Prenatal Care in Ngora Hospitals

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Today was our first day working in the clinic. Yesterday we all went to the same hospital and were familiarized with things. Today we split into various groups and went to the three different hospitals. Brittany, Kristi and I went to Ngora District Maternity Unit. It is a free maternity clinic located across from the main hospital. In the morning, we started off by helping the nurses with the vaccinations for the babies. We were set up in a large lobby type area and all the mothers come in and sit together with their children. The vaccines they had were BCG (tuberculosis), DPT, PVC1, PVC2, and Measles. After around an hour, we were told we were needed more in the Prenatal area. When we showed up they had gathered around 30 mothers in a hallway area. They were educating them on prenatal care. They would speak to them in Ateso (their local language) and then we had a nurse who translated it to us in English. It was interesting how different some of the advice was from the US. The women were told to wear loose fitting clothes so that it wouldn't put pressure on the baby as it was in utero and hurt their growth. Another nurse told the women that if the father was fat or the other was fat the baby would be fat. It was also interesting how little the mothers actually knew about pregnancy. One women was concerned about eating more because she was worried her child would come out fat. After the advice was done we shuffled the women into another room and palpated the stomachs to find the head, butt and spine. Afterwards we used fetal scopes to find the baby's heartbeat. We also checked the women for varicose veins, took blood pressure, weight and height. Then we distributed prenatal vitamins and various vaccines. We continued this until lunch. After lunch we found out a woman had come in minutes after we had left and delivered her baby boy. We were bummed because one of the biggest things we will be doing in the ward is helping to deliver babies. We found out that the woman had delivered and decided she wanted to go home. She ended up leaving the hospital about two hours after she had given birth on a bota-bota (a motorcycle taxi). We were all impressed with this and the actual birthing process in general in Uganda. The women are amazingly tough. There is no screaming or crying ever. The women are quiet the entire time they deliver. They also have to provide all of their own equipment. They bring their bed sheets, blankets, and everything they will need to deliver. Quite impressive. I love how different things are and how simple everything is to the people here. Tonight we all met back up and exchanged stories. Some people saw OB-GYN type stuff, others hernias and hemorrhoids, a motorcycle crash and a couple are assisting in surgery tomorrow. Overall, everyone really enjoyed their first day. Tonight while we were at home a couple of the neighbor kids came up to the gate. I went out to chat with them and explore a little. It's pretty cute. You can tell they are always trying to practice their English and so you will typically hear the same phrases used again and again. I decided to go over to this rock across the road to hike to the top and take a picture of the sunset. its pretty funny because the kids will follow you everywhere. they are fairly shy at first and will keep their distance, but warm up after a while and will walk next to you. When I started hiking back down, the kids ran up and asked me to play some games with them. Immediately, I ran back to our guest house and grabbed a jump rope that I had brought for the kids over here. They thought it was the best thing in the world. It was hilarious. The children over here do not really have toys. At the huts the only real thing you might see is a ball or some books. They were having so much fun and laughing hysterically. It was so cute. It was such a great feeling knowing how much joy they had gotten out of something that simple.

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Comments

[Deirdre fahy]

thank you for communicating
wonderful to read your story. Please keep writing. Hi to Kevin.

[Keleen Harris]

Jump Rope Leaping Hearts
Hello Hope, Tonight Stanley and I settled down with our mac books to navigate your current entries. As we opened your blog we could see your mom entering upon our front steps (she actually came over to get to visit with Alyssa). Reading your blog and seeing the photos reminded me of the experiences of some of my Baha'i friends that have pioneered in the various nations in Africa. Your account of your pint size curiosity neighbors uplifted my heart on this hot summer evening. Hilarious giggling great leaping joyful hearts . . . Hope, you are eternally a bright light to so many souls. Oh the elegance in simplicity . . . Blessed day to you darling as I rest my soul your Friday has already begun and your brightness and service to others delivers long-lasting love. Oceans of Love, Keleen

[Debra E Johnston]

I, too, loved learning that there are many, many ways of being human on this planet, and that we all have much to learn from each other. Also it was great to see that one of the universal languages is play. Bringing a jump rope...what a great idea! Those children will never forget you. So very proud of you! xoxo