Baby Catching

After a month long hiatus from baby catching, my privileges for Woman and Infants Hospital came through.  Therefore, I was rewarded with an official badge:

Once you have an official badge, on call resonsibilities are close behind.  As such, I found myself starting a 24 hour call shift with one of my new partners, Nicole.  I've been feeling a little nervous about starting in a new hospital because I was so comfy where I was and liked the nurses I worked with so much.  However, midwifery runs through my veins, and the need to touch a fresh baby was more important than any anxiety I felt, so off I tripped to WIH.

What happened?  I delivered three babies and was up all night!  It felt just like being back in Idaho, but at least quiet Chelsea, one of my other partners, was on call the next day instead of me again!  

I also got to do some other things like call some mommas back about some questions they were having.  I even got to tell a lady her water wasn't broken.  Here's proof I checked:

No amniotic fluid, just lovely, healthy, vaginal discharge.  I love healthy vaginal discharge.  In fact, I love vaginas in a totally platonic way!  They make the world turn, discharge and all.  Google it, I'm pretty sure there is scientific proof I'm right about this.

Know what the best part of the night was?  Some diarrhea followed by nausea I had from about 10 pm to 2 am.  I tried to nap in between deliveries, but I was so worried the relaxation would cause me to excrete a brown pool while I slept, that I couldn't fall asleep.  I also was so worried about someone hearing me down the hall from the bathroom I was using, that I felt like I couldn't relieve myself like I should!  These trots were so loud, I was afraid someone would announce a bomb threat!  That's a Code Green at my new hospital BTW.  As if the explosions weren't enough, I then worried the stench would provoke a Code Orange which warns of a chemical hazard or spill!    Here I am hunkered down listening for decreased foot traffic in the hallway so I can dash back to my bed in shame:

It was horrible!  I don't mind people judging me on my character flaws, but I'd really like to earn a proper bad reputation for myself, not one related to super diarrhea!

I ended up being awake for the full 24 hour shift.  It actually felt good to be back in the groove, but I am looking forward to understanding how everything works because I certainly wasn't my best self yesterday.  I'm hoping my new partners will be patient with me!  I really do know what I'm doing, but I have so much to settle into!  I managed to get a nap in for several hours this morning once I got home, and my raging gut inferno is more like a grumbling nuisance right now.  I'm also feeling pretty stoked that I didn't leak or outright poop in my pants.  I have struggled with this before you know!  I'm supposed to go get lobster rolls with a friend whose visiting from Seattle today and considered cancelling to give my intestines more healing time.  However, since skipping great food opportunities is abhorrent to me, I'm going to take my chances.  Maybe I should bring a change of underwear just in case...