Cherishing the PostPartum Smiles

Cherishing the Postpartum Smiles

Hi! It’s Shannon from Jinja. It has been an incredibly interesting, rich and humbling week on our own since the preceptors left.  There have been many sad stories and many rich and poignant experiences. All the stories from our time here are beginning to weave together into an incredibly rich tapestry, full of many colors and textures. Now, while supporting a mom in labour and watching out the window at the families waiting for their loved ones with chai or mattokke; when I give the thumbs up sign to a dad or sister whose head is lingering just outside the window waiting for news and they grin back at me; or when walking through the post partum ward at the end of the day and giving hats to all the new babies; when witnessing a labouring mom of seven reach out to support a first time mom who is struggling through her contractions- my heart is full of Uganda. I know that when I leave here I will wrap the beautiful tapestry of stories around me and carry it home where it will always be a part of who I am as a midwife. 

This week has been very, very busy. The ward has been full. Some days it has been very noisy with many moms in active labor. Liz and I run from one mom to the next, supporting each other when we can, thinking quick on our feet and constantly being thankful for the tight team we have developed. I am very thankful when Liz brings me a plate of excellent food from the TASO. We just stop for a few minutes and then jump back into the action!  There are some moms that needed more attention, time and support, and then many other moms just push their babies out.  We have coined a new term.  “The GreenMorris Maneuver” is a skilled trick to catch a baby who is flying out with only enough time to glove one hand.  A complete “GreenMorris” means that two or three fingers may be in one finger of one glove.  Incomplete? Glove is fully on. However, the baby is safely and gently supported and does not hit the floor or bed.

My favorite time of day is on our way out of the ward when we stop to visit everyone in the postpartum ward. The evening sun streams in through the tall windows and lights up all of the families in the large room. The room is long and skinny; this week every evening has been full to capacity. Bright colors of fabric spill everywhere, children of all ages with wide eyes staring, several generations of women gathered on mats to celebrate the mother and newborn, providing care and food, newborns crying, mothers resting.  As we walk through the ward we look for the faces of the women who we have supported through their birth.  This is my absolute favorite part of the day because when I see the women smile in recognition I know it has all been worth it.  It fills me right up to know that despite language, cultural, economic and social differences we have been on a journey together. As they brought their child into the world, despite all challenges and barriers, we had the opportunity to witness and support.  Even though the labors can be hard and long and the women have very little, even though sometimes the babies do not survive or spend many days in the special care nursery, even though we are challenged by the treatment and struggle with finding supplies to help them, with sometimes only our hearts and our hands, we can still let compassion and empathy guide our work. They look at us through the pain of labor that is universal. Our touch, gentle care and soothing words have no language barriers. So, at the end of the day, we stop to sit with them, hold their babies, learn the names they have given them, meet the other family members and give a hat or blanket. Even the mothers whose babies have passed often still smile at us as we stop to check on them.  Then we wander out the door into the sunshine, a few more threads added to the tapestry, grateful for the day. 

A big shout out to all the people who supported my trip to Uganda.  Also, big love to my amazing family at home on Haida Gwaii whom I miss so much.

Shannon