Catch #9

Praise Jesus!! Three beautiful babies were born last night! There is just one story to tell you though.  There were four of us, plus our supervisor on shift.  We were endorsed 4 labors, but one was sent home, which was later replaced by a very active labor who delivered very quickly.

My labor was doing very well.  This was her "second time around"and she and her husband were handling it like a pro.  They did excellent.  He was a great support for her through her labor and she was diligent to stay focused in the throws of contractions and keep on with labor stimulation.

Our shift came on at 10:00pm and by 11:34pm her precious baby boy was born!  He weighed 2900g.  So, that was my very happy night shift.

Kyn...so adorable.

Such a sweet family!

We all caught babies, me, then Ruth, then Maria!

Catch # 7&8

Hello!  So it has been a while, and well, time has been FLYING.  Since writing last I have caught two more babies.  You can read them both, but honestly, "#8" is far more exciting.  hehe.

Catch #7:

At endorsements (one shift coming on and one shift leaving) we were given a labor (maybe two?).  Joy was endorsing a labor, however, she wanted to stay and assist because  she had spent time with her all day.  Assist she did!  Shortly after endorsement we were both in the cubicle.  Our patient was ready to push!  After some very hard laboring and a little midwifery help, she delivered a baby boy. Precious Jusha.  Everything was fairly normal.

Catch #8 - The Exciting One:

Setting the Stage: It was Friday Swing shift and the Filipina Christmas Party was being held upstairs and overlapping the end of swing shift.  The supervisor on shift was also in a presentation, so she was a bit detained.  We midwives had some details of our own to take care of...so, needless to say it was busy!

After endorsements we had distributed the labors and postpartum patients accordingly.  We were all busily taking care of our patients.  My patient had wanted to go to the hospital, but had been talked out of doing so, early.  She was having a hard time laboring. One of the gals on shift had to run upstairs, so she asked me to just keep and eye on her labor and if anything happened to call her...quick.

So, after a few minutes I headed out to check on her.  All was well.  It was at that point that I grabbed my patients chart to go back in to labor with her that I noticed that, as it happened, I was the only one standing directly in the birth room.  Please understand, everyone is within ear shot...all the cubicles are just curtains separating, it's a hot country, so there are lots of windows.  It's just that I was the only midwife in that room at that moment.

Upon leaving my patients cubical a sound overcame all other sounds of the outside hustle and bustle of a Christmas party, "NARSSSSS, NARSSSS, NARSSSSS!"  So, I pop my head into the other cubicle completely expecting to just tell the patient that I would go get her nurse ASAP.  She and her bana expectantly looked and were releaved when the call was answered, but seeing as I was just going to go out she motioned so strongly that I obligingly went to her.  "Good idea," I thought.  This was I would be able to just to check on things and give Ruth (her midwife) a better account of the situation.

As it turned out, it was my turn to start yelling!  My check revealed a head sticking out.  Within moments gloves were dawned, my yelling continued, and a baby was born!  It wasn't exactly "ideal", but it was exciting.  The baby was a healthy baby girl born.  Her name is Rhian.  People began returning within minutes and we began working like a well oiled machine without missing a beat!

Although every birth is a miracle and it's obvious that God is truly the One presiding over it all, there are certain births that bring this truth to the forefront of everything else.  This was one such birth.  Just amazing.  Thank You Jesus for being in the midst of all I do!!

P.S. it was so crazy, I didn't even get pictures!  Hopefully at a baby check...pray I remember. :) 

So NOT code...

On a light note, this scene captured my interest the other day.  Here's a picture and then I can talk about it:

the "Hut"

My Vantage point from out balcony.

It's not clear if it is a new building being built or if it is an addition.  It's pretty hard to tell.  The only way to see it is from the balcony.  The street on the other side doesn't even offer a view of it.  For months they have been working on it.  You can watch the guys in their t-shirts and shorts (and flip-flops) sometimes boots or jeans working on it day after day.  They sodder with little protection, just the norm.

Do you see the big blue tarp in the top picture.  That one is new.  Apparently, as noted by the clothesline, that is their temporary living quarters!  It just made me laugh.  Oh dear, the things that are just normal.  No one is going to complain, no one is going to notice, it's just what is done.  Of course, no one is living in that building except the workers.

Just one of the many distinctions.  It usually just makes me shake my head and laugh.  It's highly practical.  Why go home just to return tomorrow?  Who cares if you work a little late into the night?  Your already "home" even if it's temporary and it's a construction zone.

There's a little glimpse of the daily surroundings!

Jusha - Precious Baby Boy

Last night, after just an hour and 19 minutes of being on shift a precious baby boy was born into my hands at 11:19pm.  He weighed 3100g. His mom did great even though she had two previous births which had required episiotomies going against her.  Last night she did it all on her own without even a tear!  Hopefully they will come tomorrow for their "one" day (they had to spend the night due to the late hour, so really he's already 2 days old!)  That will be a better time for pictures.  She had quite a bit of bleeding, which required some extra care and of course she was a little more tired.

The parents were so sweet.  Especially the dad.  There have been many sweet couples, but he has thus far topped every dad here yet with his tenderness and attentiveness to his wife and baby boy.  It is their third, so he happily gave the baby a bath (although, I do love giving baby baths and teaching new parents.  It was precious to watch his joy.)

Here is a picture of the little guy:

Jusha (pronounced Joshua)

Pictures!

Even with the rainy weather the one day baby check for Kelly came. :) She is so cute at just over 5 lbs. 9oz.  Was rather sleepy, but looking cute as ever.  Her mom is doing great.  She was all dressed up and looking good.  Here's a couple pictures.

Say-Say, Me and Kelly (who couldn't resist a stretch!)

Just so sweet.

Her footprints.

Heart Hugs from Jesus

Maayong Buntag!  (Good morning)

As i was enjoying my quiet time with Jesus this morning my heart was so very blessed that it is cool.  Like, actually cool.  Hence a cup of hot tea.  Mmmm.

So, I savored the cool of the morning.  The skies are overcast and it rained most of yesterday.  Just a peaceful, constant rain.  Of course, my laundry on the back line didn't dry.  That will have to move to the front line, which is sheltered from the elements!

As I pondered the cool morning and know that this cool season may last for a while or it may change tomorrow.  In fact, it may change today as of yet.  My heart overflowed with thankfulness to my Saviour.  He loves me with a deep love, the depths of which cannot be fathomed.

 "My soul, wait silently for God alone,

         For my expectation is from Him.

  He only is my rock and my salvation;

         He is my defense; 

         I shall not be moved."

- Psalm 62: 4-5

This has become a dear Psalm to me as He is teaching me to daily seek Him in every aspect of the day.  A dear friend and I used to "meet" every other week for tea and prayer.  We did this over the phone, but we always drank tea!  She would always ask how the Lord had hugged my heart.  A fresh, the Lord is causing me to seek Him and pay attention to the "Heart Hugs" He daily gives me.  What a joy it is.  

Yesterday:

- Had a wonderful birth

- Entered the Throne Room often to lift up patients and friends.

- Had a baby named after me.

- Was able to make it through a loong day.

- Gave everyone in class a little laugh as people popped up on Skype to chat, but we were using skype for class, therefore, I could't really chat.

- Skyped with my parents who are en route to Ecuador.

Today (as of 8:00am)

- absolutely LOVING the cool.

- filled with His joy for the day.

- Waiting with great expectation in Him.

- Had lovely Christmas emails
- Enjoying Grove Shark for some Christmas tones (usually the internet is too slow!)

This was on my heart to share with you because He is so faithful.  Even when I don't "see" it or "feel" it.  He is there.  Thankfully, I don't determine His faithfulness.  Whew.  In the midst of learning this, I sure do loose focus and am not always resting in Him, yet, He still pursues me with an indescribable passion.

Blessings to you that you might seek His face and wait on Him with great expectation.

*So, it's still warm enough for shorts, but cool enough for a jacket and hot tea! 

P.s. here is the box my brother and sister-in-law sent...well, they didn't send the current contents.  Ate Elsa is sitting in it.  She is an amazing midwife who is actually an Engineer by education and career, but now works as a midwife.  She's a HUGE blessing.

Honk goes the Taxi!

We have some of the most experienced taxi drivers. They now how to pull up quickly and efficiently while honking their horn to let us know they are arriving with a labor...and sometimes a car that needs cleaning from, well, a car delivery.  It happens.

This morning there was a precious baby whose mom and dad came in one such honking taxi.  She had not given birth yet, so we quickly moved her from taxi to clinic with the aide of a wheel chair.  Just 19 minutes later at 8:06am a beautiful baby girl was born.  The parents both did great.  It is their second baby (their first child is also a girl), but that doesn't always insure an easy deliver or calm parents.

This birth is special for so many reasons, but there are two reason that stand out from the rest.  One is that this is my first baby girl.  She is just 5 days short of being a "term" (at least 38 weeks) baby, but is doing great, praise Jesus.  Secondly, she is named after me!  As was the turn of events for the day, I wasn't even there when they named the baby.  I don't know if they know how much it astonished or blessed me, but it sure did! My prayer is that this little Kelly Zell (yup, she'll have two first names) is a bold warrior for Jesus.

Everyone here has said that at some point you will probably have a baby named after you or you might be asked for a suggestion for the name.  This still surprised me.  Woo!

While I did remember my ink pad to get foot prints of the baby for the parents and me, I forgot my camera. Someone even said I could use theirs but I got so busy...well, hopefully they will come tomorrow for their baby check and we can grab a few snapshots then! They really love to have pictures taken and then we try to print them out for them because that is really their only remembrance of their baby's birth.

That's the latest from "The Birth Room."  God bless each of you!

Chit-Chat all Ends in a Baby!

On November 30 a few volunteers and i were manning the birth room for Swing shift.  It was quiet.  So quiet in fact, that we were each doing our own thing in between little bursts of conversation or laughter as we passed the time.

Soon enough a labor came in.  She came with just her mother and had left her bag of supplies at home, so after establishing that she was already BOW Rup (bag of waters ruptured) we sent her mom home to get the supplies.  In the mean time we had her begin some labor stim.

It was so quiet that I walked outside with her for a good 40 minutes or so, back and forth on the street in front of the clinic.  She chatted away in Visayan.  While I didn't understand her perfectly, it was enough to be able to follow her stories and occasionally ask questions.  Her contractions were just 15 minutes apart and very mild.  Oh, and this was her seventh baby.  We talked about her previous births and how the last two were without hardly any pain, which meant very little warning for her.  How they used to have a karenderia (little restaurant/eatery) in front of their house and now how their kids are growing and learning to have responsibility at home.

Eventually, we headed inside for dinner and her mother and husband (bana) arrived.  For the next few hours, she labored outside with her bana and mother.  She was so nervous that the baby was going to drop out on the floor that she had to move into the cubicle.  So, she did.  I continued to check vitals on the hour or as seemed needed.

Finally at 9:11 after just a minute of pushing a beautiful baby boy was born.  They are now a family of 6 boys and 1 girl.  She did so well for being so nervous.  So lovely!

That's the lastest on the birth room. Thank you all for praying.  The clinic has to be covered in prayer.  We always recognize that without Jesus we certainly cannot help any women through this miracle of bringing new life into the world.  There are sad days, sometimes, not often, but sometimes.  We did just loose two babies.  One was a still born and one died shortly after birth due to respitory complications.  Regardless of all we can do, ultimately, God is Sovereign and we must recognize Him through the sad times and the joyful times.  Please keep praying!

Here are a few pictures: