Birth Center Saves MotherBaby Lives in Philippines

As midwives, we know the importance of gatherings, especially ones that are global in nature. They are wonderful venues for sharing knowledge and being inspired by our colleagues from every continent. This week, one of Mercy In Action's midwife leaders from the Philippines, Nerissa, flew to Bali, Indonesia to represent us at the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) convention.  Mercy In Action College of Midwifery bought her ticket to this big global event to join midwives from 119 countries for a week of learning and fellowship.  Under normal conditions, the ICM convention is held every three years, rotating to different countries each triennial, but because of the COVID pandemic, ICM did not meet for six years. We are proud to send Nerissa to represent us at ICM and are looking forward to all the new information she will bring back to the Philippines to teach to the midwives and mothers and their families. 

Mercy In Action midwives are always both educators and medical practitioners. We teach mothers and their families prenatally and postpartum, and we teach skills to midwives, doctors, nurses, and doulas in the USA and the Philippines. To teach and give away vitally important best-practice understanding, we must constantly keep up with new research and learn new skills. And we must always be looking for sources of inspiration. 

 In the Philippines, Mercy In Action midwives regularly invite local providers of birth care to seminars and workshops we are holding to encourage and enrich them with programs like Helping Mothers and Babies Survive. We also offer a fantastic post-graduate Diploma in Midwifery & Maternal/Child Health at a distance that will prepare anyone for serving in low resources areas. Click on the link below for more information:

https://www.mercycollegeofmidwifery.edu/diploma-international-midwifery

Thank you for your support; because of your vision, we continue to prioritize both learning and teaching for our midwives so that we all be prepared to share life-saving and life-changing knowledge with those in need.

Blessings,

Vicki

Links:

• Mercy In Action website

Dear Friends,

We are so grateful for your continued faithful support so that Mercy In Action supported midwives can continue providing compassionate, excellent care for families in the Philippines.  Midwife Nerissa recently shared this story with us and has given us permission to share with you. The names have been changed to protect privacy.

'May,' a single mother without a partner, came to us for prenatal care advanced in her pregnancy, and we were worried about her unborn baby being too small, but she was not sure of her dates.  We advised that she get an ultrasound to confirm dates but she did not have the money for it, and the next day she went into active labor, arriving for care when she was 8cms dilated.  At that point there was no time to refer as her labor was progressing quickly. She delivered in a matter of minutes and we were so thankful that the baby was healthy, and weighed 2500g (5 1/2 pounds). She was so thankful that everything went well and the baby was healthy.  If she or the baby had needed hospital care, it would have been a crisis for her financially and practically because nobody in her family was available to go with her to the hospital. When someone is hospitalized here they must bring a companion who stays with them all the time to feed them, buy medicines, run errands, and watch for clinical danger signs to alert the medical staff.  She was grateful for the care she and her baby received free of charge, and with the support of our staff, at our birth center, and also for the food that we gave her.

Your donations make it possible for Nerissa and the team to continue to serve the 'May's in their community, and many others.

God bless you!