Fabella

Today was our first day at Fabella, the largest maternity hospital in Asia. This hospital caters to the poorest of the poor in the Philippines. Bravery is the theme that I see in this hospital. These women deliver in a room where maybe 6 other women are also in the same room delivering. The women are given a chance at this hospital to deliver in a safe, sterile environment (not on the streets or back allies where most devastatingly poor women choose to deliver), however in order to average 80 births a day, each woman is not able to get the care that a typical north American women would receive. These women deliver with no husband by their side or a pillow to rest their head. Privacy is something that is rarely seen. Julie Anne was an 18 year old that delivered today, she was a first time mom, I stood back and observed as the Doctor cut a full episiotomy and told her to push, in my head my first thought was an observational thought, then realized that the young woman on the other side was terrified, I rushed around and grabbed onto her hand that was clutching a white plastic rosary, I looked at her and a the look of panic was in her face. The delivery went on and she had a beautiful baby boy. After that birth I remembered why I felt called to be a midwife in the first place, to defend and support young teen women who need it most desperately.