Life's first breath

Well, here it is!  The post you have been waiting for...

As I process all that happened last night I want to recant my first status-I really didn't take part in the delivering of the baby at all (as  you will see), but God was just so in all of it!  Papito has driven women to the hospital before and made it there just fine, but last night's events were new even for him!

So let's start at the beginning...

I was just climbing out of the shower around 10 last night, thinking in my head how I was actually starting to enjoy and welcome the cold shower with the temps climbing as high as they have been in the past few days.  I am really going to sleep good tonight...I am tired, I am now cooled off, and I feel like I am relaxed-ready for bed!

Not long after that, 10:22pm to be exact ;) I started getting Facebook messages from Papito.

"Wilson called now just tell Mr Rob he know what we talking Wilson want to drive "K" hospital cause she feel pain very hard for baby.  Husband call me in a few second ago left just want to go hospital now because pain are hard."

It seemed like Rob maybe knew what was going on right now, so I went out to talk with him.  Apparently, K, one of our nannies, had called Papito, our prenatal employee, earlier in the day to tell him that she was in labor.  Papito was in town and not able to drive her to the hospital right then, but said that he would call her when he got back.  I am not sure how long Papito was in town for, but K's husband had called and said that she was feeling "pain very hard for baby."

I have never offered to go along on one of these "transport" trips.  I didn't know my place in that.  I am not a "trained/certified" midwife/professional and I did not want to give the false impression that I was totally capable of delivering babies on my own.  However, tonight something about the situation felt different to me.  I knew that this was K's 2nd baby and I now knew she had been in labor most of the day.  

"Rob, what if she doesn't make it to the hospital?"

We talked about the fact that the road was out on the way to Pom Gracia (where K lives) and we would have to drive completely out of the way to go around to get to her and then there was still the drive to the hospital.  

"Rob, I feel like I should go..."

"I knew you were going to say that :)  Grab some gloves and some chuks pads at least...the keys are in the bowl.  Be careful."

So off we went.  Papito met me at the gate, we got the keys and took off in our only functioning vehicle (a whole other issue!)  On the way, we stopped in Lagosette and one of Papito's friends jumped in-man, I guess this is a community event.

We arrived at K's house about 20-25 minutes later.  It was PITCH black.  They encouraged me to go into the house and check her.  How was I going to see anything?  Check her?  I think we should just get in the car and go...

Before I had the chance to think much past that, K's husband came towards the truck carrying her in his arms.  She wasn't moaning in pain, she was smiling ear to ear-as she ALWAYS is, and when I asked her how she was she said, "I am good."

Great!  We are going to make it to the hospital.  This is going to be fine!  So I climbed in the front seat with Wilson.  You may ask why I didn't ride with K in the back-you know, her being in labor and all ;)  Well, it was full!  There were 2 women, a sister and a cousin, K and her husband, and then about 6-7 men.  I asked Wilson who they were..."Family, friends, neighbors...I don't know exactly, they just want to come and watch."  Oh man...a bunch of men, coming to watch me have a baby-I don't think so!  But to each their own :)

We quickly left K's house and navigated the bumpy roads, now with a mama to be on board.  Once we got to the highway-with about 15 min to go to the hospital-the ppl in the back began tapping on the rough of the truck.  Wilson asked them what they needed..."a blanket from the suitcase."  A blanket, I thought...for what?  Wilson proceeded to ask them that and they answered with, "For the baby."

"Wilson, stop!"

I jumped out of the care and ran around to the back of the truck.  This is the point where you will see I didn't actually deliver the baby, because the baby was already there when I got there...lying between K's legs on the blanket that K was sitting on...untouched, not moving, not crying...

I quickly scooped the baby up in my hands and began trying to stimulate her...IT'S A GIRL!!!  K knew this already :)

As I was giving her some sternal stimulation, K's cousin was telling me that I had to slap her back three times and the flip her forward.  These people know, right?!?  So I am trying to do what I know to be right while positioning the little one in a way that appeases the Haitian mass that is watching me do this right now...the cord!  I need a string-we need to tie off the cord.  The cousin sitting next to me in the truck, quickly pulled a piece of string out of her scarf and loosely tied it around the cord.  I did my best to yank it tight with my free hand-that will have to do for now.

Soon, but not soon enough...I caught wind of the faintest little gasp.  Life's first breath... I leaned in closer to hear if the baby was finally breathing and could hear the most gentle breathing pattern...so faint and so quiet I could hardly tell if it was there at all, but the baby was pinking up quickly and starting to open her eyes and her mouth.  

I turned to look at K, once I knew the baby was going to be ok.  The placenta was coming.  I told her to push a few more times, but as I tried to help it deliver it was somehow hung up and wouldn't let loose.  I was not about to pull on it and with only one hand (the other still holding the baby that no one would touch-not sure why) couldn't do much to help it free itself.  Looking for negative signs (i.e. bleeding, etc) and finding none I told Wilson and Papito it was time to keep moving to the hospital.

I spent the next 15 minutes directly at K's feet, our legs pushing up against each others, her baby in my hands.  I worked hard to keep the baby warm in the cool night air and kept an eye on K to make sure she was not bleeding or having irregular pain.  

We backed into the hospital then and waited while someone went to find a Dr.  They returned, in what felt like much later, with a small basket of supplies and a wheel chair.  Because everyone was still connected-baby to placenta, placenta to mom-they first had to cut the umbilical cord of the baby.  They put a clamp on either side of the string and proceeded to cut the umbilical cord.  After they did this, I wrapped the baby in a clean blanket and handed her to the nurse.  She carried her off to the nursery...

As they then went to move K, she was able to move her pelvis just enough that the placenta was able to deliver.  Her husband swept her up in his arms again and gently listen her out of the truck and down to the waiting wheel chair.  In no time at all, he wheeled her away and the crowd was left standing there.  There was a pile of blankets left in the back of the truck.  I examined the placenta and it was quickly wrapped in those blankets and would travel back with us to be buried near K's home. 

From there we waited until all were ready and K was settled and then began the trek back home.  Many to drop off, a long route of going back around via the detour and by 1:24am I was back up in our house and showering for the 2nd time...

What a night!  As I showered, I thought of the luxuries that I have had of where I had my babies, who was there with me (and the crowd that wasn't :) and how safe I felt.  

Women in Haiti don't have that.  Having a baby is a very unsecured thing, unknown thing...there is not a lot of education of the process for most, other than watching your momma and your sisters go through it before you.  And there is not ready access to medical care.

I have been having so many thoughts about going back to school to get my midwife degree, my love for momma's and babies and just the women that I have come to meet and know here in Haiti...

Sheila asked me this am after hearing the story, "So, still going back to school?  I figure it will either push you towards that direction or close the door entirely."

Let's just say my heart has been stirred...I was blessed to be a part of a precious baby girl's birthday last night...and I am truly seeking the Lord as he continues to break my heart for the women of Haiti, the lack of maternal health care, and the hope that lies in empowering them!!!

Once again, I went to sleep thinking, "Bondye Konnen...Bondye li bon!"

God knows...God is good!