Using true stories to promote awareness of the needs around the world...

I want to inspire you to make a difference

Saturday 21 September 2013

Going Overseas? Read This First!

This blog gets a lot of traffic from midwives and doulas who hope to go get some practical experience overseas.  This can be a good thing...but not always.

Lets learn some things by examining the mistakes of a couple of North American nurses that came here to help in the labor and delivery ward last week.

They walked in eager for an experience, and a great story to tell.  They did not speak the language and are only here for a week. They boasted that they were so excited to be here because they were allowed to do stuff that would be unlawful for them to do in their own country.

They had never worked with laboring mothers, ever, and wanted to waltz in and deliver a "cute little brown baby."  One proceeded ..no kidding... to SLAP and SCREAM at a pushing woman I had been gently coaching for 6 hours already.  Not only was this white lady being rude and demeaning, she was screaming in English....which was not comprehended by anyone but me. This laboring mother who had been doing awesome, was terrified and scared and shut down...her contractions came to a complete stop.  This volunteer then yelled at her for "giving up."  

Next, this educated white nurse went on to try to sneak in a baby delivery by not alerting the midwife that the baby was crowning, but just getting ready to do it herself.  When I realized after a minute that this nurse had NO IDEA what she was doing, (I was having to tell her what to do...) I alerted the midwife myself, who came and delivered the baby.  This adventure seeker was willing to put a mother and baby's lives in danger simply to be able to say she had delivered a baby.  At least that is how I see it.

This nurse then kept correcting and pushing the very experienced national midwife out of the way, because "she wasn't doing it right."  These midwives are so experienced, (about 1000 births a year for 20 years or more) and could put most western midwives to shame, let alone an ER nurse who had never even seen a birth other than of her own.

You know what?  This woman probably is very proud of herself for "helping" these "poor people."  She probably feels like she is making a difference!  And she is.  Just not a good difference.

Here are some the problems I saw in these nurses:

1. Arrogance
2. A focus on the "experience" for themselves instead of serving the people
3. A failure to see these woman as intelligent and amazing people who are worthy of respect.
4. An excitement to do things "they aren't allowed to do" elsewhere.
5. A lack of respect for the culture and experiences of people different than themselves.

Instead, if you are going to volunteer in a country that is not your own:

1. Go in humility, with the heart of a learner and a willingness to lay down "your ways."
2. Do not go to "get your numbers" or to "have an awesome story to tell." Go to serve. Go to learn.
3. See these beautiful women of another land as strong and someone you can learn from.
4. Know your limits.  Do not do what you are not trained to do.
5. Study their language and culture.  Respect who they are and how they do things.
6. Be kind and treat people the way you would want to be treated.

None of us will be perfect, but let love be the focus of what you do and I'm sure things will go a lot better.

*I've changed the continent of origin of the offending parties.




Tuesday 17 September 2013

Buried Alive

I have been thinking a lot about the HIV positive lady that I helped through labor. I called her Kahlia on this blog.  I heard stories today of two other HIV positive ladies who lived in my town here.   One woman, when her family discovered her HIV status, they forced her into a coffin and nailed it shut.  Then they buried her alive.  Another they tied up and kept in a pit until she died a month later.  There is such fear and such a stigma here when it comes to HIV!  It makes me really sad. 

Sunday 15 September 2013

Seeing them grow up and almost 70!

Today we celebrated this country's independence.  During the festivities I had three ladies that I had doula-d for approach me with their babies in tow!  It was so fun to see them again and to hold the little ones.  Volunteering as a doula has been so very rewarding.  I've been a part of almost 70 births now!

Friday 13 September 2013

Life's Not Fair with HIV

* Names and details were changed...but the story is true

When I first saw Khalia, she was sitting with her mom on the hard wooden benches outside.  Her mother made me promise to take care of her girl.  There were tears in her eyes as she pleaded with me.  Mom's aren't allowed past the heavy, paint chipped door of the labor and delivery ward.  I told her I would be her daughter's "watch mama." 

The nurses took Khalia back to take a cold bucket bath in the filthy shower stall.  Her mother then pulled a very used Coca Cola bottle full of water out of her colorful string bag.  She whispered to me that I needed to take this to her daughter to drink.  It was from Khalia's village where she had grown up.  All the women had "outed" their "heavies" (issues, grudges ect.) and blessed the water.  Now if the laboring mother drinks it, it shows that they are all at peace.  They believed it would make the labor go quickly and easily.  The wrinkled little mother was thrilled that I understood and was familiar with the beliefs from my years in the bush.  I gave it to Khalia, explained what her mom had said, and Khalia drank it up quickly.

Khalia is 17 years old.  Last year her husband bought her for about $3000.  She then went to live in his village as his fourth wife.  She spends her days tending the large gardens and cooking food.  Probably caring for the kids of the older wives too.  Her new husband  gave her HIV on her wedding night.  She is now HIV positive and has TB and herpes to go with it.

Now, here she was delivering her first baby.  The medical staff was standoffish about her medical conditions. (The herpes had done some awful looking things to her) They warned me not to be around her.  I did consider just helping the other 8 ladies in labor but I felt that God would have me to love on Khalia.  It was the right thing to do.  It is what Jesus would do.  I spent the next 8 hours with her. (and I did take precautions with fluids)   She is a sweet and beautiful girl who labored very well.  

She begged me not to leave, even for a minute.  I held her, massaged her, prayed with her, and encouraged her. 

Once she was ready to push, she pushed for almost 4 hours.  They never checked the babies heart tones. 

She got so exhausted.  Her babies head had been slightly in view for two hours.  No amount of squatting or position change was helping.  I finally was able to convince someone to come help us.  I was shocked at how she "helped."   She grabbed a razor blade and cut Khalia four times. Four large episiotomies on her herpes enveloped skin.  A beautiful baby girl emerged over the HIV infected blood. 

Khalia had more love in her eyes as she looked at her new daughter than most of the mom's I see here.  The baby latched on a nursed just fine.  It was hard to say goodbye to her.  I am privileged to have been able to be with her on that day. 
                                                                             

Do You See What I See?

My last doula adventure was a crazy one.  I have seen a lot since I last updated you all.

1. I have seen two new doulas (that I have had the privilege of training) spread their wings and do very well. 

2. I have seen a baby born right on the dirty hospital floor.  Both mom and baby were fine. 

3. I have seen a woman punched repeatedly  while her baby was crowning. 

4. I have seen God answer my prayers over and over again when a mom is having a very hard time or when a baby is not breathing.

5. I have seen an HIV positive mom shunned and shamed. 

6. I have seen serious hemorrhages and babies that took a long time to breathe.

7. I've seen the midwives be very kind and show great skill in order to save a mom and baby.

8. I've seen the midwives share their own things and go the extra mile to be kind to a patient.

9. I've seen a movie on maternal death in childbirth put on for the laboring women to watch.

10. I've seen the squatting position spare many women from c sections and vacuum extractions.





Child Mortality in the News


FACTBOX: Fighting child mortality around the world

Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation - Fri, 13 Sep 2013 11:58 AM
Author: KatyMigiro                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

A woman feeds her malnourished child at a paediatric ward in Banadir hospital in Somalia's capital Mogadishu August 7, 2011. REUTERS/Omar Faruk


 
   

NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Eastern and southern Africa are reducing child mortality faster than any other regions in the world, the United Nations children’s fund (Unicef) said in a report on Friday, but more than 18,000 children die needlessly every day.

The report, 'Committing to Child Survival: A Promise Renewed’, highlights the extent of child mortality globally and discusses what steps need to be taken to prevent babies and young children from dying.

Below are some facts and figures from the report:
  • 216 million children died before the age of 5 between 1990 and 2012 – more than the total population of Brazil, the fifth most populous country in the world.
  • Half of all under-five deaths occur in just five countries: India (22 per cent), Nigeria (13 per cent), Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo (both 6 per cent) and China (4 per cent).
  • In sub-Saharan Africa, one in every 10 children dies before their fifth birthday, nearly 16 times the average rate in high-income countries.
  • Globally, the leading causes of deaths among children under five include pneumonia (18 per cent), pre-term birth complications (15 per cent), birth-related complications (10 per cent), diarrhoea (9 per cent) and malaria (7 per cent).
  • Immunisation is among the most successful and most cost-effective health interventions, saving two to three million lives globally every year.
  • The 24 hours around the time of childbirth carry the greatest risk. Each year, more than 1 million babies die on the day they are born.
  • If a mother is under 18, the risk of her infant dying in its first year of life is 60 percent greater than an infant born to a mother older than 19.
  • To end preventable child deaths, women must be provided with good quality maternal care and nutrition and newborns need a safe delivery. Insecticide-treated mosquito nets, vaccines, proper breastfeeding, nutritional supplements, rehydration treatment for diarrhoea, safe water and sanitation are also important.
  • In Rwanda, community health workers are using SMS to track pregnancies, report on danger signs during pregnancy and to send alerts to health services to ensure women can access emergency obstetric care quickly.