked, but like the trooper Michelle is she welcomed them all with open arms. When Kara looked at Sunny her eyes welled up with tears and Michelle asked if she wanted to hold her and I handed her over like the protective Fairy God Mother that I am, what people don’t realize is that babies are very sensitive to their surroundings and are like sponges and can sense people’s true intentions, they are the purest things next to god. Anyhow this was my cue to leave them all bond whilst I leave for the store to pick up a few needed items.
On my return the house was back to its calm self and Sunny’s first visitors had left, then Amy pops in with her lovely self, checks on Michelle and draws a bath for her and places the boiled herbal remedy into the bath, the most magical thing about this bath is not only the healing herbs but Amy brings over freshly cut roses of reds, oranges and pinks from her own rose garden to be placed in the bath with Mother and child. This was the icing on the cake for me because I remember when my mum came over for me she bathed me and washed my hair and cleaned me up with love and even though I had given birth I had become the child again, it was my mothers love and touch that healed me from the inside out, so I knew what Michelle was feeling and to bathe with her daughter was very emotional and lovely to witness.
Jeff & Michelle’s parents were due to visit at 4:30 and 5pm so I fluffed around to make sure the house was to Michelle’s standards for visitors, 4pm came around and the new grandparents arrive, it was great to see them, I hugged them both and congratulated them on the birth of their first granddaughter and ushered them up to see their girls. After taking a photo of Sherrie and Sunny I knew it was time for me to leave, my time here with the Chapin’s was up and my boys were due back in the city from their beach holiday in 45 minutes and I just wanted to squeeze my son and tell him how much I loved him.
I couldn’t even look at Michelle it was to emotional. I hugged and kissed everybody, Michelle knew how I felt and I knew how she felt it was all unspoken aroha and when I walked to my car I just started to ball, I finally allowed the emotion to hit me and I cried and cried and have been crying ever since, tears of joy, tears of love, tears of excitement, appreciation and hope. I shed 8 years of pent up tears and I haven’t cried this much since the birth of my own son Sydney, Sunny’s birth really opened a lot of things for me and it has been already a spiritual enlightenment.
Thank You My Darlings
Namaste
Arohanui
Racheal
Aka: Sunny’s “Fairy God Mother”
Picture of Jeff, Michelle & Sunny
