Welcome John “Jack” March Wade!

While I have been witnessing the miracle of birth these last few weeks in the maternity ward, my sister Alyssa and brother in law Chris welcomed their own baby boy on February 26th weighing in at 7 lbs (or 3.2 kgs for the rest of us)!  I am so excited to be an aunt and so happy for my family. Babies are such a gift.

Although, just like life in general, it is hard not to compare the experience my sister just went through to the experiences of mothers here in Karungu.  I must admit, I was slightly aghast when I first saw the austere looking birthing table in the maternity ward.   But giving birth at St. Camillus Mission Hospital is a lot cleaner and safer than giving birth at home which is still commonly practiced.  Two weeks ago, inspectors from the Kenyan Ministry of Health visited the hospital and were impressed with the maternity ward’s environment & resources.  The fetal heart Doppler which was introduced by Christy (my CMMB volunteer predecessor) is a big plus because we can get an accurate fetal heart rate, and that means the difference between a good or bad outcome.

The differences in having a baby here vs. in the US or even Nairobi start way before a women comes to the hospital in labor.  Pre natal care is available at the hospital’s Maternal Child Health clinic, which includes counseling and testing for HIV.  So instead of having an ultrasound to find out if it is a boy or a girl, pregnant women here find out if they are HIV negative or positive.   If they are positive, it is actually a good opportunity for them to start treatment and for their babies to receive PMTCT (prevention of mother to child transmission) treatment after birth.

Once the mothers go into labor, getting to the hospital can be a challenge, their options are walking, motorbike (having contractions & sitting on the back of a motorbike on a bumpy dirt road – yikes!), or if they can afford it, a taxi. Then after they make to the hospital they are seen by the nurse/midwife, only if there is a complication is when the doctor is called.  So, yes, that means I help deliver babies – it is truly a miracle especially without pain meds!  I usually clamp and cut the cord (since the dad waits outside), suction the baby, wrap he or she up, and give a few welcoming words while the midwife finishes with the mom. 

It is amazing – no matter where you live!

Baby Jack, Happy 12^th day on this earth & I can’t wait to hold you!