Dedicated Midwife Floats To Work On A Swan

When you choose your maternity care provider, you want to be certain he or she is professional, practises evidenced based care and is dedicated to their work.

Well one Texas mother was well assured that her midwife was more than dedicated to clients.

Houston, Texas was slammed with torrential downpours leading to severe flooding which left many roads impassable.

Midwife Cathy Allen Rude, owner of the Katy Birth Center in Texas, didn’t let that stop her from reaching a client who was past her estimated due date.

With some quick thinking and neighborly help, she was able to reach the birth center, albeit in a non-traditional way.

An Inflatable Swan Ride To Work

Both midwife and mother were problem solving to ensure baby could arrive safely at the center despite the aftermath of crazy weather. When the mother was unable to reach a friend with a kayak, they continued to search for ways to get the midwife off her street.

The mother came to her midwife’s neighborhood, having to stop at the end of the street due to flooding. Upon seeing the midwife’s neighbor Celeste floating on an inflatable swan, she yelled out, “How about giving a midwife a ride on your swan to come deliver my baby?”

Fortunately, Celeste knew midwife Cathy and quickly agreed. Pushing the swan right up to Cathy’s door, she hopped on with her necessary birth equipment. Cathy was able to float down her street to the waiting pickup truck.

A Lovely Water Birth During The Flood

Despite the unusual circumstances of trying to get to the center, a little boy was welcomed after a lovely water birth. This is certainly a birth experience the mother won’t soon forget and a fun story this little guy is likely to hear often. I can’t think of a better birth story, except perhaps if the swan had been an inflatable stork.

As for midwife Cathy Allen Rude, the photo she shared on her Facebook page has quickly gone viral. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I imagine a few of those words include, ‘dedication with a bit of humor.’

Between Cathy’s now famous photo and couples being stuck indoors, I bet the midwives of the Katy Birth Center will be quite busy in nine months.

Recommended Reading:

For another amazing birth story about the strength of a mother and dedicated healthcare professionals, check out BellyBelly’s article Just In Time: Mother Gives Birth Aboard Rescue Ship In The Mediterranean.

Photo source: Cathy Allen Rude’s Facebook page.