When you have a baby in special care (and I have had) it is important to feel that you are included in decisions and informed, otherwise a difficult time can be made even harder.
In the UK, I helped run a support group for parents with babies in SCBU. We would offer to listen to parents (as parents who had already been in similar situations), but also to help them in more practical ways - such as find interpreters, helping transport EBM from one hospital to another (something we had to do once when a lady had twins in different hospitals). Staff in the unit would call us to help and we would visit the unit on a regular basis. I think we really did help.
When I moved here nearly 3 years ago, I volunteered to set something similar at KEMH, but found that I wasn't able to get the OK from the powers that be (despite support from staff in the Nursery).
It is situations like this that cry out for someone to support/ advocate etc. - it may well be that everything that is being done is appropriate, but this lady needs someone to be with her at a time that can be very bewildering. I am not having a go at the staff at all - it is very difficult for them to provide this 'extra' support - which is why we were called upon often by the staff at the JR in the UK.
I hope everything goes well for her.
Debbie Slater Perth, WA
Neretlis, Bethany wrote:
kemh has a special care nursery on ground floor and if her baby is on another floor, then this is where her baby is. it sounds very like the babe is issoimmunised, and it sounds as if babe is recieving standard treatment. as to the doing great part, i would guess the babe is behaving appropriatly with regards to its medical condition. tell your friend all the wards have a telephone interpreter phone which is an excellent although slow way of being able to explain and question what is happening. your friend just needs to ask to use this free service.
regard bethany
-----Original Message----- From: Jaqueline Marwick [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, 9 June 2003 00:46 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [ozmidwifery] KEMH (baby under the light)
Hi Kirsten and everyone :) Since you mentioned KEMH May I ask... do you work at KEMH btw? Or does anyone here work at KEMH? I have a friend who is there at the moment, she is Brazilian and hardly speaks any English, especially these obstetric terms... anyway, she has a RH negative blood and having her second child , was asked to be induced on the 3rd of June (last TUESDAY), when her baby was due on the 21st of June. When I asked her why the doctor decided to induce her so early she simpy said she didn't quite understand much of what "they" say anyway, but she trusts they know what they are doing *sigh* She then told me that even babies who are born very prematurely and as little as 750 grams in weight all have their lives saved by this hospital. During her labour, which was to be induced with the gel.... the staff told her she "had to have the drip on in order to have contractions" and so she promptly agreed. Well, today is Sunday and her baby has been "under the light" non-stop for having jaundice since the day she was born, last tuesday. Her baby was not allowed to even feed at her breast because they claim she needs to be under the light continuously, so mum is pumping milk onto a bottle and the nurses are feeding her baby who is on another floor.... The doctor who assisted her at birth has not been back, and the midwives tell her that her baby is doing great Would anyone know why a baby who is doing great is kept away from her mother for so many days? It sounds to me as if she is not being fully informed. Thanks very much Jackie
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Kirsten Blacker Sent: Saturday, 7 June 2003 10:58 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] midwifery in India
I know some years back one of the midwives I worked with at KEMH used to volunteer at Mother Teresa's hospital in Calcutta. I have no idea how you would go about organising that - maybe contact Internation Red Cross? Kirsten
From: "Julie Garratt" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: "Ozmid" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, "Bmid" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [ozmidwifery] midwifery in India Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2003 20:57:02 +0930
Hello wise people:) A few of the Bmid students and I are planing a trip to India this Christmas to experience midwifery in another culture. What we're wondering is have any of you been over there and had any birth experiences with Indian women. Do you think we could volenteer at a hospital or midwifery clinic? Does anyone have any contacts? Were only in the planning stages at the moment and your imput would be great. Cheers, Julie'',
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