Sometimes I just need to attend a good birth. It’s hard to explain; there’s just something so therapeutic about attending an easy, normal, natural birth…the kind of birth where my skills for dealing with complications are not required…where in large part my role is one of “silent observer.”

I don’t know, maybe this is one of those “Ya gotta walk in my shoes” kind of things. Perhaps only another midwife can fully understand, but I want to try and convey my feelings. Childbirth has such a profound effect on me. I can come home from a birth that was long and difficult, and yet feeling totally empowered because I know that I made a positive difference. But I can also attend a simple, easy birth and come home completely renewed because I am reminded just how natural and normal the process is. But I can also come home from a birth totally drained because I have used up all my reserves of energy and have nothing left to give. Every birth is different, and when I walk out my door, I never know what type of birth I’m going to face.