Bringing Forth

Lots of media coverage over the eruption of Taal Volcano in the Philippines south of Manila. The Earth’s groaning as it spews forth sand, ash, rock and lava. Much like a woman in travail bringing forth her child, eventually there will be a calm. The groanings could be for hours or days but the calm will come. Sand landed here but today the air is breezy and clean. The volcano is 60 miles south of where I am located and although it has been spewing, the expected full eruption has not occurred. There are active volcanoes all over the World at the moment.

Once the child arrives here at Shiphrah, it is placed skin to skin on the birthing mother. As long as the baby has cried and looks to continue doing well it is untouched. No interruption for temperature, no touching with the stethoscope for getting heart tones and respirations. The baby is just left to be calm and rest while all of its senses are experiencing the newness and it begins to nurse. A new birth is not released on discharge for 6-12 hours depending on health status of mom and baby and time of day. Only then is the newborn exam performed. Very basic measurements and overall check head to toe and then the baby is bathed. The baby is then clothed and weighed with clothing and then given the vitamin K injection and erythromycin eye ointment. After confirming nursing, no bleeding, and both have peed and pooped the mother and baby are told to return in three days for their postpartum check.

You may have already read a stark difference in what they do versus what we do, especially in the hospital. The partner, companion or family will be the one to feed and stay with and care for the mother and her needs. One even mopped the floor after a birth on the floor with lots of amniotic fluid. Everything they do here is truly child and family centered.