Week 9 -Beginnings
This week we spent studying the moments of transition between the womb and the world for a newborn. The miraculous changes that take place in minutes and hours at the time of birth; changes that allow a baby to go from total dependence on mum and placenta to breathing air, circulating blood independently, reflexively suckling, processing all its own waste, thermoregulation in the outside world. Amazing. We learned newborn exams, neuromuscular exams to estimate gestational age when we jut don’t know for lack of antenatal history and care. This was the week I finally began to feel equipped. By the grace of God I will be able to do this.
Week 10 – Nourishment and watchfulness
Every birth, just as every rebirth at the cross, levels humanity to reveal our inherent, utter dependency. We need a Life Giver even before we need a Life Savior.
We studied breastfeeding technique, tips, hinderances, problems, etc. Just as in pregnancy and delivery, breastfeeding (or any neonate feeding) begins us in a place of dependency on another. Except that someone has given extravagantly to each of us, we could not be. Breastfeeding makes me think of Isaiah 58:10, as we feed another from our own bodies: “If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.” There is such a link, isn’t there, between the giving of your very self (not just something you have), and the depth of intimacy in a relationship? (Of course there are many things that can hinder breastfeeding, and that is a reality of life. There is always grace in our unique struggles. I’m speaking only of general created-order principle here.) Also, for any momma who’s breastfed or experienced engorgement, we can see how clearly we who have supply also deeply need “takers” to relieve us of our abundance. It’s too much for us to well manage without someone else to pour it into. As it turns out, there is always abundant desperate need for us to spill our abundant supply into. When we are the receiver of supply, we are sustained and alive. When we are the givers, we are relieved, so satisfied in the giving, and prepared to be filled again… To share again.
We also looked at neonatal death statistics. These, again, are shocking and incomprehensible to our western mindsets where every infant death is recognized as a great tragedy. 2.7 Million babies die in the first 30 days of life annually. They comprise 45% of all under-5 deaths. 2 million of these babies die in the first week of life. 1 million in the first DAY outside of the womb. Two infants less than 24 hours old die every minute. WHY? Not because of astounding levels of birth defects or impossible situations. Statistically speaking, 1 in 10 babies need basic resuscitation at birth as they transition into independent breathing and circulating. A few minutes of simple assistance at a critical moment will save their life; this can be performed by midwives at home if they are trained. Only 1 in 100 babies need any further intervention or higher level of care.
Even inside the hospital last week, our team encountered this precise situation. One of our students was faithfully monitoring a woman struggling with her labor. Just a couple of minutes before the delivery they lost the baby’s heartbeat. Hospital staff came to assist the mother in delivery, recognized the stillbirth of the infant, but in a busy labor room without monitors, were not attentive to the details of the situation or immediately receptive to the information given by our team. There was a substantial delay in resuscitation, but as the team pressed for intervention and we all cried out to God for this baby, resus attempt was finally made. They got a heartbeat back, and God gave this baby and its family the gift of another day. Due to effects of severe birth asphyxia, he died again the next day in the NICU.
We can’t help but wonder what would have happened if we’d been permitted to intervene immediately. If the 10 minutes were 2 minutes. How many babies die by the birth setting’s simple inability to attend, monitor, respond to emergent need? This is the place where minutes matter. As most of the world delivers without the luxury of computers and alarms and highly trained one-on-one care, clearly still many of these babies’ deaths are preventable. In our team of 14 here (including staff), there is one professionally trained nurse midwife, one nurse, and one PA minimally experienced in L&D. The rest began with “nothing” but the immeasurable grace of God, the passion to respond, and the diligence to persevere. This is not an impossible feat. In its 14 years of existence, BAS has delivered nearly 5,500 babies, assisted thousands more mothers, and resuscitated dozens of infants. One class, one year at a time, faithful.
The most devastating situations on earth simply need God’s people who are willing to say “yes” and do something by the grace and strength He gives abundantly. Be brave, trust Him to be the GOD He is. Ask Him what you can give, what you can do. It doesn’t have to look normal. It doesn’t have to look big. It doesn’t have to look sane. It won’t look the same as anyone else. But it matters. The power of GOD Himself He’s given freely to all of us who will follow Him, who will give Him our yes, is what changes the world. He is still the Creator and He is still the Savior. He’s still saving the world and speaking Light into the darkness. Love and life is who He is; goodness and justice is what He does. We are each invited.