LIHUE — The power outage which blanketed the entire island Thursday added another dimension to childbirth, according to Sharon Offley. “Birth by candlelight was not by choice this time,” said Offley, a certified nurse-midwife at Hua Moon Women’s Health in
LIHUE — The power outage which blanketed the entire island Thursday added another dimension to childbirth, according to Sharon Offley.
“Birth by candlelight was not by choice this time,” said Offley, a certified nurse-midwife at Hua Moon Women’s Health in Kapaa, who officiated the birth of Kauai’s first baby of 2015. “When I arrived at 1 a.m., the power was already out. Babies have been born long before electricity created light, and this time, it was just another exciting dimension.”
Offley, who was assisted by Sammee Albano, a registered nurse and lactation consultant, said Dane and Anjela Rose Smith of Wainiha greeted the new year with a baby girl who tipped the scales at seven pounds, 15 ounces at 3:07 a.m.
“She is the New Year’s baby,” Offley, who has been midwifing since 2000, said. “I was there to just offer encouragement and advice, and to be there in the event intervention was needed. She had two other friends helping who did a wonderful job.”
The Smiths, who have two other children, were an amazing team, Offley said.
“She was awake the entire time, in labor in a hot tub,” Offley said. “It was very peaceful and smooth. Childbirth is not an easy event, but she did it with grace and made everything seem so easy. It was definitely a team effort.”
Anjela Rose Smith did not return phone calls seeking comment, and a photo of her daughter was not available by press time Thursday.
