Many have contacted me wanting to know how to give to the Dominican women or how to sign up for a trip. Below are some resources:
Lisa Aman, LM
http://www.midwifetobe.com/
Lisa is going to the DR in August 2011 and possibly November 2011 . She runs the Midwife To Be program and has done many, many trips to the DR in the past. She will take doulas and student midwives. If you want to send supplies or money, this is the person to contact also.
Med Share
http://www.medshare.org/
This is a Christian medical missions programs that collects sterile equipment from local hospitals and for a small fee will let you "shop" in their warehouse to take supplies with you. They have two locations, one in Decatur, GA and one in CA. If you live too far from them they will take orders over the internet. Here I got bulb syringes, hemostats, forceps, IV start kits, chux pads, sterile gloves, mesh postparum panties, idione scrub brushes, speculums, blood pressure cuffs, and stethoscopes. Wonderful resource!
If you are interested in becoming a doula, I highly recommend going to a DONA training.
http://www.dona.org/
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Midwifery Trip to The Dominican Republic: Coming Home
Midwifery Trip to The Dominican Republic: Coming Home: "I didn't expect to feel so changed by my eight days in the Dominican Republic. I went from shock, to anger, to compassion, to understandin..."
Coming Home
I didn't expect to feel so changed by my eight days in the Dominican Republic. I went from shock, to anger, to compassion, to understanding about their birth practices. The Dominican people are such kind hearted people. They were so thankful for anything we gave! I left Sunday morning with tears in my eyes. I sat on the plane ride home listening to all the tan Americans talk about their week on beautiful DR beaches and I just cried and cried. The people here had truly touched my heart.
Coming home is hard. Questions start to scream at you in your head. Why was I blessed enough to be born here and not there? The DR is a short 2 1/2 hour plane ride away from me and yet the women suffer so much. Why did God put me here and not there? As I went grocery shopping for my family on Monday I just sighed at all the food. Why should I be able to buy all this? Why should I have access to all this food and education? In the DR there is no welfare, no WIC, no public housing, no childbirth education classes. Even the poor here in the US are rich to them. A midwife shared with me that the OBs there get about $500 USD every two weeks (and that is IF the government pays them). Homebirth midwives here charge around $2700 USD/birth. We are living in pure wealth even when we think we have very little and struggle to meet our bills. I always knew this in my head, but I had never experienced, even for one week, the realities of life in a third world country. And even then, my experience was not the total Dominican experience. I had an airconditioned hotel to come home to and money in my pocket. I had clean water to drink, healthy food to eat, and the ability to leave the country whenever I needed to.
The suffering in pregnancy, labor, and childbirth there is intense. As I tried to explain to my children about the DR they had many questions. They even told me the hospital didn't look that bad to them. And I suppose, looking at the pictures myself, they can't capture the full experience. I learned that the Dominican doctors are suffering just like the women; they are overworked, underpaid, and lacking BASIC medical supplies. They are frustrated with a medical system that doesn't work and a government that doesn't seem to care. They want good care for women and that is why they keep coming to work even when they get no paycheck for months. They know that women need support in labor (no family members are allowed) and a sanitary hospital. They know women need to eat and drink in labor (only allowed if family members bring the food or water; most women starve during labor and postpartum. There are no hospital meals). They are doing the absoulute best with the hand God has dealt them. What seems outrageous and brutal to us, begins to make sense when you start to see the full picture. Heartbreaking; but you begin to understand.
Coming home is hard. Questions start to scream at you in your head. Why was I blessed enough to be born here and not there? The DR is a short 2 1/2 hour plane ride away from me and yet the women suffer so much. Why did God put me here and not there? As I went grocery shopping for my family on Monday I just sighed at all the food. Why should I be able to buy all this? Why should I have access to all this food and education? In the DR there is no welfare, no WIC, no public housing, no childbirth education classes. Even the poor here in the US are rich to them. A midwife shared with me that the OBs there get about $500 USD every two weeks (and that is IF the government pays them). Homebirth midwives here charge around $2700 USD/birth. We are living in pure wealth even when we think we have very little and struggle to meet our bills. I always knew this in my head, but I had never experienced, even for one week, the realities of life in a third world country. And even then, my experience was not the total Dominican experience. I had an airconditioned hotel to come home to and money in my pocket. I had clean water to drink, healthy food to eat, and the ability to leave the country whenever I needed to.
The suffering in pregnancy, labor, and childbirth there is intense. As I tried to explain to my children about the DR they had many questions. They even told me the hospital didn't look that bad to them. And I suppose, looking at the pictures myself, they can't capture the full experience. I learned that the Dominican doctors are suffering just like the women; they are overworked, underpaid, and lacking BASIC medical supplies. They are frustrated with a medical system that doesn't work and a government that doesn't seem to care. They want good care for women and that is why they keep coming to work even when they get no paycheck for months. They know that women need support in labor (no family members are allowed) and a sanitary hospital. They know women need to eat and drink in labor (only allowed if family members bring the food or water; most women starve during labor and postpartum. There are no hospital meals). They are doing the absoulute best with the hand God has dealt them. What seems outrageous and brutal to us, begins to make sense when you start to see the full picture. Heartbreaking; but you begin to understand.
What I Saw
Some of my friends who are reading this are considering a midwifery trip to the DR in the fall. Here is a list of complications that I was able to see in one week. These are things that we read about in our text books but rarely get to see. Here we had a hands on experience with all of these:
Neural tube defects
Club feet
Premature babies (2lbs)
Anencephaly
Twin c section
Several normal c sections(every shift)
Fetal demise/still birth (every shift)
HIV
Hep B
Chlamydia
STIs
Pre eclampsia
HELLPs
Malnourishment (mother)
D&C; 1st and 2nd trimester
Retained Placenta
Hemorrhage
Broken Cord
Shoulder Dystocia (my first catch)
Neural tube defects
Club feet
Premature babies (2lbs)
Anencephaly
Twin c section
Several normal c sections(every shift)
Fetal demise/still birth (every shift)
HIV
Hep B
Chlamydia
STIs
Pre eclampsia
HELLPs
Malnourishment (mother)
D&C; 1st and 2nd trimester
Retained Placenta
Hemorrhage
Broken Cord
Shoulder Dystocia (my first catch)
Monday, May 23, 2011
Why are you here?
As the days went on, I was asked this more than once. Residents would want to know if I had to do this as part of my midwifery training (no). They wanted to know why I would choose to spend my time here, in the dirty, poor hospital instead of the beautiful Dominican beaches. Many of the interns were there just "doing their time" and they told me, in their very limited English, that they hated this rotation. I understood. But I was able to tell them that I really wanted to help, and that I really wanted to understand how birth was "done" in their country. I also told a few of how I love Jesus and wanted to serve Him.
I have to admit, after my first shift I was wondering why I was here. I was shocked at the conditions. I don't think anyone could have prepared me for what I was going to see. Women were begging me for food and water (none given, even if you labor for three days). Many women were infected with Hepatitis B, HIV, and sexually transmitted diseases. There was death with every shift. And there was the filth; blood, urine, or feces, left on the floor for hours before anyone bothered to clean it up. None of us on our first shift wanted to go back...but we did because that was what we were here for.
It got easier as the week went on because I knew what to expect. I bought cups at the store and water and started giving the mothers food and water (and each day if I left a stack of cups I would find them gone the next day; some staff steal supplies). I also saw how thankful the mothers were for the midwives. They NEVER thanked the OBs after a birth, but were raving after a birth supported by any of the women on our team. One doctor told me "The women like you. You are more gentle. The want midwives!". It was exhausting working 8-12 hour shifts every day but to see the women we had worked with in postpartum and how their faces would light up, it was worth it. If you went over to the postpartum ward and found a woman you had helped, she often had her family with her and they would immediately be embracing you and thanking you.
As we ended the week it became apparent of why this system is like this. The head doctors told us how they had not been paid their meager salary for two months. The doctors had to work 24 hour shifts with little sleep. There were very few nurses; most of the staff was either OB doctors, residents, or medical interns (medical students). When you don't have basic supplies, like sheets, pads, or even water to drink it can become fustrating. And the constant busyness of birth (literally several births an hour), it can wear you down. You barely have time on some shifts to wash your hands. And then there are no paper towels to dry your hands! I could see why it would make them tired and not so gentle. Not having the supplies they desperatley needed would be hard for any medical professional.
We also, as the week went on, got to know the doctors well. Some of the things they did amused us. Salsa danicing in the labor ward anyone? Cafe at midnight? They would often put Latin music on their laptops and blare it in the labor ward as the night wore on. On the last night I finally convinced the friendly head OB doctor to put something relaxing on---that I loved his music, but it wasn't good for active labor! He laughed and put on something more relaxing and then told me I was going to make all his doctors go to sleep with this music! The same doctor told us on the last night that he was sorry we were leaving, that we hadn't had time to come to a party with them. He was genuinely kind to us, like many other doctors, and I had invitations to come back and bring my family to stay with them. As I said goodbye to one doctor she kissed me on both cheeks and said she would miss me, that she hated that we had to go. And while I missed my family, I was wishing I could stay also. I was genuinely falling in love with the Dominican people.
I have to admit, after my first shift I was wondering why I was here. I was shocked at the conditions. I don't think anyone could have prepared me for what I was going to see. Women were begging me for food and water (none given, even if you labor for three days). Many women were infected with Hepatitis B, HIV, and sexually transmitted diseases. There was death with every shift. And there was the filth; blood, urine, or feces, left on the floor for hours before anyone bothered to clean it up. None of us on our first shift wanted to go back...but we did because that was what we were here for.
It got easier as the week went on because I knew what to expect. I bought cups at the store and water and started giving the mothers food and water (and each day if I left a stack of cups I would find them gone the next day; some staff steal supplies). I also saw how thankful the mothers were for the midwives. They NEVER thanked the OBs after a birth, but were raving after a birth supported by any of the women on our team. One doctor told me "The women like you. You are more gentle. The want midwives!". It was exhausting working 8-12 hour shifts every day but to see the women we had worked with in postpartum and how their faces would light up, it was worth it. If you went over to the postpartum ward and found a woman you had helped, she often had her family with her and they would immediately be embracing you and thanking you.
As we ended the week it became apparent of why this system is like this. The head doctors told us how they had not been paid their meager salary for two months. The doctors had to work 24 hour shifts with little sleep. There were very few nurses; most of the staff was either OB doctors, residents, or medical interns (medical students). When you don't have basic supplies, like sheets, pads, or even water to drink it can become fustrating. And the constant busyness of birth (literally several births an hour), it can wear you down. You barely have time on some shifts to wash your hands. And then there are no paper towels to dry your hands! I could see why it would make them tired and not so gentle. Not having the supplies they desperatley needed would be hard for any medical professional.
We also, as the week went on, got to know the doctors well. Some of the things they did amused us. Salsa danicing in the labor ward anyone? Cafe at midnight? They would often put Latin music on their laptops and blare it in the labor ward as the night wore on. On the last night I finally convinced the friendly head OB doctor to put something relaxing on---that I loved his music, but it wasn't good for active labor! He laughed and put on something more relaxing and then told me I was going to make all his doctors go to sleep with this music! The same doctor told us on the last night that he was sorry we were leaving, that we hadn't had time to come to a party with them. He was genuinely kind to us, like many other doctors, and I had invitations to come back and bring my family to stay with them. As I said goodbye to one doctor she kissed me on both cheeks and said she would miss me, that she hated that we had to go. And while I missed my family, I was wishing I could stay also. I was genuinely falling in love with the Dominican people.
Mariel
Mariel was laboring loudly. She is Haitian and speaks French with a few Spanish words. The Haitian women are not seen as a priority at this hospital and I could tell as I started to rub her back and provide counterpressure that the Dominican women were looking at me like something was wrong. I always thought it would be hard to doula a woman in labor who didn't speak my language. While it was hard, it wasn't impossible. Mariel immediately responded to the counterpressure, the cold wash cloths, and just the constant companionship of having another woman there with her.
When you enter the labor ward you can pick the Haitian women out immdiately; they are loud, REALLY loud. They have the vocalization part of labor down PERFECTLY. They often are lifting their arms up praising God during contractions or singing during an intense labor pain. I am sure it gets annoying to the staff and I found even one doctor imitating them in a very mocking way (I later told him that making noise HELPS a woman laboring naturally; he was annoying). Of course, it is very distracting to have a woman moaning loudly, "Ohweeeeeeohhhhhhhhhh!". But I also found it beautiful. The Haitian women aren't crying or thrashing about. They have just found their rhythym in labor and are not letting all the on lookers stop them. One doctor told me "The Haitian women give birth easily. One push and the baby is out!". Maybe this has something to do with it. They weren't afraid to move, make noise, shoo the doctors away, and tell the doctors to stop touching them.
During Mariel's labor I took heart tones, did cervical checks, and provided any support she needed. At one point she even shooed the OB away and insisted that I check her instead. It's no wonder when some of these doctors are incredibly rough. When Mariel's baby was born I was there assisting the doctor. I pulled the baby right up to her chest, all fresh and perfectly wet. She pushed the baby away; not a totally unheard of response for any woman exhausted by just giving birth. But what she did next surprised me. She shot straight up in bed, grabbed me, and kissed me on both cheeks. And she said the few Spanish words she knew to me "Muchas gracias! Muchas gracias mi amiga! Estas bendiga!" (Thank you! Thank you my friend! You are a blessing!)
This is what makes the ugliness of birth here truly beautiful; to see a woman supported during labor and taken care of gently.
When you enter the labor ward you can pick the Haitian women out immdiately; they are loud, REALLY loud. They have the vocalization part of labor down PERFECTLY. They often are lifting their arms up praising God during contractions or singing during an intense labor pain. I am sure it gets annoying to the staff and I found even one doctor imitating them in a very mocking way (I later told him that making noise HELPS a woman laboring naturally; he was annoying). Of course, it is very distracting to have a woman moaning loudly, "Ohweeeeeeohhhhhhhhhh!". But I also found it beautiful. The Haitian women aren't crying or thrashing about. They have just found their rhythym in labor and are not letting all the on lookers stop them. One doctor told me "The Haitian women give birth easily. One push and the baby is out!". Maybe this has something to do with it. They weren't afraid to move, make noise, shoo the doctors away, and tell the doctors to stop touching them.
During Mariel's labor I took heart tones, did cervical checks, and provided any support she needed. At one point she even shooed the OB away and insisted that I check her instead. It's no wonder when some of these doctors are incredibly rough. When Mariel's baby was born I was there assisting the doctor. I pulled the baby right up to her chest, all fresh and perfectly wet. She pushed the baby away; not a totally unheard of response for any woman exhausted by just giving birth. But what she did next surprised me. She shot straight up in bed, grabbed me, and kissed me on both cheeks. And she said the few Spanish words she knew to me "Muchas gracias! Muchas gracias mi amiga! Estas bendiga!" (Thank you! Thank you my friend! You are a blessing!)
This is what makes the ugliness of birth here truly beautiful; to see a woman supported during labor and taken care of gently.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
What Birth Is Like Here
This is what birth is like here for a poor woman. I have been told by a compassionate neonatologist that this is not how birth is here for all women, this is just what I am seeing at the poor pubblic hospital, Jose Maria Cabral Hosptial. If you can afford about $500 US you would go to the private hospital, where I am told it is much better.
A woman walks into the labor room escorted by a medical resident or nurse, with her pajamas on and an IV already started. She has been admitted. She is put in a bed that has a sheet if she is lucky. The labor room is a large hospital room with 12 beds lined up. You may be put next to woman in early labor or one screaming in transition. You will have left your husband ,or boyfriend, or mother at the door earlier and you will not see them again for at least 24 hours after the birth.
You are told to lie down, on your back, and to not get up. No food or drink is offered. Medical students come through often, stand in groups of 10-20 and watch you labor while the doctor teaches. The lights are strong and bright and there are only a few nurses and a few doctors. The room is noisy. Every few hours you will be greeted by a student or doctor to be checked. There are two bathrooms in the ward and to say they are filthy is an understatement. Many women are lying in bed in blood and feces. There are no chux pads or new sheets for you. If you are smart you have brought your own water, several changes of clothes, and your own sheets. You labor flat on your back, listening to women all around you scream for their mothers during hard contractions. You don't get to change positions, have food or water, or are even told your cervical dilation after you have been checked. You don't have choices here.
When you are fully dilated you will be told to "Puje!" (push!). You will push flat on your back. If you are lucky you will deliver fast on your labor bed in front of anyone in the ward. Here there are no big climbs up a wheelchair to get into the unadjustable delivery table.There are no black garbage bags to lie on or stir ups, like the delivery room has. And here you will get to hold your baby for two or three minutes;most delivery room births allow you to see the baby for a second and the baby is whisked away. If you ask to hold your baby you are laughed at.. You are lucky if you finally get to hold your baby four hours later. No one even tells you the sex of the baby or if he/she is healthy and ok.
If you are like most women you will be taken to the delivery room by wheelchair when delivery is close. You will be told to climb up on the table by standing on your wheelchair. You will lie on a black garbage bag and put your feet in the stirups. You are told to push. You will be given very few insturctions and probably have a episitiomy. When your baby is born it will be held up immediately by the ankles (like a 1950's birth) and carried off. You will then be given pitocin and deliver the placenta with much pulling and tugging by the doctor. You will be stitched if needed, cleaned up, and taken to the postpartum ward. Here you will lie for several hours and if you are lucky receive some news of how your baby is.
This is how birth is here.
A woman walks into the labor room escorted by a medical resident or nurse, with her pajamas on and an IV already started. She has been admitted. She is put in a bed that has a sheet if she is lucky. The labor room is a large hospital room with 12 beds lined up. You may be put next to woman in early labor or one screaming in transition. You will have left your husband ,or boyfriend, or mother at the door earlier and you will not see them again for at least 24 hours after the birth.
You are told to lie down, on your back, and to not get up. No food or drink is offered. Medical students come through often, stand in groups of 10-20 and watch you labor while the doctor teaches. The lights are strong and bright and there are only a few nurses and a few doctors. The room is noisy. Every few hours you will be greeted by a student or doctor to be checked. There are two bathrooms in the ward and to say they are filthy is an understatement. Many women are lying in bed in blood and feces. There are no chux pads or new sheets for you. If you are smart you have brought your own water, several changes of clothes, and your own sheets. You labor flat on your back, listening to women all around you scream for their mothers during hard contractions. You don't get to change positions, have food or water, or are even told your cervical dilation after you have been checked. You don't have choices here.
When you are fully dilated you will be told to "Puje!" (push!). You will push flat on your back. If you are lucky you will deliver fast on your labor bed in front of anyone in the ward. Here there are no big climbs up a wheelchair to get into the unadjustable delivery table.There are no black garbage bags to lie on or stir ups, like the delivery room has. And here you will get to hold your baby for two or three minutes;most delivery room births allow you to see the baby for a second and the baby is whisked away. If you ask to hold your baby you are laughed at.. You are lucky if you finally get to hold your baby four hours later. No one even tells you the sex of the baby or if he/she is healthy and ok.
If you are like most women you will be taken to the delivery room by wheelchair when delivery is close. You will be told to climb up on the table by standing on your wheelchair. You will lie on a black garbage bag and put your feet in the stirups. You are told to push. You will be given very few insturctions and probably have a episitiomy. When your baby is born it will be held up immediately by the ankles (like a 1950's birth) and carried off. You will then be given pitocin and deliver the placenta with much pulling and tugging by the doctor. You will be stitched if needed, cleaned up, and taken to the postpartum ward. Here you will lie for several hours and if you are lucky receive some news of how your baby is.
This is how birth is here.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
My First Full Shift and My Heart Breaks....
Yesterday was my first full shift at the hospital . It started at 4pm. In the middle of updates from the past midwifery team we were called to an expected still birth. We all walked very quickly down the hall and what I saw when I turned the corner will be forever ingrained in my mind. A young, black woman lying on the already filthy bathroom floor(this is the bathroom used by all patients)in a pool of blood, amnitoic fluid, and feces. The doctor was taking her limp dead baby from her and disappeared down the hall. The mother lay there staring at us, silent. No one spoke to her. No one even tried to touch her. I was shocked by the coldness of the situation and the total lack of care for the mother. I bent down to speak to her and realized my limited Spanish wasn't going to help. She was Haitian and spoke only French . She also was HIV+. I did the only thing I could;I prayed outloud for Jesus to help her.
The doctor came back with a wheel chair. By this time one of the midwives on the team, who spoke French,was talking to the silent mother. The doctor motioned for her to get in the wheelchair gave me her IV bag to carry. Off to the delivery room we went to deliver the placenta and check the mother. When we got to the room the mother, still in her soiled jean skirt and top, was told to stand up, turn around and put her feet into the wheelchair to climb onto the unadjustable delivery table. There she was examined with about 12 med students watching.
As the examine was over I left the room. It brought back memeories of my own still birth. The compassion and love my nurse gave me was incredible compared to this. I thought of how hard this must be for this mother and my heart ached for her. I began to wonder if I could do this: birth, this way. This woman was only showed compasision by the midwives and the staff just didn't seem to want to love her and care for her. It was painful to watch. And then I cried.
The doctor came back with a wheel chair. By this time one of the midwives on the team, who spoke French,was talking to the silent mother. The doctor motioned for her to get in the wheelchair gave me her IV bag to carry. Off to the delivery room we went to deliver the placenta and check the mother. When we got to the room the mother, still in her soiled jean skirt and top, was told to stand up, turn around and put her feet into the wheelchair to climb onto the unadjustable delivery table. There she was examined with about 12 med students watching.
As the examine was over I left the room. It brought back memeories of my own still birth. The compassion and love my nurse gave me was incredible compared to this. I thought of how hard this must be for this mother and my heart ached for her. I began to wonder if I could do this: birth, this way. This woman was only showed compasision by the midwives and the staff just didn't seem to want to love her and care for her. It was painful to watch. And then I cried.
Monday, May 16, 2011
The Hospital
This morning we had our tour and orientation at the hospital. According to the team leader, Heather, much has improved since she was last here in November. We were happy to see running water and a/c in labor and delivery. Walking into the hospital was quite different than a US hospital . The lobby was filled with hundreds of people all going in different directions. I felt like I was at Grand Central Station in NYC during commute hour! People were lined up in long lines outside of clinics and there were medical students in groups everywhere! We were told to meet the doctor at 8:00 and true to Hispanic culture he showed up at 9:15. :)
The tour of labor and delivery (separate rooms) and surgery rooms was interesting. Labor is many women (12 beds, I think) in one room. This morning was a slow morning and only two women were laboring. The delivery rooms (two) are white, old, and with a table with stirups. I felt sorry for the woman who had just given birth who was subjected to a parade of ten women trooping through. There seems to be very little privacy for a woman here. The nursery was a small room, about the size of one of my children's bedrooms. The babies were adorable and many of them were put two to a basinette. Babies are taken from their mothers immediately after birth and often not returned to the mother for 12-24 hours. In the postpartum ward you can see the mothers looking vacant and emotionless without their babies.
It's a blessing to be here and I work my first shift tonight. The people are incredibly friendly and their faces light up if you greet them in Spanish. I am looking forward to being a blessing to them!
The tour of labor and delivery (separate rooms) and surgery rooms was interesting. Labor is many women (12 beds, I think) in one room. This morning was a slow morning and only two women were laboring. The delivery rooms (two) are white, old, and with a table with stirups. I felt sorry for the woman who had just given birth who was subjected to a parade of ten women trooping through. There seems to be very little privacy for a woman here. The nursery was a small room, about the size of one of my children's bedrooms. The babies were adorable and many of them were put two to a basinette. Babies are taken from their mothers immediately after birth and often not returned to the mother for 12-24 hours. In the postpartum ward you can see the mothers looking vacant and emotionless without their babies.
It's a blessing to be here and I work my first shift tonight. The people are incredibly friendly and their faces light up if you greet them in Spanish. I am looking forward to being a blessing to them!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
First Full Day
I have been here for 24 hours now! It's been quite the culture shock! Unlike Mexico, very few people speak English here and I have been piecing together my Spanish. Today we had an exciting day! It started first with a sleepless night. Our hotel is attached to a casino and apparently the party doesn't get started here til Midnight. Even with my industrial strength earphones I heard constant (and I mean constant!) blaring loud Latin music. Add to that horns that play musical tunes, bass that rocks the ground, and car alarms going off every ten minutes. The part didn't stop until 5am and we finally got about an hour of sleep!
Today we went to a small puebla (village) and ran a ob/gyn clinic for 75 women. We enjoyed the scenic ride there through the mountains of the Dominican Republic. Seeing how people really live here was quaint and heartbreaking at the same time. When we arrived at the clinic site we were in awe of the women lined up already in the hot Dominican sun waiting to see us. At first it was obvious we were American and u definitely felt watched as I exited the car. But putting on a big smile and saying "hola! Buenas Dias!" was all that was needed to get big smiles back from them. They offered to carry our bags, brought us fruit and bottled ice water, and immediately started rambling in very fast Spanish when they knew I could speak some Spanish too.
Can you imagine lining up and standing in the heat and humidity to have your pap smear in a school with no electricity that has been made into a makeshift clinic? There were four pregnant moms too that we performed vital signs in, found fetal heart rates, and gave prenatal care to. One young, first time mom was actually in early labor. The doctor had me follow him to an exam room and pointed to the box of gloves. Of course I had studied cervical exams, but this is how I got to perform my first one. I explained to the doctor that I needed help and he smiled and showed me exactly what to do. I felt so bad for the poor mom. First he roughly examined her and then it was my turn. I gently examined her while the whole time talking to her and telling her to breathe deeply. No one enjoys cervical exams in labor! She was 3 cm and was told to go to the hospital.
After that I helped with our main job of the day, pap smears. It was truly fascinating; and I hate pap smears too( in case you are wondering!). Let's just say I got to view the procedure from a different perspective!! The women were truly grateful for our help and many of the older ones thanked and hugged us. Before we started the clinic they all prayed with us. The youngest girl was 11 and there were many who were in their seventies. It was rewarding to help!
Today we went to a small puebla (village) and ran a ob/gyn clinic for 75 women. We enjoyed the scenic ride there through the mountains of the Dominican Republic. Seeing how people really live here was quaint and heartbreaking at the same time. When we arrived at the clinic site we were in awe of the women lined up already in the hot Dominican sun waiting to see us. At first it was obvious we were American and u definitely felt watched as I exited the car. But putting on a big smile and saying "hola! Buenas Dias!" was all that was needed to get big smiles back from them. They offered to carry our bags, brought us fruit and bottled ice water, and immediately started rambling in very fast Spanish when they knew I could speak some Spanish too.
Can you imagine lining up and standing in the heat and humidity to have your pap smear in a school with no electricity that has been made into a makeshift clinic? There were four pregnant moms too that we performed vital signs in, found fetal heart rates, and gave prenatal care to. One young, first time mom was actually in early labor. The doctor had me follow him to an exam room and pointed to the box of gloves. Of course I had studied cervical exams, but this is how I got to perform my first one. I explained to the doctor that I needed help and he smiled and showed me exactly what to do. I felt so bad for the poor mom. First he roughly examined her and then it was my turn. I gently examined her while the whole time talking to her and telling her to breathe deeply. No one enjoys cervical exams in labor! She was 3 cm and was told to go to the hospital.
After that I helped with our main job of the day, pap smears. It was truly fascinating; and I hate pap smears too( in case you are wondering!). Let's just say I got to view the procedure from a different perspective!! The women were truly grateful for our help and many of the older ones thanked and hugged us. Before we started the clinic they all prayed with us. The youngest girl was 11 and there were many who were in their seventies. It was rewarding to help!
Monday, May 9, 2011
Getting Ready to Leave
Five days until I jump on a plane to Santo Domingo, DR. It's 5 am and I can't sleep. I have been waking up the last week with the trip on my mind and trying to remember (and list) all the things I need to get done before I leave. It seems like an impossible task to get ready to leave 10 children and a husband! Throw in there that last week my mother had a medical emergency that took me to CA for seven days and my daughter, Victoria, graduated from Georgia State University on Saturday. And the two Lamaze classes I am teaching this week and the five doula appointments I have....does it sound a bit crazy?
I have been surprised by people's reactions that I am going to the Dominican Republic for eight days! I have recieved great encouragement from many people! And often from those that I would least expect! Women have surprised me in great ways with bags of supplies, a doppler, money, clothing for babies, scrubs for the nurses, gloves, etc. One friend gave about 30 sets of barely worn scrubs that I know will bless the nurses there! The unexpected checks have covered medical supplies and will be used to buy supplies there! How wonderful to see how God is weaving this all together! What I have enjoyed most of all are the cards and emails sent to me from women all over the world telling me that they would be praying for me. That, I believe, is the most essential necessity for my Dominican trip.
Some people have looked at me with puzzlement, and even horror, at the idea that I would want to travel to a impoverished country and help women greet their newborns. My own father's reaction was "That's a really poor country. Why do you want to go there? They make Mexico look nice." My mother's reaction (a little more understandable) was "Why are you trying to kill me?" . You see, I have one daughter going to Peru in July and one going to Haiti in June. She thinks we are all trying to scare her to death. I had one lady tell me not to go and that I was not taking care of myself or my family by going. Another said that she didn't know why "anyone" would want to do this. Some think I am just a bored homeschooling mother looking for adventure and I should just find another hobby. Why am I going?
I am going to the Dominican Republic because I feel called to midwifery and called to help women in pregnancy, labor, and post partum. God has used my life to draw me into midwifery and to be able to bless others with the gift of being "with woman" in labor. I find labor exciting and challenging; intense and rewarding. There is nothing more thrilling than seeing a new miracle born or the look of love and joy in a mother's eyes. I see God's hand in it all; He's designed us wonderfully to birth these beautiful babies. I enjoy supporting women and encouraging them. I believe every woman deserves good support in labor and excellent midwifery care by women who truly trust the process of birth. I am going to the Dominican Republic because I feel called to reach out to women who have much less, to share with them, to bless them, and to let them know that God loves them deeply and richly. I am not going to earn some invisible good person points, escape my life as a mother, or take a vacation. While I am bringing medical supplies to bless the women there, I am also bringing something greater. I bring the love of mothering, the wisdom of having birthed 11 of my own babies, the ability to support women well in the labor process, and the joy that Jesus has given to me in my mothering journey. That, I hope, will be what people see in me on my Dominican journey.
I have been surprised by people's reactions that I am going to the Dominican Republic for eight days! I have recieved great encouragement from many people! And often from those that I would least expect! Women have surprised me in great ways with bags of supplies, a doppler, money, clothing for babies, scrubs for the nurses, gloves, etc. One friend gave about 30 sets of barely worn scrubs that I know will bless the nurses there! The unexpected checks have covered medical supplies and will be used to buy supplies there! How wonderful to see how God is weaving this all together! What I have enjoyed most of all are the cards and emails sent to me from women all over the world telling me that they would be praying for me. That, I believe, is the most essential necessity for my Dominican trip.
Some people have looked at me with puzzlement, and even horror, at the idea that I would want to travel to a impoverished country and help women greet their newborns. My own father's reaction was "That's a really poor country. Why do you want to go there? They make Mexico look nice." My mother's reaction (a little more understandable) was "Why are you trying to kill me?" . You see, I have one daughter going to Peru in July and one going to Haiti in June. She thinks we are all trying to scare her to death. I had one lady tell me not to go and that I was not taking care of myself or my family by going. Another said that she didn't know why "anyone" would want to do this. Some think I am just a bored homeschooling mother looking for adventure and I should just find another hobby. Why am I going?
I am going to the Dominican Republic because I feel called to midwifery and called to help women in pregnancy, labor, and post partum. God has used my life to draw me into midwifery and to be able to bless others with the gift of being "with woman" in labor. I find labor exciting and challenging; intense and rewarding. There is nothing more thrilling than seeing a new miracle born or the look of love and joy in a mother's eyes. I see God's hand in it all; He's designed us wonderfully to birth these beautiful babies. I enjoy supporting women and encouraging them. I believe every woman deserves good support in labor and excellent midwifery care by women who truly trust the process of birth. I am going to the Dominican Republic because I feel called to reach out to women who have much less, to share with them, to bless them, and to let them know that God loves them deeply and richly. I am not going to earn some invisible good person points, escape my life as a mother, or take a vacation. While I am bringing medical supplies to bless the women there, I am also bringing something greater. I bring the love of mothering, the wisdom of having birthed 11 of my own babies, the ability to support women well in the labor process, and the joy that Jesus has given to me in my mothering journey. That, I hope, will be what people see in me on my Dominican journey.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The Ticket Has Been Bought
After way too many hours of trying to find the best deal to Santiago (the second largest city in the DR), I ended up with a ticket on a direct flight to the capital, Santo Domingo, on Delta(no charge for extra bags! A rare thing today!) It seems if you fly into Santo Domingo and take a bus ride two hours north (for a mere $8) you cut your plane ticket price in half. At first I was a little nervous about this, my espanol being far from perfecto, but the more I think about it the more I feel at peace about it.
I was talking with the midwife heading the group yesterday by phone and she was going over a list of things we need and will be buying when we arrive in the DR. When she told me that we would need to bring two gallons of water each day to the hospital with each team (we will be in teams of three) I asked why. She said "Well, the water very rarely works there." When I inquired about how they sterilize equipment for cesarean sections she told me of how they puncture a bag of IV fluids and wash them that way. Oh my. Is this the same country that one hour from where we will be has five star hotels on beautiful beaches?
I am busy collecting supplies to fill my two 20 gallon totes that I will take with me. If you haven't seen the list yet, here is what we need:
feta scopes
BP cuffs
stethoscopes
Gloves sterile and non sterile size M and L (costco is a good place to buy these).
Instruments (check your local hospital for donations of used ones)
o Scissors
o Needle holders
o Hemostats of all types
o Forceps of all types
* Chux pads (disposable or washable)
* Baby blankets
* Photo paper / 4x6 for moms to get picture of baby
* General OB / L&D items
* bulb syringes
* surgical cloths
* thermometers
* ambu bags (I like www.statmedical.com, they give me a 20% DISCOUNT for humanitarian aid
Single, double, queen and king bed sheets top only
o No holes or stains
o Please cut double, queen, and king sheets in half and hem them
· Pens (lots of these to hand out to doctors)
· Notepads (small to also hand out to doctors)
· Spanish books or info on pregnancy, birth, PP, breastfeeding
· We really need an NRP book in Spanish but many speak English as well.
· Snacks
· Powdered drink mixes (emergency C, zip fizz, etc)
· Clorox wipes or other disinfectant wipes
· Syringes and needles of all types and sizes
· Towels for the mothers
· Hand sanitizer
· Feeding tubes French 8 or 10
· Large nightgowns for the moms to change into. Short sleeves, moomoo style
· Hospital gowns
Depends
Wash rags (for mothers)
Spanish Bibles
Onesies (newborn sizes)
If you have anything you wish to donate, contact me and I would be happy to pick it up or give you my address to mail it to me.
I was talking with the midwife heading the group yesterday by phone and she was going over a list of things we need and will be buying when we arrive in the DR. When she told me that we would need to bring two gallons of water each day to the hospital with each team (we will be in teams of three) I asked why. She said "Well, the water very rarely works there." When I inquired about how they sterilize equipment for cesarean sections she told me of how they puncture a bag of IV fluids and wash them that way. Oh my. Is this the same country that one hour from where we will be has five star hotels on beautiful beaches?
I am busy collecting supplies to fill my two 20 gallon totes that I will take with me. If you haven't seen the list yet, here is what we need:
feta scopes
BP cuffs
stethoscopes
Gloves sterile and non sterile size M and L (costco is a good place to buy these).
Instruments (check your local hospital for donations of used ones)
o Scissors
o Needle holders
o Hemostats of all types
o Forceps of all types
* Chux pads (disposable or washable)
* Baby blankets
* Photo paper / 4x6 for moms to get picture of baby
* General OB / L&D items
* bulb syringes
* surgical cloths
* thermometers
* ambu bags (I like www.statmedical.com, they give me a 20% DISCOUNT for humanitarian aid
Single, double, queen and king bed sheets top only
o No holes or stains
o Please cut double, queen, and king sheets in half and hem them
· Pens (lots of these to hand out to doctors)
· Notepads (small to also hand out to doctors)
· Spanish books or info on pregnancy, birth, PP, breastfeeding
· We really need an NRP book in Spanish but many speak English as well.
· Snacks
· Powdered drink mixes (emergency C, zip fizz, etc)
· Clorox wipes or other disinfectant wipes
· Syringes and needles of all types and sizes
· Towels for the mothers
· Hand sanitizer
· Feeding tubes French 8 or 10
· Large nightgowns for the moms to change into. Short sleeves, moomoo style
· Hospital gowns
Depends
Wash rags (for mothers)
Spanish Bibles
Onesies (newborn sizes)
If you have anything you wish to donate, contact me and I would be happy to pick it up or give you my address to mail it to me.
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