Friday, July 10, 2009

Crying "Aunt Mary!"

When my Grandmas had children people, for the most part, did not go to the hospital--in the rural places where they lived.
So, when my Daddy's mama was about to have a baby this lady who lived nearby would come to the house to be a sort of midwife.
When my Daddy was about to be born my Grandma told my Uncle Floyd to go and get Ms. Betty and tell her to send Aunt Mary --that was what the lady was called--she was not their Aunt.
The story goes that my Uncle Floyd's complaint was, "oh great! I already don't have hardly anything--now I will have even less"--one more child to share everything with.
Then, I guess everyone just got out of there and Aunt Mary and my Grandma would do what they had to do.
Now, after the birth of the baby a Dr. would come around within a few days and sign a birth certificate, and check out the baby. I wonder if the moms got checked out?
I wonder if Aunt Mary knew how to stitch up a cooch?

Well, if I still had to call Aunt Mary --she would probably have given up on me by now.
Every evening I have contractions.
They are getting stronger.
Last night they got strong enough and steady enough that we went to the hospital!
WE got there and the nurse monitored me in some kind of little room and said, no, it was not the real thing....
but..she did offer me some pain medication??? WTF? I am not here b/c I hurt! I am here b/c I was hoping the baby was going to come out!
So, I said, no thanks--none of that, if I was not in labor, then I just was not, and we could go home and come back later.
So if all these evenings--there have been four now--I would have been calling Aunt Mary--Aunt Mary would have gotten teed off my now I bet. :)


Being pregnant in the summer time would never be the choice for me. I can barely move, and when the baby comes out---there will be no swimming for big mama! Just nursing and bleeding and sitting around in the AC--which sitting around to me is the absolute pits.
I basically hate it.

Tomorrow Andy and I are thinking we are going to throw caution to the wind and go to the beach for the day. I mean, why not?

1 comment:

Bethany said...

You would not like to see the face I was making, feeling bad for you... and then your accurate summary of what you will be doing the rest of the summer. That was me last summer and I remember it too well. Ick. Isn't it somehow amazing how much things have changed in 2 generations? Homebirths were not exotic - they were the norm! My sis in law is Mary, I call her my doula, b/c she's the real Aunt Mary that came to stay whenever I had babies. It is soothing. Too bad the midwife and doula traditions have faded. Sending positive thoughts to you! :)

Spot on!

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