Category: 2023

Hello from Guatemala
We were happy to drive to Tecpan on Friday to assist Glendy, who was recognized as a master trainer in Essential Care for Labor & Birth. It was a smaller class than expected & was held in a home (see photo) and Glendy did an amazing job teaching traditional midwives (comadronas) much older than she in their indigenous language, Kachikel. Congratulations Glendy.

We also enjoyed a basket of sweet strawberries as Tecpan is surrounded by acres of strawberry fields. 🙂
Que le

via bien, Nancy

Supporting Safe Birth’s small team is in Guatemala for 2 weeks and it’s already been a week since we arrived. Here’s a short summary of our activities: August 25-27
After collecting our 11 supply bags and reviewing the contents we traveled to San Marcos, Guatemala, ~ 6 hours by bus- to meet with a nurse who is responsible for a large area and many midwives about providing future trainings. We explained our trainings and she asked when we can come! This is an opportunity to train nurses who could then teach community midwives in rural settings far from a hospital with little support.
After returning we enjoyed meeting with Guatemalan Rotarians who are new to us about collaborating on future Rotary global grants to provide trainings and equipment for health care providers. We look forward to working with them, including providing training for EMTs and firefighters about obstetrical emergencies.
On Aug 28, 29 and 30 We had 3 training days on on the topic of Bleeding after Birth. First with nursing students, next day w doctors and nurses, and one with nurses. Each group had positive feedback. There was a lot of additional discussion on evidenced based practice like Respectful Maternity Care, and the benefits of delayed cord clamping and skin to skin. Photos to follow. Thank you for remembering us and also for praying for us.
Nancy

Hello everyone We spent the day with 9 of our Master Trainers who live throughout Guatemala. They wanted a review of hemorrhage after birth & practice with the Antishock pants; we also reviewed the new Helping Mothers and Babies Survive training called Prolonged & Obstructed Labor. Check out today’s photos for their photos and especially their reactions to the breech video. I love these brave & energetic professional midwives who provide prenatal, birth, and postnatal care and seek to learn more to help other women. Many thanks to Silvia for arranging all the details and Mariana, Who is

such a great interpreter and Jeannette for the printing! We couldn’t complete all that we planned so we’re scheduling future zoom meetings.

Hello to any who dropped in to this week’s blog posts from Guatemala, We’re enjoying perfect 75 degree weather and completed our 3rd day of training in San José Pinula. A couple of the supervisory staff have stopped by and asked that we do the training for all the doctors and nurses there. A good sign! Maybe during our next trip!
During today’s training while discussing patients dying, a midwife told her story of bleeding, hysterectomy and near death, and ended her story with a quite shocking quote I will remember: “A pregnant woman always has one foot in the grave.” This is a sad commentary; Supporting Safe Birth will continue to provide education to these amazing midwives as long as we can. Here’s a few photos of today’s class. Hasta luego!
Nancy

Hola from Guatemala, the land of the eternal spring. We had our 2nd group of comadronas learning about bleeding after birth today. They had interesting questions: One midwife described what sounded like a placenta accreta and was asking what happened.

The class was going well until we found out that the clinic was being fumigated for roaches and we needed to leave so out we went, packing as we went. Never a dull moment!

Our dear friend Jeannette hosted us for lunch the past two days which was so great for the team: Mary and Harrison, Silvia and Marilú, me and Chepe, our driver. 75 degrees and sunny today—did I say I love Guate? It’s my 33rd trip here.

Thanks for joining with us. Hasta mañana!

Our first training today, Bleeding After Birth Day 1, was held at San José Pinula. The midwives were engaged and excited about learning new things and hands-on practice. We’re happy to have two of our Master Trainers, Marilú & Silvia, providing such excellent instruction.

Hello from Guatemala! I’m excited to be back.

Here’s a picture of the Fuego volcano—we enjoy seeing the volcano puffing.

We’ve loved seeing friends, our Guatemalan family. We start our teaching with the midwives on Tuesday, February 21. More to come…