The Culture

I had to share this excerpt from Jeannie's (neonatal nurse) blog, since she captures the culture so well. Enjoy!

"Life is sure different here. I spend most of my days hanging out in the delivery room, watching woman after woman go through labor and give birth. Here are some of my observations:

Most of the women here have been circumsized, which leads to extra pain and birth complications. The women here are expected to be stoic and not cry when they are in pain and most of them accomplish this silent birth. Of course an epidural or even an occasional pain med is out of the question. The mothers ( the fathers are no where in sight) do not seem very happy when they first see their baby. I have been told that is because so many of them die and they are afraid to get attached. But after a day or two the attachment is there. In the non-complicated births, the mother will stay one day sleeping on a stretcher with her baby at her side and be discharged the next day. If the baby needs to be observed or treated, he will stay in a bassinette or home-made incubator next to the mother's stretcher until the baby is well enough to go home. The mothers do all the care except for IVs and medicines.

Babies do not wear diapers. The cost is $1/day. Another $2 if the baby needs oxygen. The baby will not be released until the bill is paid. When a baby dies, as many of them do, the mother is not supposed to cry. I witnessed 4 nurses yell at a grandmother start to cry as she watched us being unsuccessful in resussitating her baby. She stopped crying immediately, because that was what was expected of her. I snuck a hug to her when no one else was looking. It must sound to you as if I do not like these people, and that can not be farther from the truth. They work hard, with very little rewards, they make the most of their life with what little is offered, and they have welcomed us with open arms."