October’s highlight was having Casa Materna/Saving Mothers visit us. If you have been reading these posts, you’ll know that we have a collaboration with Casa Materna/Saving Mothers. Melina Morales is a comadrona educator who works in Camotan Clinic 2 weeks of a month. She travels to the mountain villages and provides education and materials to the comadronas (midwives) that supervise births on the mountain. Most of the indigenous mothers on the mountain give birth in their huts with the help of these comadronas. It can be a dangerous situation and deaths of both the mother and infant occur. The goal is to equip these comadronas to recognize dangerous situations and get a mother who may displaying signs of a potential catastrophe to a regional hospital.
The workshop was full of teaching and each comadrona was given a birthing kit, headlight (it is dark in the huts!), birthing apron, vitamins and a nutritional plant.
Additionally, we support the mothers through the prenatal course. They can visit the clinic if problems arise. Melina checks in on the comadronas and makes sure they are using scientific based practices (there are many traditions which are of no benefit and some are detrimental to mom and baby). We have an ultrasound machine, additional medicines in the clinic and the patient can be referred to the regional hospital if serious problems are occurring.
There is much growth occurring and more on the work that we are doing is laying the foundation for much safer births and healthier mothers and infants.
Thanks for reading!