In the month of May 17 babies were enrolled in our Baby Care program including (4 orphans, triplets, 7 babies whose mothers were critically ill and unable to breastfeed, and a baby whose mother was not producing sufficient milk). Two postpartum women were admitted (1 with ruptured uterus/hysterectomy, and another with severe infection). Nurses visited 154 babies and 15 women. 642 tins of formula were distributed.
Baby Admission Story
Jean was pregnant for the 4th time. This pregnancy was more difficult than the others. Her belly started swelling quickly and by the fourth month she was already feeling exhausted on a daily basis. The midwives seeing her during her prenatal visits suspected she had more than one baby (ultrasounds are not readily available).
There is no difference in the care offered to a mother carrying multiple babies. Jean received the same screenings, the same basic blood work, the same anti-malarial treatment, and same basic health education as other pregnant women. One, two, or three, she would meet her babies on the day of their birth.
Late in her 7th month of pregnancy, Jean attended her regular prenatal visit and the nurse who saw her was alarmed at her blood pressure. She kept Jean at the health center for observation for two days. As her blood pressure continued to climb she sent Jean to the district hospital for pre-eclampsia, where three small but strong babies were delivered by c-section that day. Jean named them Rahabae, Rebecca and Rachel. Jean was referred to Joyful Motherhood for additional support.
Mother Admission Story
19-year-old Cecelia was happy with her pregnancy and attended prenatal care regularly at her local health center. On April 17th she started feeling contractions and she was admitted for labor and delivery. Twenty-four hours later the contractions continued booming one after the other but her baby was not descending and her cervix was not opening. She was transferred to the district hospital. In the early morning hours of the 20th she had a c-section to deliver her 5lb baby boy. She went home with her healthy baby on the 21st. Three days later she returned to the health center complaining of abdominal pain and pus coming from the wound. The following day she had an exploratory surgery at the regional referral hospital; pus was drained, her abdomen was rinsed with saline, and she received 3 pints of blood. Amazingly, in spite of her traumatic birth experience, she continues to produce ample breast milk. Joyful Motherhood nurses will follow her to monitor her convalescence and offer support.
