Revelation: A happy matter: the birth of a child.
As soon as Catherine entered Jeanette’s cottage, she knew which room held Antoinette’s mother. The grunting phase had begun. The pushing would start soon.
Smiling when she encountered her laboring neighbor on her bed, Catherine said, “Hello, Jeanette. I see it’s time. Let me make you more comfortable.”
“Ah, Catherine. I’m so happy to see you! The pains! I don’t know how much longer I can do this. I’m so tired. And I need to go to the toilet!”
“Not really, Jeanette; Antoinette told me that you haven’t eaten in a while. You’re feeling pressure on your rectum from the baby descending, and that’s good news! Let’s get these linens changed, now!”
With Scamp’s help, Catherine removed the covering blanket and replaced the wet padding as Jeanette raised her hips.
After Jeanette settled again onto her back, Catherine said, “All right, now, put your legs on these pillows so that they’re above your hips. . . . Bien! Now, bend your knees a little.”
With sure and gentle hands, Catherine massaged the pregnant woman’s distended stomach with a salve of lard infused with a liquor of sumac leaves, sage, and swamp-lily root.
“Mmm. That feels so good!”
Catherine smiled. “I made lots of this liniment for you to use after the baby is born. It will reduce stretch marks.”
“I’m looking forward to that already,” said Jeanette.
The midwife got some of her necessities from the medicine case and placed them on the nightstand: a piece of valerian root, catnip leaves, olive oil, powdered snakeroot, and shavings of willow bark. She arranged her other essentials: scissors, a jar of rainwater, and a silver two-bit piece with a hole drilled in the middle.
After taking a bottle of red wine out of her bag, she said, “Scamp, will you put this on the dresser? And, Antoinette, please lean this picture of St. Anthony of Padua against it. Merci.”
Then Catherine placed the charm of Papa Legba in Jeanette’s hand.
“Here, squeeze Papa Legba and entreat St. Anthony for a safe childbirth,” she said.
“Ohhhhh,” the drained woman groaned. “I’ve been praying a long time now. I just wish it were over.”
“You’re going to be fine, Jeanette,” said Catherine. “You’ve done this before. You are strong, healthy, and at full term. Scamp and I are here to help you. And so is Antoinette.”
The young girl, eyes wide and extremely pale, was speechless.
“Antoinette, get a cup of hot water for your maman. Scamp, you go with Antoinette into the kitchen and keep the water boiling.” Turning to Jeanette, Catherine showed her the piece of valerian root. “This will take care of your nerves,” she said. “We’ll add this to your tea. And the willow bark in the tea will take away some of the pain.”
“Oh!” For the first time, Jeanette smiled. “Please make it a big cup—because right now I have lots of pain.”
As if to prove her point, she grabbed Catherine’s hand and screamed.
“Bear down, now, and push!” counseled Catherine, massaging the vaginal opening with the olive oil.
Another scream.
Antoinette returned with the cup of hot water. Catherine placed a pinch of willow bark into a tea infuser and steeped it in the water. Removing the infuser from the cup, she held it so Jeanette could sip.
“Ahhh. It’s warm. And . . .” Another scream.
“Push, Jeanette. Good, good.”
Jeanette’s nut-brown face reddened as she pushed down yet another time and let out an ear-piercing yell. Catherine put the cup of tea on the nightstand and moved toward the foot of the bed to monitor the baby’s progress. She smiled at the young mother.
“Reach down, Jeanette, with your hand. That’s right! Can you feel the head? Good! Another big push, now . . .”
Jeanette grimaced, clasped both hands on top of her stomach, gave a loud groan, and shoved down with all her might. The baby slipped into Catherine’s hands, giving a lusty cry.
“Bien, bien, Jeanette! Congratulations! You have a son,” said Catherine, as she held up the baby for the mother to see.
“Eww,” said Antoinette. “It’s messy!”
“‘It,’” said Catherine, raising an eyebrow warningly at Antoinette, “is your beautiful baby brother. And you’ll see something else somewhat bloody come out soon, Antoinette. That’s called the placenta, which nourished your baby brother before he was born. All normal, and yet marvelous! Now, I want you to get fresh sheets and blankets for your mother while I take care of your new brother.”
Catherine snipped off the umbilical cord with her scissors. To prevent the child from becoming a bed-wetter, she made sure that the stub was turned to the infant’s left side. Then she gently washed the baby. After swaddling the newborn in a soft cotton cloth, she put a wool cap on his head and presented him to his mother.
“He’s beautiful, Jeanette! And hungry!”
The new mother received her son, then sighed happily as he nuzzled and sucked at her breast.
Antoinette returned with the fresh bedding, which Catherine maneuvered under and around the tranquil mother and suckling child.
“What can I do now?” asked Antoinette, eager to appease and please Catherine.
“Take these wet and soiled bedclothes to the courtyard to be laundered. Scamp will show you what to do. I need to give your maman a sponge bath, and then she should have some soup.”
“I’ll get the bathwater, too,” said Antoinette, as she sped off to the kitchen.
“How are you feeling, Jeanette?” asked Catherine.
“Wonderful, mostly. Isn’t he exquisite? Look at all this hair! And his eyes—they’re almost a violet color! He looks very much like Antoinette when she was born.”
“And they both have your beautiful complexion, too. What will you name him?”
“Pierre, after his father. Oh, I can’t wait to show him to his daddy!”
“I have forgotten, Jeanette—does Pierre have any other sons?”
“No, just daughters. So my baby will be special. And Pierre has promised that he will send my son to France to be educated.”
“Oui? Our petit Pierre already has a grand future! Ah, here’s Antoinette!”
The young girl had returned with a large pail of hot water and poured it into the basin. “I’ll get the soup now,” she said. “It’s your favorite, Maman: crab-and-shrimp gumbo!” She hurried back outside to the kitchen.
Opening her medicine bag, Catherine got out her marble mortar and pestle. She took out a small sack of rosemary sprigs, parsley leaves, and rose petals.
“I expected you to deliver sometime soon,” Catherine said, smiling, “so I prepared these last night.”
Looking into the medicine bag again, she pulled out another small container of olive oil. Emptying the sack of flowers and herbs into her mortar, she crushed them with the pestle and then added a little bit of the oil. She poured in a cup of water from the pail, let the mixture steep for a few minutes, and slowly stirred the scented brew into the bathwater.
Catherine threaded a piece of cord through the hole in the silver two-bit piece. She took the now-sleeping baby from Jeanette, placed him in a beautifully carved walnut cradle, and then tied the cord around the baby’s left ankle to bring him good luck. Helping the new mother sit up more comfortably, Catherine tenderly bathed her neighbor’s body.
“You’ll have other assistance besides Antoinette?” she asked.
“Yes, my sister Augusta will be coming to help. I’ll send Antoinette to fetch her. But right now, after I have some gumbo, I think I’ll just want to take a nice nap.”
“I’m not surprised. But you did have a relatively uncomplicated delivery, Jeanette. I remember Antoinette taking a couple of days to appear. And I had to use forceps to help her out.”
“Yes, you’re right, Catherine. Little Pierre’s birth was much easier.”
Catherine continued, “We will stay until Augusta comes. I have not seen her since she had that horrible toothache. How is she doing?”
“She is well; that prickly ash bark you gave her worked wonders. She’s grateful that you saved her tooth.”
Catherine remembered also having prepared a tailor-made charm bag of allspice, moss, and cedar. “I suspect my special gris-gris helped, too,” she said.
“We are very fortunate to have you, Catherine. You are a great healer. I’ll never forget how you cured my brother’s alcoholism with eels. Thank you for all you do.”
“I am blessed and grateful to possess these gifts of healing, Jeanette. I enjoy being able to give assistance in one way or another.”
Jeanette inhaled deeply. “The water’s fragrance is delightful. I suspect this particular bath is significant, too?”
Catherine smiled. “I knew it would please you. It’s specifically for mothers who have just given birth. These special ingredients will help open the door for new opportunities, Jeanette—for you and little Pierre!”
“Maman! Here’s the gumbo!” cried Antoinette, bursting into the room, spilling a bit of the tureen’s soup. Scamp followed the girl, carrying bowls and spoons.
“And Tante Augusta is here, too!” Antoinette announced.
“Perfect timing,” said Catherine, as she started to gather her supplies.
“Well, well, well!” laughed Augusta, as she came into the room. “I was hoping you wouldn’t start without me, but it looks like I missed all the fun!”
After kissing her sister hello, Augusta looked down at Pierre. “Another gorgeous baby, Jeanette!”
Then she turned and gave Catherine a hug. “So good to see you, Catherine! And you’ve performed your amazing marvels again. Are there any instructions for taking care of Jeanette and my new nephew?”
Catherine gave Augusta a small bag of the powdered snakeroot. “Just a couple of suggestions, Augusta. If Jeanette has cramps, make a tea using a tablespoon of this. You can make a cup of tea for yourself, too; it’s excellent for anyone’s good health.”
Handing Augusta an even smaller bag of the catnip leaves, she said, “Now, with this, use only a pinch, with six tablespoons of warm water. Then dip your finger in it and put it into the baby’s mouth. It will prevent him from getting hives.”
“That gumbo smells wonderful. Can you stay, Catherine, and share some with us?”
“I’d love to, Augusta, thank you, but I need to go home and take care of some business. I’ll be back in a couple of days to see how you’re all doing. Perhaps then. Ready, Scamp?”
Catherine finished her packing and put the picture of St. Anthony, along with her scissors, into her bag.
“Don’t forget the bottle of red wine,” said Jeanette.
“Oh, that’s for you and Augusta.” Catherine smiled. “I’ve been told that it’s the best medicine of all!”