Alexandra Kim, Mia for short

Monday morning we got a call at 4:30am to go out on a birth. Magnolia was in labor, I was so excited about this birth especially, I have been doing continuity care with her since we first met in early February. We arrived to her house and she delivered at about 6:18 am to a beautiful little baby girl, who was later named Alexandra Kim, Mia for nickname. I was honored that Magnolia would name her little baby girl after us girls. Ah I was so happy, I started doing little baby Alex’s newborn exam when Magnolia asked Gerlene, My midwife, if little Alex was born with any deformities, she then proceeded to confess that two months prior tried to abort her baby. A look of guilt glazed her eyes, I felt even more honored to share a name with this survivor, I later told Magnolia that I was so happy that she had this little miracle, she smiled and agreed. Here's the deal, I'm not asking for sympathy for Magnolia, just understanding, if I didn’t know her it would be easy for me to think, how could she… but after meeting her, spending time in her home, she is as human as I am, and she did this out of disparity, why cant these women who are stuck in poverty have a chance to let life live, why does the cycle of poverty seem to never end with or without abortion? Why did she feel so trapped that choosing to take an abortive drug to dispel little Alex at 32 weeks of life seems to be the only answer? Magnolia is very special to me and a light in her little community, my hopes in writing this is not to get opinions on the issue of abortion, but more for us to look as these women as real women who feel trapped, desperate and just want a rescuer. Ah enough of that…Look how cute she is!