This blog is all about a sweet baby boy still with
no name.
Births. Births here in Honduras are filled with
drama. Do we have the baby at home? Can we even afford the hospital? Do I take
these vitamins? How will I pay for formula? Should I get an abortion? Who will
take my baby once its born?
Unfortunatly, safe sex and planned parenting are
not taught or talked about like they should be. Women suffer. Entirely too
much. Many times sexual relationships are forced because they feel they “have
to” or they are pressured into it. There is so much confusion. Everyday I talk
to women and I hear more and more stories of their relationships. These
conversations are just normal now. “My husband is abusive” “I want to leave but
I have no where to go” “I stay with my husband because of my kids”…
Everyday I have these conversations and everyday I
see more pregnant women. Just the other day a pregnant women was on the bus on
her way to the hospital…IN LABOR. By herself. There was no one with her. I know
too many 14-15 year olds with babies. Many of them impregnated by older men.
Some twice or triple their age.
On top of the struggles that go on at home. Just figuring
things out in the labor part of pregnancy is difficult. Here is Miladis story:
This is Miladys 9th baby. Eight of the
kids are from the same father. This is rare. Very rare to have the father stick
around but also for so long. No, her husband isn’t perfect. He can be forceful
with his kids, hitting them for something silly or taking out the belt to teach
them a lesson. He has his faults.
About 2 months ago, Miladis said she was feeling a
weird sort of pain and wanted to get an ultrasound done. We found out she would
be having yet ANOTHER boy (only 2 are girls). Nothing was wrong.
About 2 weeks ago, her water apparently broke. She
was losing constant fluid. She called one night saying that would be the night.
She was having contractions. Three days after her “water broke” still no baby.
It wasn’t until we were talking to my sister and another nurse in town that
things could be bad. That if for sure her water broke, the baby could die from
being suffocated inside, almost “stuck”. Well, Haille and I didn’t know any
better. We immediately went over to her house at about 8:00 at night and said
we needed to go to the hospital. She was hesitant. Apparently in the hospital
there has been an infection killing babies and sending other children to a
bigger city for intensive care. We finally convinced her that if she didn’t go
that night, her baby could be dead before morning. So we went to the hospital.
We told Miladis we would cover all expenses, obviously, since her husband Alex
was out of a job and they have no money to their name. Our charge to be seen at
the hospital was 5 lempiras. That’s 25 cents.
The nurse in the ER told us she just had a
bacterial infection and that we needed to go to the clinic to get an ultrasound
done to check on the baby. So we took a taxi to the ultrasound place. Its now
about 10 at night. The doctor that does ultrasounds wasn’t in. But if we paid
the after hour fee, they could call her in. So we decided it was worth it, we
had to. The receptionist called. However, because of a gun shoot out in the
doctors neighborhood she was too scared to leave. So we went home as well. The
next day we went back for the ultrasound. The baby was fine but this time had
the cord wrapped around its neck. Miladis lost some amniotic fluid but nothing
that harmed the baby. The doctor didn’t know what the water could have been
that she lost.
Finally last Sunday, Miguel shows up at the house
in the morning. This time for real she is in labor. As Haille and I were to
deliver the baby, we threw some things together, hopped on our bikes and sped
over. Baby number 9 were thinking is going to come pretty quickly.
But, we waited. And waited. And waited. Still no baby!
By this time Miladys (who is also a midwife) was starting to get a bit nervous
thinking maybe there is a problem. Luckily some EMT’s from Denmark were in town
so I called them over to just check on things and advise us on whether or not
we should go to the hospital. Well, they said we should.
The ambulance was called. Miladis was off and the
rest of us were to find a taxi and follow behind. We met them at a private
hospital (since the public one is basically worthless) only to find out they
would charge about $1,500. We put her back in the ambulance (remember having
constant contractions this entire time) and the rest of us flagged down another
taxi. Off to another private hospital. Luckily they charge $200 for a normal
birth.
Miladis is transferred into a room to wait until
its time to deliver! We were able to be with her. This was not the state I
enjoyed to see her in. Her contractions got more and more intense. As they are
getting closer and closer together I can tell she cant take it anymore. During
one contraction she yells “Catalina!” Gosh, did my heart just about die.
Finally its time! She is carted away and we wait.
Not 20 minutes goes by and we hear crying in the hallway. He is born! A new
child of God enters our world at 7:40 pm. The next morning Haille and I go back
to the hospital to take mom and baby home. Unfortunately we had to wait longer.
Miladis was losing too many blood clots for her to be safe to go home. The
nurse said that if she had had her baby at home, she might not have made it.
(This was Miladis first birth in a hospital)
Finally they say we can leave. Once we arrive back
at the house, everyone wants to see and touch the baby. The youngest, Alyson,
notices a change in her mom immediately. Jealousy ensues quickly.
After all the drama and scares, everyone is home
safe and sound.
Here are a few pics of this little bundle of joy.
Alex having a cigarette to calm down
Just minutes old!
Going to see the baby!
Alex guarding the door to make sure no one steals his baby
He's just a little hunny!
Apparently this outfit doesnt fit
Beautiful momma!
Everyone wants to see the baby!
