Babies

Last week was pretty dull, but this week has been incredibly busy and it´s only Wednesday. I have been to a few meetings and it just seems like there is a lot happening in my little town, and a lot for me to get involved in.  It´s great, I´m glad!  But it means the next couple months will be very busy.

March and April have seemed like the month for babies.  We have had many mothers bringing in their new few day old babies.  Yesterday I had the opportunity to witness two brand new babies, born that morning being brought into the health post.  Both babies were brought in by people other then the parents, because the mothers had spent the night or morning birthing the baby and were in no shape to make it to the health post.  It´s so different here!  In the U.S. a baby is never born in the home unless they just come too fast!!  Most people want their baby born in a hospital with medical staff and all the fancy machines and medicines just incase anything were to happen.  But not here, the babies are born in the homes, usually by a community midwife or family. 

Since there isn´t a doctor that lives in the community, there is no other option.  I think at times, when avaliable the obstetrician get involved, but most of the time she isn´t near by either.  Then afterwards, the family brings the baby to the health post to make sure they are okay, and then they go back to their business. 

Another thing, was when a new baby comes into the health post the family must go buy the manila folder and fastners which will be the child´s medical chart in the health post.  I thought this was so strange.  The health post does not have materials to make charts, the family has to bring it.  What a crazy system!!

But it all makes me think how crazy we are in the United States.  Everyday these babies are born, and of course there are ones with complications, but many are just fine.  And they bring them in the world without all the fancy machines and stuff and they are okay.  Really, when a baby wants to come, it´s coming, we just usually try and make it to the hospital.  This is not to say that when I have kids I want to just have them on a dirt floor or straw mattress bed in my house, and let my neighbor handle all the birthing stuff.  I am going to want to be in a hospital...just in case.  But WOW!  we spend a lot of money on unnecessary stuff sometimes!