Days of recruiting participants, visiting clinics, and teaching at MamaBaby Maternal Center

Wednesday March 27 -Sunday March 31, 2015

These few days have been spent driving all over the North side of the country and visiting/recruiting participants from clinics and setting up times to teach. We have all but about three filled positions in the study, and many other clinics who were not on our original list have contacted us for teaching as well. I will stick to the list for the study; however, I do not want to turn people away when I have open time available, so after the study is over, I will still provide the lessons, but without the formal pretest and post-test, in order to provide education to as many people as possible. Our new translator, Sandra, is with us and I have the feeling she is going to do a wonderful job. She was born in Haiti, but when she was 9 moved to Miami where she was raised in the States. She only recently came back to Haiti to run her family's business and translate for several non-profit organizations just a few years ago. Her medical language understanding and English-Haitian translation is incredible. We are really lucky to have found her! 

Friday morning before we headed out to teach our class at MamaBaby Maternal Center in Vandreuil, Haiti, the nurse at the Rose-Merci clinic in Robillard came and got Gloria and I to help her deliver a baby. With limited supplies, only a table with stirrups, a trashcan to catch the fluid, and some basic medical supplies, me and one other trained nurse delivered a very healthy 6 lb baby at 1052 am. Momma did great with no complications and got up right after the delivery to wash up and change clothes. 

Assessing and dressing baby while mom rests from labor. 

Gloria, Magdala, and me posing with baby for a picture while she sleeps. I am looking forward to meeting her again and watching her grow up each time I return to Robillard through the years. 

After getting baby and mom all taken care of and settled in the room where they will stay the night, Gloria and I headed to Vandreuil to teach the midwives at MamaBaby Maternity Center. 

A nice breezy patio was lovely to teach the two nurse midwives of the clinic. Both have been practicing midwifery for over 15 years and have delivered many babies, and provide education to many women in their community.

Sandra and I having a laid back and productive teaching session with these ladies. 

Our dining hut at Notre Dame de la Merci. This palm thatched roof hut is where we ate amazing food for breakfast, supper, and  sometimes lunch if we were not on the road. Looks like dinner is ready!

Sunday was laundry day! Pardonnèy was the only male I have  seen do laundry in the village. After he finished, Bonette taught me how to hand wash my clothes with homemade lye soap.