No worries for Hornby man in midwifery role

Press, 9 May 1979, Page 6

No worries for Hornby man in midwifery role

“No problems” was the comment of a Christchurch customs officer describing his delivery of a baby son at his Hornby home yesterday morning.

Mr Michael Limmer, of 17 McKellar Place, was planning to make the delivery, but under the supervision of a midwife. He thought he had telephoned the midwife in plenty of time, but his wife’s second labour was unexpectedly short, and he found him elf “carrying the can” as he put it. “I have been at all the other births and have read a certain amount of information about natural childbirth, and 1 had planned to deliver our fourth child, Jason, under the supervision of the midwife. However, I chickened out,” he said.

“Normally we phone the midwife, Mrs Ursula Helem, and she arrives in plenty of time,” Mr Limmer said “Last night 1 called her at 2.20 a.m., but within 10 minutes my wife went into the second stage of labour and the baby was born by 2.50 a.m.”

Mrs Helem. who has a contract with the Health Department to practise as a domiciliary midwife, arrived at 3.10 a.m., when the birth had been completed. Mrs Helem has assisted at more than 100 home births since she began practising as a domiciliary midwife m 1974. A “few” husbands had asked to deliver their babies under her supervision, but only two had accompi'shed it — when she arrived too late. The Limmers have “a loose association” with the Christchurch Home Birth Group, which started ovet a year ago, said Mr Limmer Their first three children were born in hospital bui the last two have been delivered at home. “We just like the idea of having our babies at home,” Mr Limmer said. “There i.< much less upheaval in th< family when the mother i not taken away, and there is

less likelihood of medical interference in a very natural process. By that I do not mean we would not accept medical help if something went wrong. The midwife is trained to cope with every contingency.” Mr Limmer said there was also less upheaval for the baby. “The medical profession agrees that the baby responds to stimuli outside the uterus before it is born, and this changes dramatically if the child is born in hospital. If the baby can be born in surroundings it is used to, it should be a little easier,” he said. “Those who want to have their babies at home are fairly well screened by both a doctor and a midwife. Anyone likely to have problems is denied a home birth,” Mr Limmer said. The only cost to the family was the' travelling expenses of the midwife.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Steven Limmer is doing well; but his father says he is unlikely to be trying his hand at midwifery again. “We have one girl and four boys,” Mr Limmer said. “I think we will call it quits now.”