Neonatal resuscitation day

Allo,
Hope everyone is going well!

Yesterday Leah and I walked into the labour room aa a woman was pretty much shooting a baby out. A student who was going to catch the baby was preparing to do an episiotomy and I told her there would be no time, JUST CATCH THAT BABY! Leah and I provided that baby with some resuscitation. (we wrote down what happened because we are already forgetting details). The next baby was born preterm and again Leah and I took that baby to the resuscitation table and provided some PPV. The 3rd birth was a c-section. Again that baby needed resus. The 4th baby was born by c-section because it was breech. And again, that baby needed resus. Lastly, a woman was pushing and the nurses offered to Leah or I to catch it. A student nurse put on her gloves as well. The baby was born well, term and a good size... and a girl, the mom didn't want to hold her. I wish I could do more for these people's well being. And I especially wish I could make labour and birth a more empowering moment in these women's lives.

Today Leah and I went to a village to observe what was mostly an antenatal clinic, though people came for various reasons. To be seen, patients must pay 15-20 rupees (50 cents Cdn). A male doctor was running the clinic and was good at explaining what we were seeing and what the clients were saying. Some women refused to be seen by the doctor and so Leah and I did a bit of work. We tried to ask what we feel are the most important questions such as, do you feel your baby move every day? Women were weighed when they came in. All weighed about 43- 49 kilos. I weigh 50!!! The day was fun. We met this lovely little girl about 5 yrs of age, who kept laughing and entertained us. Her name was Shakshi. We took pictures and videos of her. She kept watching over and over the video I made of her blowing on a petal. She was also quite bright and picked up some English words, like mango, hair tie, there we go, etc... When we ate lunch, we all shared the food in our lunch boxes. It was quite nice. Something we never do in Canada.

On our way back, we stopped the vehicle for some people who needed the ATM machine (there is only 1 ATM machine in Raxaul, population of about North bay). On the side of the street we saw little kids picking things out of a huge garbage pile and cows and dogs eating from it. We also saw a man skinning a goat, right on the street, next to the garbage pile. I took a video. No wonder Hindus are vegetarian.

Taking a cold shower felt amazing this evening!! I'm sweating as much as I do in hot Bikram yoga, if not more. Gotta go drink some fluids now.

:D
Ly