Later on easter night

4-4-10 5pm

Trip to the hospital went well. I missed a lot of mamas & babies as most had already gone home. It could be the midwives took pity and let them go early as it is Easter. There were still a few of my babies there that needed a little more help. One was my 2nd catch from yesterday they kept her because she hadn’t pooped- oops that was my fault. I showed them how to do belly massage & bicycle to help with belly fussiness but also checked her chart to make sure I was remembering correctly, this little girl had pooped right after she was born all over her mama, and I didn’t chart it. I’ve gotten so lax at charting over here, they really chart so little but terminal meconium will not be left off one of my charts again. They also asked to name the baby Adrianna for me. That’s actually two baby girls born yesterday that will be named for me, what an honor.

I then went on to check in with the other mama’s whom were still there … One was still in because her little boy had yet to breastfeed, I had helped in her care early when she was admitted but she didn’t have her baby while I was there. I worked with her for about 20 minutes, I really think the baby is tongue tied, which when the baby’s frenulum is too short which prevents the baby from sticking out its tongue and often causes them not to nurse/ or nurse well. In the US this is often corrected by snip the tissue with surgical scissors, it’s quick and baby usually nurses immediately after & recovers quickly. Fortunately the pediatrician was in the ward so asked her to evaluate and talked to her about the procedure. I don’t think it is something they do over there, but I hope they do it. His mama is worried about him not going titi, as they call breastfeeding, and there is really nothing to lose. The doctor seemed sympathetic so I am hopeful, she may ask another doctor their opinion. If a different midwife had been on I may have talked to her about doing the procedure.

Next was one of my last mama’s it was her first baby and I am worried that she will not breastfeed often enough. I do feel for her though as she is probably quite sore, she was bleeding heavily and I was afraid she had a cervical tear since in Vila we practice active-management with pitocin (syntocin), and then they get a dose of methergine, so post-partum hemorrhage is very rare. The doc checked her with retractors to hold back the walls of the vagina, and after a 10 minute evaluation announced that it was just uterine bleeding. So she then got an IV drip of syntocin over the next few hours. Her baby was nursing fine but had a shallow latch, I showed her how to help encourage a better latch and how to take him off when he stops, but all in all I’m afraid she’ll have a lot of nipple pain.

So as it turns out I went to the hospital for baby checks, I was there for just over and hour. I escaped without getting wrapped up in admitting or catching babies. I’m proud of myself, as that is a challenge.

I then came back to my superior room at the Coconut Palms Resort, relishing in the air conditioning, and the mindlessness of cable tv. I proceeded to fall asleep for that nap I needed. I had planned to wake and splurge on dinner downstairs in the restaurant. The hours posted in the room were 6-10pm, but when I arrived at 9pm they had stopped serving, so back to my room for curried rice & lentils.

The entrance to the maternity ward- and me.

One of my Saturday Mama's


"Baby Adrianna with her sweet mama"

"And my sweet little toungue-tied boy- named Jaden"