Read Online Iris (Suitors of Seattle Book 8) by Kirsten Osbourne - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Kirsten Osbourne
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Mattie would trust her as well.
Finally, Mattie nodded. "I guess that would be all right. Will you leave delivering babies to the midwife, or will you be available to deliver babies as well?"
"You can choose to have me or the midwife. Midwives are great for simple uncomplicated births. If there's something wrong with you, then you should see a doctor. A midwife would never be able to perform a cesarean." Iris didn't want to frighten Mattie, but things did sometimes happen, just as they had with Francis's wife. If she were present, and something did happen, she may be able to save Mattie.
"What's that?" Mattie asked.
"Sometimes when the birth is too complicated, the best way to get a baby out is to make an incision in the woman's abdomen to remove the baby. As a doctor, I could perform the operation, and possibly save the life of mother and baby."
Mattie shook her head. "That doesn't sound safe."
Iris sighed. "It's the only option if a woman can't safely deliver vaginally. A natural birth is always best, but I think it's best to have a doctor present just in case."
"So you think for most women, it's better to have a midwife deliver?"
"Usually. It's just safer if a doctor is standing by." Iris wasn't trying to change Mattie's mind about using a midwife. She just wanted her to understand that sometimes a doctor could make things safer.
Mattie stood up. "The midwife usually examines me in the bed. Do you want to do that too?"
Iris nodded. "That's fine." She picked up her bag, and followed Mattie into her bed. "When are you due?
"I have another month or two."
After the examination, Iris gave Mattie some of the ginger tea she kept with her. "Some women are just sick throughout their entire pregnancy. I think you'll find if you drink this tea three times a day, you'll feel a lot better."
"But the baby seems healthy?"
Iris patted Mattie on the shoulder. "You both seem very healthy."
Mattie instantly looked relieved. "Would you mind if I send someone to get you when my time came?"
Iris smiled. "I'd be delighted."
As Iris got into her buggy to drive back to town, she thought about how thrilled she was that she'd gotten to know the Harvey family.
Chapter Five
Francis arrived to pick Iris up and take her to his house in the early evening. "I could have driven my buggy out there." She liked having the time with him without the girls, but she hated that he had to waste so much time to come and get her.
Francis helped her into the wagon, and climbed in beside her. "I don't mind coming to get you. It gives us some time alone." He looked around. "Is Edna Petunia coming?"
Iris shook her head. "She said she had plans again. I have no idea what that old woman is doing, and I'm really kind of afraid to find out."
Francis looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Did you bring her here with you?"
"Yes. Edna Petunia is from Seattle as well."
"If you're afraid to find out what she's doing, didn't you know how she was before you moved here with her?"
Iris shrugged. "Yes, I knew. She was my sister's traveling companion before Violet married. She kind of made herself part of the family after that. My mother didn't want me taking my first assignment alone, so I hired Edna Petunia as my nurse. Mama was really frightened at the idea of me living alone."
"Does she know Edna Petunia? I don't know that I'd have let my daughter move somewhere with only Edna as a companion."
Iris laughed softly. "Oh she's usually harmless. She's just a bit — odd."
Francis thought calling Edna Petunia odd Edna Petunia was putting things extremely mildly. "She is that." He didn't want to offend her by insulting her nurse and companion.
"She's been a really good friend to me. I don't know that Violet would have been nearly as happy on her trip to New York without Edna Petunia either."
Francis really didn't want to spend the entire evening talking about the old woman. "Do you have any idea who she's seeing?" He really
Finally, Mattie nodded. "I guess that would be all right. Will you leave delivering babies to the midwife, or will you be available to deliver babies as well?"
"You can choose to have me or the midwife. Midwives are great for simple uncomplicated births. If there's something wrong with you, then you should see a doctor. A midwife would never be able to perform a cesarean." Iris didn't want to frighten Mattie, but things did sometimes happen, just as they had with Francis's wife. If she were present, and something did happen, she may be able to save Mattie.
"What's that?" Mattie asked.
"Sometimes when the birth is too complicated, the best way to get a baby out is to make an incision in the woman's abdomen to remove the baby. As a doctor, I could perform the operation, and possibly save the life of mother and baby."
Mattie shook her head. "That doesn't sound safe."
Iris sighed. "It's the only option if a woman can't safely deliver vaginally. A natural birth is always best, but I think it's best to have a doctor present just in case."
"So you think for most women, it's better to have a midwife deliver?"
"Usually. It's just safer if a doctor is standing by." Iris wasn't trying to change Mattie's mind about using a midwife. She just wanted her to understand that sometimes a doctor could make things safer.
Mattie stood up. "The midwife usually examines me in the bed. Do you want to do that too?"
Iris nodded. "That's fine." She picked up her bag, and followed Mattie into her bed. "When are you due?
"I have another month or two."
After the examination, Iris gave Mattie some of the ginger tea she kept with her. "Some women are just sick throughout their entire pregnancy. I think you'll find if you drink this tea three times a day, you'll feel a lot better."
"But the baby seems healthy?"
Iris patted Mattie on the shoulder. "You both seem very healthy."
Mattie instantly looked relieved. "Would you mind if I send someone to get you when my time came?"
Iris smiled. "I'd be delighted."
As Iris got into her buggy to drive back to town, she thought about how thrilled she was that she'd gotten to know the Harvey family.
Chapter Five
Francis arrived to pick Iris up and take her to his house in the early evening. "I could have driven my buggy out there." She liked having the time with him without the girls, but she hated that he had to waste so much time to come and get her.
Francis helped her into the wagon, and climbed in beside her. "I don't mind coming to get you. It gives us some time alone." He looked around. "Is Edna Petunia coming?"
Iris shook her head. "She said she had plans again. I have no idea what that old woman is doing, and I'm really kind of afraid to find out."
Francis looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Did you bring her here with you?"
"Yes. Edna Petunia is from Seattle as well."
"If you're afraid to find out what she's doing, didn't you know how she was before you moved here with her?"
Iris shrugged. "Yes, I knew. She was my sister's traveling companion before Violet married. She kind of made herself part of the family after that. My mother didn't want me taking my first assignment alone, so I hired Edna Petunia as my nurse. Mama was really frightened at the idea of me living alone."
"Does she know Edna Petunia? I don't know that I'd have let my daughter move somewhere with only Edna as a companion."
Iris laughed softly. "Oh she's usually harmless. She's just a bit — odd."
Francis thought calling Edna Petunia odd Edna Petunia was putting things extremely mildly. "She is that." He didn't want to offend her by insulting her nurse and companion.
"She's been a really good friend to me. I don't know that Violet would have been nearly as happy on her trip to New York without Edna Petunia either."
Francis really didn't want to spend the entire evening talking about the old woman. "Do you have any idea who she's seeing?" He really
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