Days 1

I made it! :) After several hours of traveling and a little bit of sleep, we arrived in Manila around midnight last night. We got to Shalom clinic around 2am, and I went to bed around 4. This may have had something to do with the C2 I drank (caffeinated Green Tea = my replacement for coffee while here), and my body isn't quite sure about what's going on yet. Hah. Between the rooster farm below us and the three guard dogs chained below our windows this morning, the caffeine was necessary 2 and a half hours later. ;)

We woke up at 6:30am (6:30pm your time) to get ready for our clinical orientation, which began at 7. We walked downstairs (we sleep above the clinic) and were welcomed by 60 or so Filipino ladies waiting in line for their prenatal checkups, as well as nurses and midwives. We were shown around and met the woman who started the clinic - Ms. Mavis is 86 now, and a wonderfully sassy lady from England. We jumped right in helping take blood pressures, weights, urinalyses, hematocrits, listening to fetal heart tones, palpating fetal positions, and talking with all of these beautiful women. It was amazing to be a part of what a successful ministry this is here in Manila. The morning moved on pretty steadily as I helped in the check-up area palpating the baby's position and listening to fetal heart tones with the doppler - both of which I had never done professionally.

 However, around 9:30am things got a bit more interesting! I heard some commotion and a young woman running down the hall and the midwife I was working with jumped up from her chair and started walking out the door. I heard the word "labor" come out of her mouth and you can bet I was right behind her! :) We went to the delivery room and sure enough, there was a young Filipino woman there pushing away, just as silent as can be. The only way you could tell she was pushing was from the grimace on her face and beads of sweat on her forehead. Both of the midwives from the clinic looked at Katelyn (another nursing student) and I and asked if we wanted to assist. "Yes!" was our pretty enthusiastic reply. Another girl went to get gloves but they motioned Katelyn over and said she didn't have time if she wanted to catch the baby. It was coming NOW. Katelyn got her sterile gloves on while I was peering over her shoulder at the baby's head beginning to emerge. She got them on and placed her hand under the baby's head and with a couple more pushes it was out! Just like that... Fastest delivery I've ever seen! She was probably in the clinic 5 minutes when she delivered... Imagine what Doctors in the US would do if women came in that close to delivery. ;) Hah! Maybe I'll try it one day. :)

Katelyn also got to deliver the placenta and clamp the umbilical cord (they practice delayed cord clamping here, which I think is wonderful after doing research on it last semester. Anyhow, it was a beautiful baby girl, and the Momma did SO great. We found out later that her water broke in the car on the way to the clinic, speeding things along a bit. ;) A few different ladies were present with her, all with the HUGE smiles that seem to be so common here. Katelyn and I observed as the midwife fixed a laceration the Mom had endured - all with no pain meds and not a sound above normal speaking volume... What a trooper. Goodness.

We implemented the Golden Hour (recommended by the Dept of Health here). This is where the baby is delivered and goes straight up to the Mom's chest and stays skin to skin uninterrupted for an hour. I became so excited when I heard about this, as it is SO good for the mom AND baby! Not only does it help the baby bond with the Mom, it also helps the baby thermoregulate (the Mom's temperature will rise and fall naturally to keep the baby at a normal temp), helps promote effective breastfeeding, stable glucose levels, normal respiratory patterns, and reduces baby's stress. Why wouldn't we do it in other words? Raised by a mom who had natural home deliveries, the hippie side of me kicks in and LOVES this, as well as many other natural things they do here... :) If I stick around here awhile I may end up coming back for longer, or becoming a licensed midwife (who knows?!) After our first birth adventure, we all resumed our positions doing prenatal checkups, and then dispersed and helped organize meds upstairs and bombard the midwives with questions. :)

When we finished at the clinic for the day, we all loaded up and headed to Faith Academy (the largest school for missionary kids in the world). It's located about 20 minutes away from where we're staying and the Beck's (the missionaries who helped plan our trip) both taught here for many years. We ate lunch when we arrived and then were treated by being able to go swimming! This was a nice break for us, as well as a great way to keep us awake as our bodies are still adjusting to the time difference/lack of sleep. Needless to say, we've been spoiled on our first day. I can't wait to see what God has in store for the next 29!

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and support!

I love you!

Victoria