The Crazy Dream

A few nights ago I had this dream. Normally I don't remember my dreams but this one stuck and after telling a few people about it I was encouraged to share it here. So here it is.

In my dream a very pregnant Katrina and I woke up one morning and her first words to me were, "My water just broke!" She immediately started contracting so I remembered that I had some left over unused, non-latex rubber gloves from Anatomy lab last year which I found and put on. I checked her cervix and found her to be fully dilated and the baby descending. Knowing at that point that we were going to have to deliver the baby right there in our bed I went on a scavenger hunt for supplies in our apartment. Somehow my limited 1st year medical training and my experience delivering a couple robot babies in the sim lab came out. Here is a list of what I picked up.

1. The hand pump from our exercise ball. It has a reverse pump to do suction (which I would use to suction the baby's nose and mouth.
2. Potato Chip Bag Clips. I would use these to clamp the umbilical cord before cutting.
3. Scissors from our knife block. To cut the umbilical cord
4. A shirt of mine to wipe down the baby

With all that gathered I began the process of delivering the baby. Doing cervical and vaginal swipes with fingers to help the baby's head clear the "ring of fire". I assessed the presentation of the baby to prepare my hand placement. When the head crowned I held it in extension (heads flopping down cause tears in mom). Then I delivered the head, anterior shoulder, posterior shoulder, grasp the neck and pull baby all the way out, suction nose then mouth. I handed the baby to Katrina, never looked at the gender (and she didn't say either) and then proceeded to clamp and cut the umbilical cord. Then I went through the process of uterine fundus massage to deliver the placenta and checked the placenta to make sure of its cotyledons were intact.

And then... I woke up. Crazy huh?

And I never saw the gender... but the baby was pink, healthy, and crying.