Sorry about that last post. I had to attend to the labor ( as well as eat some amazing food they prepared!) Mom is still doing well...
Let's see - the prenatals - so I have been at the other bed with a midwifery student ( from Fairfax actually! ). The women have a number that we call, they come in and we measure and palpate and point and gesture - my indonesian is pretty bad but I am learning a feel things ( baby, feet, kick, pain, here, there, healthy, soon). And then we give them prenatal vitamins for a week to a month depending on when they will come back to care. They stick around to ask questions to the Bali Midwife and that is it. So it is probably how many clinics function? Oh but the cool thing is that we can recommend acupuncture to the moms! The acupuncture clinic here is PHENOMENAL! We could really use a clinic like this in the bay area - everywhere actually. There is a excellent staff of volunteers and a couple of resident acupuncturists doing treatments most of the week.
So another interesting thing happening here soon is the international climate change conference with Al Gore. Next week there will be 10,000 participants and 5,000 Bali cops. It seems a little crazy being that Bali is a small island that is overcrowded...
Blessings, Chanti
Well I know that first I should answer your question Laura - about the prenatals - but I really want to tell you all about being at a homebirth at the moment.
So because mine and Brian's housing fell thru, we have been staying with Robin in her home. It's been wonderful - lots of family, friends in and out all the time, lots of babies- including her adopted daughter, a little 2 year old whose mom couldn't keep her ( she was the 10th baby). Oh ya and 8 puppies- soo cute!
Anyways, Robin decided to take me with her to a homebirth of a client/friend near the beach in a town called Kuta. The mother is Japanese and the father is from Singapore. She was a bone setter in Japan, and from a family of bone setters. We have been here about 24 hours and she is still in labor. She is very patient and lovely and it feels similar to being at a birth back home - homey : ). Her labor has been slow and we have done some great things with moxa that I will have to share all about it for those who don't use moxa already. There is a point on the top of the head - some of it's names are 100 meeting point or 100 petaled lotus. It is a centering and aligning point. When we first got here we used moxa on it for a half hour to stimulate the pituarity gland to increase the oxytocin and energize the mom.
I am loving spending time with Robin. She is working on a book on the placenta and for those who know me well you all know about my obsession with placentas. So we are having fun. And this couple in labor is planning a lotus birth ( when you don't cut the cord but let it separate naturally in the first few days) so I'll let you know how it goes.
Let's see - about the prenatals. It's a great system. Someone checks them in and takes their blood pressure. They weigh themselves then come in to the prenatal room where there are two beds and two midwives. One Balinese midwife on one side and then how it has gone the last couple of times is me on the other side with a midwifery
Greetings!
I have been in Bali for a little more than a day. Many of you know I
was concerned about bringing over 3,000 dollars of donated prenatal
vitamins and a case of lidocaine but thankfully I made it through
customs with no problems!
We had thought we had a house to stay in but it fell through so we stayed at Robin Lim's - a nice way to transition into a new place especially because I assumed I would miss Thanksgiving this year - but when I arrived Robin was making pies and pumpkin soup! Today about 30 or so of us feasted on Turkey, spicy ginger salsa, and a million other interesting dishes.
So there have been no births yet but tonight we did around 27 prenatals. It was great but soo different than the hour plus I am used to spending with each client!
The families are sweet, the clinic is very warm and friendly and I feel so blessed to be here.
I hope all are well at home.
Chanti
Alright here it is. I am excited to share my experiences with you all!
Love, Chanti
