In the month of September 8 babies were admitted into our program (5 orphans, 2 babies of critically ill mothers, and 1 baby whose mother was not producing breast milk). One woman was added this month to our mother care program. 148 visits were made to see sick moms and vulnerable babies in their homes.
Baby Admission Story
Baby Doreen pictured above with her grandmother was six pounds at birth. Her 17-year-old mother took home a healthy baby girl after just one day in hospital. Doreen’s mother’s nipples are flat and Doreen struggled to latch and nurse, which is not uncommon. With the support of her grandmother and her mother’s perseverance, Doreen was able to get enough milk to support her growth. However, her mother was unable to empty her breasts completely and after a couple weeks, she developed mastitis in both breasts. The mastitis progressed to abscesses and then eventually the abscesses ruptured. At that point Doreen’s mother had to be hospitalized to treat the severe infection and she had to stop nursing. Unfortunately, there is no comprehensive postpartum support for women in Malawi and there is no lactation support apart from that offered by family and community members. Once Joyful Motherhood nurses learned of the struggles experience by Doreen and her young mother, both were admitted into our programs.
Mother Admission Story
Tiyamike was pregnant with her second baby. All went well in her pregnancy, she was healthy and looking forward to holding her baby. Her labor was difficult, a clinician attempted to assist her delivery by vacuum extraction but when this failed she was delivered by c-section. Her baby boy cried loudly as he was lifted from her womb. Two days later she started to show signs of a severe infection eventually she was transferred to the referral hospital and her wound was reopened. When surgeons peered into her open abdomen, they saw a necrotic uterus and immediately initiated a total hysterectomy – uterus and ovaries gone. Tiyamike was discharged home to her village, still in weak condition. Joyful Motherhood nurses enrolled her and will continue to follow her throughout her convalescence.