Freddy was born in July 2009 and we were lucky enough to have the most brilliant midwife. She was really straightforward and matter of fact...none of the overly sentimental platitudes that some midwives adopt and definitely none of that calling me a "good girl" malarkey *cringes*
She suited my birthing style perfectly and I delivered my 9lb 10 oz baby with no pain relief whatsoever. Afterwards, we were chatting about how interested my girls were about my pregnancy. My midwife sprang into action allowing us to video her explaining about the workings of my placenta. She pulled it all about, demonstrating how it all worked to nourish Freddy during my pregnancy. She was awesome.
The afterbirth is the forgotten part of the delivery. It is usually expelled and disposed of without much thought.
Nothing really in pregnancy is more amazing than the organ we create to sustain our unborn child inside us. The rich network of blood vessels that feeds our baby. The membrane that holds our unborn baby safe inside. The umbilical cord that connects mother and child. It is a forgotten miracle.
I'm not one of those mothers who wanted to eat it or bring it home to give it a Christian burial, but I was humbled, amazed and proud to see what my body had done to give sustenance to my son. OK it looks like something found in a butcher's shop or possibly a horror film...but it is the giver of life and the enabler of the miracle of birth!
As well as the video, my midwife posed with my placenta for some photographs. One of which is my Gallery entry for this week.
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| My Placenta Pop across to Tara's blog to discover other photos in The Gallery! |
