May 18th 2011

May Thursday 18th 2011

We have not been invited to attend births or catch any babies since the initial drama with the "dystocia"

I figured if I was not going to have the chance to catch, (as I was not willing to PUSH myself on the Dr's) then I could spend time in the Nursery, learning how they do their newborn exams, as well as share the Midwifery Model of care in Newborn assessment.

I chummed up to the staff, and really had to work my charm to get them to warm up to me.

With granola bars, flower pens, notebooks, and other goodies...eventually they warmed to me.

We brought with our donations a big pile of surgical rags, I started putting a blue cloth in each isolette that was prepped for a delivery.

When a woman was ready to push, the OB would shout to the Nursery staff "COMPLETO!!" "PEDIATRICS!!" and the staff would then rush into the room with the prepped isolette.

I would nudge my way into the crowd, and stand at the mom's knee, as baby was delivered, I would ask them to delay cord clamping/cutting and place baby on mom's chest, as I wiped baby down and stimulated baby with the blue surgi-cloth.

Once baby was pink I vigorously crying or alert, I would gently transfer baby to the isolette and continue cleaning off baby as we transfered to the nursery. The staff eventually allowed me to take over in the newborn care, I not only administered the required meds and eye drops, but also did a complete evaluation, the staff would then stand over my shoulder and ask me what I was doing, I showed them the reflexes, the hip check, the placement of ears, nose and the passage of each nostril and baby 's suck reflex. They were interested in what I was doing and seemed willing to learn.

We made a great team. And really enjoyed each other's company.
(The granola bars and dum-dum suckers helped)
They asked me about my family, my religion and why I was there. They were very receptive and thrilled to know that we were not assuming superior care, and that we had a respect and admiration for their culture and their skills.