Wow today has been pretty crazy! We were at a birth this morning but the baby must have been very distressed during the labour. He came out and didn't cry and the liquid which covered him was filthy instead of it being clear as is normal. He'd also been squeezed during the birth processing causing his head to be an odd shape. He was quickly taken over to the baby heater and Neil listened to his heart as I tried to clean him. Our efforts to stimulate him didn't work and so a little mask was put over his face and we breathed for him. Shubhro came and inserted a tube down into his windpipe to inflate the lungs better. The baby was still not breathing on his own. A cannula was put in to his hand and some drugs to stimulate him were given. One and a half hours later and he was still unable to breathe on his own. Everything else on examination seemed ok though. His heart was still going fast like it should do, he was flexing to pain, his colour was good. The father came in and was told of the situation and was asked whether we should stop now. He wanted to keep going. They have no baby ventilator here so the family had to be taught. 7 hours later and they are still going. This is really heartening for us because life is not seen as so precious here especially new babies-they can always make more! In places with a high birth rate infant mortality is not seen as much of an issue by families. It is so lovely to see this love and care for this new life.
We left them in the nursery and headed down to the antenatal clinic. Another eye opening experience. One of the women (just a girl really) looked no more than 12 or 13 years old! She was shorter than me by at least half a foot and had such a youthful face. Legally they can't get married till 18 and she was claiming to be that old for fear of being found too young. I just can't fathom what it must be like to be married and pregnant at such a young age. Other than that we heard some fetal heart beats today:success! and we are definitely getting better at working out the position. A very encouraging clinic for us. We are still adapting to the concept of the next 3 patients peering in and watching as you are with a patient. The one positive is that they know what to expect when it is their turn!
After lunch (which included some yellow coloured oranges) we headed back up to maternity to look over the new babies. 7 babies in one night meant that the ward is overfull. We are out of beds and clean sheets and some of the new mums are under the veranda. This time there was another cold baby. Neil was worried and now he is wrapped up in a wooly jumper and a wooly hat that were brought over from Scotland! He had gone back up to make sure that his temperature is improving.
J x
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