Visiting new mothers

In the morning on the way to Nakayot. 

The head TBA in Nakayot and Mark one of the the VHTs. 

Well, I went to check up on the birth attendants in Nakayot this weekend and the road was almost impassable. But I managed to get out to the village. They had nine births in the last seven days so they were happy to see me with new supplies.

Have you ever gotten so excited over boots, basins and a few small blankets?!

Our head TBA in Lormoruchbae

One of the mom they expect to deliver in the next few weeks getting her kit.  It has gloves, soap, a onsie, a few pads and a piece of plastic. That is all she needs to deliver. (Hopefully!)  

Delivered yesterday. These women never cease to impress me. 

The mom said she looked too bad for a picture but she let me hold her baby boy. 

Another  mom with her first born. 

How beautiful! 

Well, after visiting homes, the TBAs had identified two high risk mothers that they wanted to deliver at the hospital. Also, one woman who had delivered a week before but needed IV antibiotics due to puerperal sepsis. The hospital is hours away and all three of these ladies needed to be prepared to spend at least a few days there. So they had to take sorghum with them to sell. They don't have ready cash so seeds had to be carried to the town center. I understand this and I want to encourage independence but that meant 300kg of seeds in the back of my truck.  I really tried to keep the truck on the road but with all the weight in the back the mud was just too bad and we slipped off into the very soft "shoulder", repeatedly, and got stuck, repeatedly. Me and three ladies in no condition to push. (In the above picture we helped the third woman and her newborn into the shade. She was in no condition to even stand, let alone find branches and rocks to get us unstuck.) But we managed. It took me three hours to get from Nakayot to Lorangachora (a trip that should at tops take 45 minutes) but we got there and they sold their sorghum.  They each made about 20,000/= which is about $6.00. That they will use for everything, including their hospital bill for the next several days. Then they will walk for two days with their newborns to get home. But anyway, I'm off topic. Then we drove another hour to get them to the hospital. The septic mom threw up in my truck repeatedly so between the mud outside and the vomit inside I have some cleaning to do. But overall it was a good trip. Thanks for praying!