success

We made it, baby is feeding (with the help of a nipple-shield).
Mother is happy and baby is happy and has put on weight.
Russian grandmother is also happy, (Babouska).

Da!
Yes I am learning Russian.
Now working with a Russian lady with a beautiful baby boy who looks tanned but unfortunately is a little jaundiced and sleepy at the breast.
It is a challenge but I am determined to get him to feed before I leave.
We will see.
Sunshine all week, lovely!

Have been working with two families at the same time this week, exhausting in this heat but worth it.
The first family were Dutch and after struggling to get the baby onto the breast in the beginning with time and lots of patience from the Mother she is now feeding brilliantly and putting on weight.
She may still have to go through some tests so at least she is getting the best start.

straight forward

Have just finished a very nice week working with a family from Slovakia.
Everything went well.
The baby fed well and gained weight.
The family was very hospitable and fed me every day!
Today I worked but enjoyed a nice Mothers day in the evening with my girls.
On to the next family........

Frustration Friday

Friday was frustrating!
After taking Thursday off from a Kraam to do my Lactation Course I returned to a family to find that instead of the baby breastfeeding beautifully, ( which was the case when I left), the baby was feeding from a bottle.
The midwife had visited when I was away and had informed the mother that giving breast milk from the bottle was the same as feeding from the breast!
This is not true as babies feeding from the breast receive a better transfer of antigens as well as giving the mother protection against cancer.
Other things were said too which were incorrect and left me feeling frustrated.
I now have to build up the mothers confidence in order to try to feed again from the breast.
I will let you know the outcome.............

Calm Still Waters

Well it was a better day today.
Calmer and more peaceful.
Baby is feeding well from the breast and not a policeman or ambulance man in sight!
Apparently it was all a mix up as the ambulance men did not understand what was said in Persian!

An ordinary day in the life of a kraamverzorgende....

Today was to be an ordinary day.
I went to work finishing off my last day at a family where the mother only spoke Spanish and a little Dutch.
It had been a relaxed quiet week where the mother had chosen to give bottle feeding due to her hiv status.
After the stillness comes the storm they say!
Later today as I approached my new family I was met by two ambulance men looking like they were trying to resucitate a man on the floor of a bedroom.
It turned out it was the father of the baby who was hyperventilating.
After taking the baby into another room the man became very aggressive and abusive towards the ambulance men.
The police were called for "back-up".
They arrived within minutes and finally calmed the situation down,
( I was still holding the baby and shaking!!).
Finally the police and ambulance men left and things gradually calmed down.
This was no ordinary day!!
More tomorrow................