A happy, healthy birth...finally...

It's Wednesday morning now. I got home about three hours ago from a night shift. I was greeted by a happy Brother Michael who was making fresh hot pancakes and fruit salad for breakfast. He wanted it ready for when we got home, which is really sweet. Normally we don't eat breakfast until 7pm and it is always oatmeal. The pancakes were a real treat!

Last night was a treat too. Three moms in labor and one birth. Rounds were relatively uncomplicated--aside from a postpartum mama who had come in with toxemia. She was feeling awful, but we were able to get her some medication from the pharmacist and it helped her feel better. Her baby is also sick, but I couldn't figure out with what. I hope the charge nurse will tell the pediatric doctor to see her as I requested. Getting help here means taking matters into your own hands. The women headed in this morning will also check him out. If no one comes up with a plan I will call home and ask for some advice. Rebecca, if you are reading this--be ready for a phone call!!

Around the time I was working with the toxemia mother one of the mothers who had been laboring all night started feeling pushy. We got her to the delivery room and with a little coaxing I was able to get her into a semi-squat. She pushed beautifully for a little over an hour and she had labored sweetly. She was 41 weeks and had been induced that morning for postdates. The doctor had told her that if she didn't have the baby that night he would do a cesarean. Poor thing. She knew she didn't want that.

When she told me about that it had been around 7 pm and she reported that she was really having contractions. I did an exam and found her to be 2 cm with a nice, soft cervix. Then I discussed stripping her membranes with her; told her it would be uncomfortable at least, but I thought it would work. It did. And probably fifteen minutes later her water broke. She seemed to hit active labor a couple hours later. The baby was born beautifully, supported in a squat by a CNM from KY and one of the translators!

I was thrilled to catch a healthy baby boy. Thrilled she wasn't in her back, that her birth was healthy. The little boy weighed 8lbs 2 oz. The biggest baby I have seen here. Cute, chubby, and healthy.

When the mama's aunt came to help, she rattled off in creole the whole story--me promising her she didn't need a cesarean, her having the baby in a position that was supported and more comfortable. It was so rewarding to hear her yell her story with such joy. I needed a good catch and a healthy birth experience. The joy of that mama makes so much of the hardship here worth it!



I thank her for allowing us to assist her in the way we know how!