My best advice for pregnancy and childbirth

   Last week a family came to my home for a consultation.  They are expecting their 6th child and their oldest is only 8 years old.  As I admired their beautiful family and congratulated them on their pregnancy, I got the idea that maybe they could help me with an assignment I was working on. I had been invited to speak in church on the subject of "Teaching Children," so I asked them if they had any suggestions for my talk.

   The father replied with a chuckle, "Don't ask me.  Ask an expert on the subject.  Ask someone who doesn't have any children yet."

   Isn't it true and ironic that often times those who think themselves the "experts" are usually the ones who have the least experience?

   I have been attending out of hospital birth since 1985 and will, most likely, attend my 1,250th  birth tonight.  One may think, with all that experience, that I have earned "expert" status in the midwife world. However, it seems the more experienced I get, the more I realize how much I still need to learn AND the more criticism I get from the young "experts" in my field.

   The most important truth I have learned over all these years is that there IS indeed, a Father in Heaven who loves us.  He is the ultimate expert; and we can never become so "expert" at anything, that we cease to need Him.

   I am humbled by and grateful for all the wisdom that the Lord has blessed me with and look forward to more learning.  I am grateful to all the babies who have taught me, to all my clients (my best friends) who have trusted me, to my husband and children (also my best friends) who have supported me. I am grateful to the Lord for blessing me with 1,249 successful births.  It is truly a miracle which defies the odds.

  This blogspot is for the purpose of sharing the wisdom of the Granny midwives, those who have been delivering babies for many years, have given their lives to those whom they serve, have weathered persecutions, experienced great rewards as well as heartbreaks, have felt the presence of angels and experienced the miracle of prayer!

   The greatest wisdom and advice that I can give the reader is this:  Invite the Lord to be part of your pregnancy and to be present at your birth.  Ask Him to help you choose your midwife.  Listen to His inspirations and trust them.  Acknowledging His hand in all things will keep you safer, more comfortable and give you more joy in your experience than ANY other factor.

Elizabeth Smith, CPM, LDEM
Licensed and Certified Professional Midwife
In St. George, Utah