For the last several weeks the midwives have been experiencing challenging situations and multiple odd occurrences. There is no real rhyme or reason to why so many of the ladies in the program have run into such a tough spot - but honestly - we are slightly concerned and discouraged. We'd like this streak of odd and challenging to end now.
Many of our recent births have ended up needing emergency transport for cesarean section. This is not the end of the world by any means - we have a great ambulance that donors helped us buy and we have a partner hospital that will see/work with us upon request. It is a little bit sad though, because it is not what we have in mind for the ladies when they enter the program. It is not what we plan and prepare for with the months of teaching, nutrition, and training.
We'd love to be able to provide every woman with a calm, private, dignified birth in the labor/delivery room at the Maternity Center. We'd love for their babies to be welcomed into the world with less trauma and stress. We'd love that for them, we'd love that for us.
The cases that need transport each cost a minimum of $750 U.S.D. at the hospital and we're not in a position financially to continue to sustain the current rate of c-sections. Prior to the last streak of 6 to 8 births we rarely (very very very rarely) needed to transport anyone for a cesarean.
Due to some complications Andremene (pictured) was transported for a c-section late last night. She is 34 years old and came to Heartline's program after miscarrying twins, miscarrying another single baby, and having lost three other children at 4 days, three months and five months of age. Her two living children are now 11 and 12 years old. She has obviously lost so much in her life. Thankfully she delivered a healthy baby boy (with a very very large head) at 2am.
We pray for and want to see this new life survive and thrive. I am sharing all of this in order to ask for prayer for the pregnant ladies, for the midwives, and for the program as a whole.
Decisions here are so much different than in the developed world. We are not a short easy ride from the hospital should we need to go. Standing still gridlock traffic is a real possibility most of the time. Sometimes you arrive at the hospital and wait longer than is ideal for the anesthesiologist to come. The variables are many and mind-boggling. The decisions are never made lightly. Whomever is in the primary midwife role, whomever is in charge of the birth - carries the weight of such a big decision and with that comes much stress.
Truthfully, if we could avoid the need to transport it crosses off about sixteen really bad possibilities.
We're due for a string of event-free - normal - drama-less - happy - exciting-in-the-good-way - births. We'd like that streak of happy to begin today.
Thank you for your continued love, prayers, and concern for the women of Haiti.
