Our volunteers meet hundreds of moms each month and it is not often that we see them again once they leave the hospital. We hope to make a difference to their birth stories, to honour this wonderful day and to recognise that every birth is a celebration and is important. Do you remember the day your babies were born? Ask that question to every mother (and father) you meet and they can describe to you in vivid detail the stories of their babies’ births. And that’s as it should be! These are the biggest moments of our lives, and meant to be remembered and retold.
It is not any different for the moms we meet in the public hospitals. Sometimes it is so hectically busy in the maternity ward that we seem to forget what big moments we share with these mothers.
Imagine the scene: 6 women in various stages of labour, 2 of them in the final stages with babies about to be born, 15 mothers who have given birth in the past 12 hours, some by caesarean, who need extra attention, plus 10 women with special needs, kangaroo babies. This scene is not spectacular by any means, but it is the almost daily scene of our maternity ward at Helderberg Hospital. It is here where you will find our wonderful midwives, 2 per shift, and staff nurses doing their thing in calm, quiet efficiency. A lot is said and criticised about sisters and nurses in our public healthcare system, and I know that often you will find inadequacy and disrespect, but I have to insist that we have never witnessed that in our 2 hospitals, Helderberg and Macassar Day Hospital. The patients here are treated with kindness and patience. This is not to say that there are never tense moments, if a baby is in distress and needs to be delivered quickly and a mother is not cooperating, sometimes staff needs to act in a strict manner. Also, remember that the level of education of our mothers is often below standard and it can be terribly frustrating having to work with them.
In May we celebrate Midwives’ Day and Nurses Day and I think they definitely deserve a HUGE thank you for all they do! And also a big thanks for allowing our volunteers and visitors in their wards. I do hope that we don’t get in the way, that we are an asset to the ward and that we will foster this friendship between Bosom Buddies and our hospitals for a very long time.
Also in May it’s time again for Bosom Buddies’ big annual fundraiser. This year we are doing a dinner, dance and auction with a Dazzle theme. So put on your dancing shoes, throw on the bling and come join us for a night of gourmet food, excellent wine, exciting goodies on auction an amazing DJ and a cash bar! Tickets are only R200 per person, so no excuse for not being there….unless you live in another country that is!
Please contact me at doulafrances@thembalitsha.org.za or 0827691380 or check out the events section on Thembalitsha’s facebook page for more information. We hope to see you there!
