Beanies are given out…

Thursday, 26 June 2014

I wanted you all to know we gave out the beanies today (some of them and the baby socks) it was such a moving and beautiful (mnzori in Swahili) privilege and the mothers were so grateful and so humble – they have so little it was received with tears, laughter ….lots of hugs and mostly of all the joy on their faces when they showed us the wee babies.

We have Swahili lessons three nights a week, which is hilarious, but a must to really immerse yourself in the language, which is to know a people, they are wonderfully generous of spirit and we have had some laughs.

Chase is with me on labour ward… It’s a room with 8 delivery beds plus two observational beds or high risk beds.
There is an antenatal pre-labour ward which is effectively a booking place and you assess the patient – start a partogram (special chart for labour and delivery) – it’s a very busy ward.

Mothers all in labour waiting for a bed

There are 80-120 babies born every day, which I know defies belief but its true – the mothers travel far and wide.

The sisters on the ward – Midwifes – they are highly skilled and care for a great deal of women every day and see every imaginable pregnancy outcome, and they have full days. There is no tea room or break room , because they never have a break on shift – there are few lulls in the constant stream of mothers.

Post Resus…Good outcome…

There is no tea room or break room , because they never have a break on shift – there are few lulls in the constant stream of mothers.

Beanies and Baby Socks

The midwifes are incredible and they deal with many many difficult cases – there is a ward round twice a day during the morning shift and about 2.30 – 3.00 pm – decisions are made on progress.

Communications can be a challenge with broken English and Swahili all mixed in together – –  my Swahili is limited to words like Push = Sakuma….stop ( acha) , breath good  relax, darling, beautiful baby, sorry, slowly slowly – etc etc.

But let me tell you all the best part of today…

So the baby’s beanies and baby sox’s…..I am not sure I can convey in words the generosity and love you all gave in your gifts of money, equipment – baby clothes, knitted beanies, it was a beautiful and very moving privilege today  – they soaked up today the love and Golden strands of love infused into every stitch knitted or crocheted for them….the mothers…. – given by you all as total strangers 1000’s of miles away – each stitch infused with love and these gifts for me were just a breath away from being one of the moments in one’s life when you are glad your own dreams came true – that I have a profession that allows me to connect to my fellow midwifes a world away from home – being a helicopter pilot – pure freedom and professional growth – and our business which is a sum of stunning people who work within its whole mechanism ….without the success of so many of our team in making the company what it is today – I would have been able to be here …

Bucks wife Lilly – and her baby socks  a big big hit ….they loved them so will have to get the pattern specs – with one of my mother’s whom I delivered her baby.

The popular beanies – these ones from Kayla and Granny Helen

Chase with new born baby

One thing I bought that Becker Helicopters donated was educational material in Swahili and resus babies for practise, booklets.

It was amazing as we went through the golden minute – the babies first minute of life – and it’s a helping baby’s breath program to assist health care workers ….the charge sister ( they still call them that here)  she ran a teaching session with all her staff during the lull we had that day – …the posters were placed on the walls, student were trained during the day by their tutors…I was very moved and proud to have provided this training material all from a USA sponsored initiative and was so involved in the teaching of these students because there are so many resus everyday. I got involved with the teaching and created such a buzz with the words

The Golden Minute -it is now a passion of mine to teach this Helping Babies Breath program (HBB) – I will be returning in October to do more teaching.

Golden minute – the babies first minute of life –
and it’s a helping baby’s breath program to assist health care workers

Its back to our roots as midwives – when it matters what we have as core skills and core anchors in our profession…..to be able to pass that torch to the next generation of midwifes.

….anyway I must away….internet is woeful here – staying at a local hotel on weekend to catch up on work back home and hope to get this email out before then but they don’t have hotspot or free Wi-Fi here.

With Much love and heartfelt thanks,

Jan & Chase

(Dar es Salaam,Tanzania)