Here are 10 thoughts that I walked away with after a great day on Monday hanging out at the hospital and office with the OB-GYN...
1. Women giving birth
are amazing ALL over the world, but especially in places like Guinea where the
conditions are SO basic and there are no pain meds or fancy things like beds!
2. Speaking of beds,
giving birth on a birthing bed and NOT the floor - GENIUS! Who came up with
this? I feel like my back and knees are voting for this option!
3. Never realized how
MUCH easier it is to give birth when you are not dealing with the effects of
female excision (circumcision) and the resulting scarring. I knew it - but
seeing it up close and personal again was astounding!
4. Amazed by the
changes that have occurred it the 23 years (has it been THAT long?) since I
graduated from nursing school - especially in regard to babies who are born
prematurely between 34 -38 weeks.
5. Babies in America
are big! A HUGE baby for me in my deliveries is about 6 lbs. I was in a
delivery Monday where the baby weighed what most of my 3 month olds weigh in
Guinea.
6. Everything is SO
clean - where are the bugs, mosquitos, spiders, chickens? Running water -
amazing invention! Haven't done a delivery yet in Guinea that I didn't need a
shower right afterwards.
7. I wish I could go
back and tell my moms in Guinea that they needed to take 2 - 3 weeks of light
duty after giving birth. Also wish it was ok for them to eat red meat.... my
friends there have to wait 3 months... not sure the reasoning behind that
tradition.
8. SUPER fun to see
the emotions of mom and dad (and extended family) getting their first look at
baby. Where I live, grandmas and aunts and close friends get excited, but moms
are usually TOO exhausted to show much emotion (even though I know that they
love their babies) and dads are not allowed to be around during the process...
I cried a few times myself on Monday and I had never met these people before.
9. Forgot how it is
really the nurses who do 98% of the work in a normal delivery and the doctor
just shows up at the end for the best part! (Sorry to all you docs out there...
just being real. :^) ). Reminded me that I am blessed to do what I do because I
get to be involved in ALL of it.
10. Thankful for the
doctors, nurses, and midwife who were very welcoming and kind to this village
nurse - didn't make me feel silly for asking questions and were great teachers.
Blessed! Can't wait to go back.
