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The Midwives

Jerusha Goodwin, CPM, LM

Childbirth has always been a part of my life. I grew up in a home where birth was central, and took precedence over all else. Often my bedroom was the make-shift birth room in the early days of my mother’s midwifery practice. I witnessed firsthand the miracle a midwife takes part in, as well as the sacrifice and struggles. This left me with mixed feelings about midwifery. I swore that I would not become a midwife; I did not feel that I had the faith I saw in my mother, nor the ability to sacrifice as she does.

Then I became pregnant with my first baby, and I knew that I wanted my mom to be my midwife. I have seen firsthand the quality of care that an experienced midwife provides, and I began to value this care more and more throughout my pregnancy. This continued to grow, until I could no longer deny what was becoming obvious to me and to those around me; I was meant to be a midwife. As I began to surrender to this call, I also began to grow into my new role as a mother. Through the births of both of my children I learned the true meaning of sacrifice and surrender. At this point I also surrendered to the call to be a midwife, fully embracing the joys and challenges of both motherhood and midwifery.

I believe this is something only mothers and midwives can really understand…it is impossible to explain why I do what I do.   It has to be enough to say I couldn’t not do it.

Jerusha Goodwin has attended over 1200 births with over 450 as primary midwife.