Yet Another Conference

So, yesterday I returned home from yet another conference. This time it was only me going. Jeneson stayed home and worked and took care of the kids; I have such a wonderful husband!

First, THANK YOU!!!!! to the many friends and family who pulled together to help watch the kids so that we were able to attend these conferences. It is no small feat to find somebody to watch our three kids for three and four day stretches of time.

The is last conference was regarding midwifery skills that are transferable to developing countries. It was enlightening and challenging. I learned some horrible statistics about the state of women's health in developing countries and how dangerous it is to be pregnant and give birth in areas with no resources. For example in the US the lifetime risk of maternal death is 1 in 2,500 (which is actually high for a developed country), but the lifetime risk of maternal death in Sierra Leone is 1 in 6. Yes, 1 in 6.

The biggest determinants of maternal and newborn deaths are the health of the mother and whether or not she had a skilled birth attendant present at the delivery.

After being a witness to an African delivery (see my blog post African Birth) I felt compelled to learn more about labor and delivery and managing complications. Through Internet searches God led me to this organization that sets up birth centers and trains midwives in the Philippines. The head Midwife comes to the US a couple of times a year to teach these courses. The course taught me many new things and brought to mind even more that I need to look up and research before we move to Sierra Leone. Vicky will be a great resource in the future.

I am blessed to have all these resources at hand and pray that God will continue to lead us as week seek to be as prepared as possible for Sierra Leone.