Tuesday, May 14, 2013

one week. three special babies.

Life lately in the Phils has been busy. From learning CPR, Neonatal Resuscitation, IVs, and a million other things this month to having some busy shifts, I am one tired midwife. But more than tired, I am blessed. Oh am I so so blessed. Read about my last few birthroom shifts.

Just last Wednesday, May 8th, I worked a day shift (6am-2pm). I had an assignment due, an IV written test, and my practicum for IVs too. Luckily, we were fairly slow on shift, so I had time to study, take my test, and then make it upstairs to successfully insert an IV into my classmates arm. I headed downstairs back to the birthroom to do a checkup for a past patient and her baby. It was fun chatting with my patient, Ching (see a few posts ago for a picture of her) and seeing her 6 week old baby. Just as I was done, I checked my phone and my continuity patient, Joy-Joy had texted me and said her labor pains were unbearable and she was on her way to the clinic. Now I had been waiting a good two weeks for this text, because I really wanted Joy to deliver, but I was already very very exhausted. Sure enough, about 20 minutes later, a very disheveled and in pain Joy arrived. I checked her in, barely able to take her vital signs because of her frequent contractions. After checking, I found Joy's cervix to be completely dilated and just a little bit later, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Yvonne Marie. ;) It was my first continuity patient to deliver, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Even though I was quite tired, I was thankful that I was already at the clinic, because if I had been elsewhere, I may not have made it to catch her baby! She the pictures below of JoyJoy and her baby girl!

Just a few hours after birth. Love these two!

Aww sweet, sweet girl.

 This is Joy's mom, the baby's Lola (grandmother).

Sweet little girl, wearing some clothes that were sent in my last box!

Joy, Yvonne Marie, and I at her 1-day baby check-up!
The next day, Thursday, I was scheduled for another shift. I was expecting a quiet shift, and since I had just caught a baby the day before, surely I wouldn't be first up to catch again. Well I wasn't first up, but we did have QUITE the shift. A labor came in, I asked her to wait, as we were busy about to transport another mother who had just given birth to the hospital. When I got back, my patient was sitting there, not seeming to be in painful labor. I checked her in, and found her cervix to be 4 cm dilated (fully dilated is 10cm). I advised labor stimulation and for her to have dinner. Her bana (husband) purchased dinner and the two ate just outside the birthroom. Less than an hour after I had checked her in, I heard yells outside. I found my patient to be very active and got her straight into the birthroom. Her baby was born just a few minutes later. It was one of the quickest labors I have seen! She gave birth to a very tiny baby boy, weighing only 1900 grams (4lbs 3 ounces). See pictures of Inday and her baby boy below. I ask you to pray that this little boy would grow, grow, grow as he has been consistently 1700 grams (3lbs 12 ounces) at his last two checkups. (It is normal for a baby to lose weight after being born, and then gain it back, but he is just so tiny already!)

Inday and baby Junior. He is so tiny!

Baby boy at his 3 day checkup
On the same shift that Junior was born on, we had 4 babies total born! The last baby that was born on our shift was born outside the clinic in a honking taxi. My supervisor helped birth that baby, but we moved the mom inside the birthroom where I delivered the placenta. What a crazy shift!

And I also worked this past Sunday. I was for certain once again that I would not be catching a baby, seeing as how I have caught 2 just days before. However, we were once again endorsed a busy shift. I was happy to labor and help deliver my patient's baby. Arlyn gave birth to her third baby, L-Jay, early on my shift. I was thankful to be her midwife, because she is an outreach patient from Isla Verde, the area that I visit for outeach prenatals. I had done her first prenatal of four. It was especially sweet to experience a birth on Sunday because it was Mother's day! What a cool experience I was blessed with! Here is baby L-Jay.


Baby L-Jay
Life is busy with all the things happening here. And now I am gearing up to head to the bukid (mountains/rural areas) to help with a Nehemiah Team--medical team for the month of June. I am so thankful that my life is busy with this work. I love every second of it. :)

Thanks again and again and again for your prayers and support. I know God is so faithful to hear your prayers and bless His work here because of them. Continue to pray for my patients as well as for me, as I do outreach in June and also am trusting God for the funds to finish out my second and final year here. (See my last post about Adopt-a-birth to help me reach my goal of 15 by the end of May!)    Love you each and all,

Midwife Brittany



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