Baby Catcher

It's true, I'm officially a baby catcher. I delivered my first baby yesterday, June 2nd, at 1:11 am. The first of many! Odilia told me I am the first student to ever be brave enough to deliver a baby - and she has had students for five years! This is how the story goes:

Maria Luisa, who isn't due for another three weeks (but Odilia predicted she would go early) called Odilia around 10:45 pm on Friday night with contractions. Santos woke me up and I thought it was like 5 in the morning, but really I had only slept for an hour! It was weird because I couldn't fall asleep at first because I was thinking about when the next birth would be - then it came that night. When we got to Maria Luisa and Jacobo's house, Maria Luisa was so calm and not making a single noise during contractions. Her labor was almost the opposite of Petronila's. I provided labor support, showing her moves to do on the bed and standing to speed up the process. Odilia was still numb from the injection she had received that afternoon, so I did a lot of the demonstrating and physical support. I loved being more involved in this birth. When she was fully dilated around 1 am, she only pushed for a couple of minutes before the baby popped out and into my arms. It was a truly incredible moment and full of adrenaline! Odilia calls the first minute the "minute of horror" because you never know if the baby is going to cry right away or not. She quickly suctioned out the mouth and nose as I wiped its face and body off and it started crying right away. I wrapped it up in blankets and put it on Maria Luisa's chest after clamping the umbilical cord and cutting it. I couldn't believe how tough the umbilical cord was to cut through! Maybe the scissors just weren't that sharp... 

After the baby was born, I was pulling on the umbilical cord to try to get the placenta come out, but it wouldn't budge. Odilia did some feeling around and the uterus was still very large - that's because THERE WAS ANOTHER BABY INSIDE!! All of a sudden Odilia held up two fingers to me with big eyes and told me there was a second. I couldn't believe my luck! The mom had even gotten an ultrasound and they couldn't tell there were two babies. What an incredible surprise to us and the family. I felt bad because Maria Luisa had to push again after she had already had one baby - but after more pushing out came a second one! Odilia caught that one because she knew it would be smaller and might not be breathing right away. She wiped off its body and suctioned the mouth and nose and hit its feet a couple of times before it started crying. The two minutes before it started crying was scary but she was a normal color and looking around curiously so I felt safe that it would start breathing quickly. After being wrapped up and put on mom's chest, she delivered the placenta (only one) with a division in the sac and two umbilical cords. Very cool to see!  Twin baby girls, what luck!! The first was born at 1:11 am and weighs 5 pounds and the second was born at 1:43 and weighs 4 pounds. And they are soo adorable. The whole family was so happy about the twins - after the birth the girls' aunt and grandpa came in the room and were shocked there were two newborns crying. Maria Luisa was doing well after the birth (didn't pass out) and both girls latched well and breastfed. It was the first time Odilia had ever delivered twins at home and she's been a midwife for 15 years! So there you have it - my first birth story.

Before the birth Odilia and I taught Jacobo, the dad, how to use my camera so we have some pretty awesome action shots. I am only posting the "appropriate" ones here, but feel free to email me (erwelch@wisc.edu) if you want to see the actual birth ones! 

Our equipment

Providing labor support

Before pushing - helping Maria Luisa through a contraction with breathing exercises and physical support

Caught my first baby!! 

The second girl

The first girl (that I caught)

Weighing the first baby girl - 5 pounds

I got to dress the baby for the first time - so tiny and cute!

Odilia is cauterizing the baby's umbilical cord with a candle to prevent infection from entering

The baby I delivered :)

It doesn't fail that yet again, after a long night and getting home at 4 in the morning, we have something to wake up for the next day - the wedding! Odilia and Santos' goddaughter got married so I got to go with them. I wore traditional Guatemala clothing which wasn't as uncomfortable as I imagined - the shirt, skirt, and apron. We first went to the bride's parent's house where there were a lot of people praying at an altar for the happiness of the couple. I went into a room with the bride, Odilia, and some other women of the family to get the bride ready. It was Odilia's job as the godmother to dress her and put the veil on that she bought for her. I was expecting a white dress - but no, just the traditional skirt and blouse - but a specially made one that the husband buys for the wife. After she was ready, we drove the microbus and Tono (a son) drove the school bus with a bunch of guests riding inside to the big church in Tecpan for the ceremony. I was surprised when there were four other brides and grooms in the front pew of the church when we got there - five couples were getting married at the same time (more economical and time-efficient) There was a sermon and communion, then all five couples stood and each took turns going through the giving of the ring, vows, etc, until all five were officially married. Afterwards, each couple took turns taking pictures at the altar and I got a few. Then, we drove in the bus and microbus (newly decorated with streamers and balloons) to the husband's parent's house where the bride will now live. There was a big party there with tons of guests, a band, and a big lunch served. Kind of similar to an American reception, but still different! I was so exhausted from only sleeping one hour before the birth and two hours after the birth that Tono drove me home after lunch before they opened presents in front of everyone so I could nap for an hour and a half.

Traditional Guatemalan clothing

Bride and Groom and guests praying before getting ready

Odilia putting the veil on the bride

More praying after getting ready

Church in Tecpan

The five couples saying their vows

Candles at the church

The couple after marriage

The couple with her godparents (Santos and Odilia on either side of them)

I hopped in for a picture!

Walking from the church back to the buses

Almost as classy as a post-wedding limo :)

Newlyweds in the microbus

Arriving at the party

Lunch

Odilia saying a prayer before lunch

The band!

With Estella and Lupita at home pre-nap

When the reception was over, Santos drove Odilia and I back to Maria Luisa's house to check on her and the twins. On the way, there was a huge accident so we pulled over to check it out - I was so surprised to see two dead bodies laying on the ground next to an overturned pick-up truck. There was a crowd of at least 300 people surrounding the "do not cross" tape, just looking at the scene of the crime and watching the police, firemen, and forensics team look through the dead man's pockets for evidence/identification. The dead woman's body was covered with a blanket, but you could still see her shirt and hands. I literally could not believe that all of these people were just standing there staring and talking - "who are the people? where are they from? I heard three people already died on the way to the hospital." Even children were there with their families, just watching. I told Odilia and Santos how it's considered disrespectful to stand there and gawk like that and that they always hold up tarps so people can't see the bodies in the US. They said since the faces are covered for most of it, it's ok for people to observe. I did not like it at all. It was literally the day of birth, marriage, and death. I asked to leave and we got on our way to Maria Luisa's which was a much happier site.

The girls were both doing very well and were active - a great sign! Odilia went in the temascal with Maria Luisa, then I handed her each baby to clean them up and give them their first bath inside. Here are some pictures of the girls! 

The first one (that I caught)

Odilia dressing the second one

So little (4 pounds) in that big sweatshirt!

Grandma, Grandpa, and little brother helping Odilia dress the first one

First one

Odilia holding the baby that she caught and me holding the baby and I caught! Great team!

So happy. The baby on the right is in tin foil because she's only 4 pounds and needs a little something extra to help her stay warm.

First baby ever to be delivered by Emily Welch - how lucky is she?

Me, Odilia, and Santos celebrating my first catch and Odilia's first twins at home with some Gallo (Guatemalan beers)

I am so incredibly happy and even started crying from pure joy at dinner last night when Odilia told me I'm the first student to ever catch a baby. It has truly confirmed my career goal of becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife and I am so happy I was presented with the opportunity to go on this trip! There is one more due before I leave so let's hope I can catch that one, too. :)