I've learned that if I pray for it to be a busy day in the ward, I'm rarely disappointed.
It has been a couple of slow months in labor and delivery, which I'm sure the midwives are thankful for, but disappoints me. There is something delightful about killing time by holding babies. Seriously, I ask you. Is there a better way? Nope. However, I want to be hopping and productive the full 7 hours that I'm there! I prefer to move from one job to the next with no idleness in between. This has just not been the case of late.
So, I prayed.
And the Lord answered. My goodness.
Saturday was one of "those days" that my doula friend and I talk about for weeks after. So many things happened and we left sore, tired and happy. I love days like those.
I spent the entire day with a mama who lives in the village just next door to our mission compound. She was laboring with her fifth. When she was early, first stage we visited about her family and home. She had two boys and two girls but her oldest son, twelve years, was hit by a car last year and killed just outside our gates. It caused tremendous grief in our community. When she and her husband found out she was expecting again, they prayed for a son.
She labored beautifully. Of course, she was experienced and it showed. She didn't wail, thrash about and carry on like others. A contraction would sweep over her like a wave and she would simply pause mid-sentence to focus through it. When it was over, she'd pick up where she'd left off. As her labor progressed and the pain became more intense, she just stopped making conversation and I stopped asking questions. It was so pleasant to work with her because I didn't have to guess what might help relieve pain or relax her. She told me! When I started in on the back rubbing, she told me how good it felt and how much it relaxed her muscles. At one point, during transition, she told me to stop. A little later, she told me to rub again and told me where! She pointed right to where her pain was the greatest. And I've never received so much positive feedback about counter pressure as I did from this mama. She LOVED it.
In transition, she began to experience tremendous pain right over her pubic symphysis. I assumed this was the typical pressure felt as the baby's head descends, so close to crowning. But her labor dragged on and she failed to progress past 9cm. I encouraged her to use the bathroom as she had had several cups of water but still hadn't emptied her bladder. Her contractions were now so close to together and so intense, she didn't want to leave her little curtained area. The midwife came and catheterized her, but nothing but a few drips of very dark urine came out. They put her on saline hoping that it would give her some energy and increase her urge to push but this also did nothing to help and it seemed to increase this pelvic pain. I was very worried that she had a full bladder that was obstructing her labor and that the saline was just continuing to fill it, painfully. She talked of having pain during urination prior to starting labor and that she thought her husband had given her an STD. This would not be surprising as STDs are very prevalent among women here. The midwife didn't seem concerned. I, on the other hand, had spent several hours with this woman and was beginning to feel a little irritated at the relaxed approach to her care.
I suggested everything I knew to do to relieve the pressure. I even filled a glove with hot water, wrapped it in a nappy and held it against her, nearly between her legs. She said it helped and when she wasn't contracting, she held it there herself. When it got cold, she asked for another. Between my massages, she'd move the hot pack to her back. We shifted positions many times. At one point, I was squatting next to the bed in the corner and she was on her knees, her head in my lap. I was thanking God when she decided to move again because my legs had fallen asleep and I didn't know if I would be able to get up!
I was in awe of her ability to take command of her pain. She was also very receptive to my suggestions which was wonderful. So infrequently do I get to use my full repertoire! And despite her discomfort, we laughed together when she got frustrated and just started shaking her butt like she was doing the hokey pokey.
Meanwhile, my doula friend was bouncing back and forth between three women, all in late-stage labor. One had a uterine infection and the stench coming from her was almost more than any of us could bear. When her baby was born, the little girl smelled equally as terrible. Then this poor mama had a retained placenta and the doctor was nearly up to his elbow, trying to pull it out. It was unbelievable.
Toward the end of our time, my mama finally felt the undeniable urge to push and she buckled down, summoning every last bit of her strength, and delivered a huge, heathy....baby boy. God is loving. And joy of joys, she sells veggies at our gate market each week. I'll get to see her and her baby again!!
The day wouldn't be complete without a critter of some kind. My friend and I had stepped away to compare notes when out from under a mama's bet skittered a huge cockroach. We were standing there, staring at it, discussing what to do, when a midwife stepped past us, turned back and smashed it with the long-handled brush she was carrying. With a satisfied "Humph!", she kept on walking. Haha!
Tomorrow is the last day my friend will go with me. She's leaving the country on furlough. I'm so sad to see her go but am looking forward to charging into the fray with her for one last adventure! Many a time we've bumped along the road in the little white pickup, regaling her husband with tales of childbirth. We've seen so many things and loved on so many women and babies. She is compassionate and has an understanding about these women and their culture that I am still learning. The story of her own labor in that very same ward over twenty years ago is always received with gasps and tongue clicking. I never tire of watching the responses.
I've oriented two new ladies who are excited to start doula-ing in the ward. I'll show them the ropes in a couple of weeks. Stay tuned!
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