Oh, what a delight it is to meet our bundles of joy for the first time! In the nine months that I have been carrying them, I kept anticipating what my babies will look like. To finally touch my lips to their soft skin when the nurse carried them to me after my operation still stirs up a blissful feeling within. More than my children’s physical appearances, their health is of utmost importance to me. Ensuring that a child is not just surviving, but thriving, is every parent’s responsibility. And, every parent needs help from the experts in the medical field. According to Save The Children’s newborn report,
The first 24 hours of a child’s life are the most dangerous, with more than one million babies dying each year on their first and only day of life, according to new research published by Save the Children.
It sometimes amazes me how very fragile a newborn baby, and life, could be. These #firstday deaths could be prevented if the mother and the baby had access to free health care and a skilled midwife. Poverty should not be a hinderance in upholding newborn health. Every mother has the right to have a healthy newborn baby. It’s astounding to know that there are moms, 2 million of them, who gave birth all by themselves! There are also some mothers who had to walk for hours during labor just to seek trained help and there are those who were kept under jail-like conditions until they could pay for their emergency C-section. Such tragedies!
Why do these deaths happen? The reasons stated by the children’s aid agency are premature birth and complications during birth such as prolonged labor, pre-eclampsia and infection, which can be avoided if quality health experts are present. Imagine how many babies could live longer than one day if mothers could be given the proper medical care. Here is the Ending Newborn Deaths report with more in-depth information.
I am so grateful I could have good prenatal care and give birth, thrice, in a good hospital. I believe newborn health starts with the mothers’ pregnancy health. I hope that mothers everywhere get to experience the great pleasure of meeting, holding their bundles of joy and making memories with their little ones for many years. I wish that by writing about newborn health and what Save The Children are aiming for regarding this issue, I could help the other mothers everywhere else receive the proper health care before, during, and after delivering their precious ones.
Speaking of giving birth, I would like to share the birth stories of each of my children if you haven’t read them yet.
Ella’s Birth Story
Caleb’s Birth Story
Cayla’s Birth Story
Everyone really deserves proper healthcare. It’s a right and not a privilege. Sometimes it’s so easy to assume that everyone else gets the kind of healthcare we do, but statistics like these are eye-opening and remind us that something should be done!
Maan recently posted..If You’re a Christian, You Need to Believe in a Physical, Literal Resurrection
It is really hard for pregnant women. Both the mother and the child should be well taken care of during the pregnancy as well as the delivery but sometimes that is not possible at some government hospitals
redamethyst recently posted..Activities for the Holy Week
What worries me is teenage pregnancy. I have a niece who just turned 18 and had a baby. She tried to hide her pregnancy. Thankfully, the baby is ok. The baby is now 6 months (we have a baby again in the house and she is a joy). My cousin (the girl’s mom) did not allow her daughter to get married with the guy who got her pregnant, which I think is good because they are too young
Marie recently posted..Do RELATIONSHIPS NEED LIES TO SURVIVE?
Teenage pregnancy is really worrying. We really need to have good communication with our children and let them know the consequences, how hard it is to be a mother.
Childbirth can be a really dangerous time. I understand that fully . Luckily my kids didn’t have complications when born.
Dominique Goh recently posted..Writer’s Workshop: You Can Say that Again
I consider myself to be extra lucky when it comes to healthcare. My dad’s a doctor so we always get the best medical advice and treatments. I can’t imagine what it’s like to not have access to these things. I really wish proper healthcare was something that our government could provide to all Filipinos.
Patty | MrsC recently posted..Baked French Toast With Cinnamon Sugar Topping
You are lucky! Everyone deserves proper health care!
Thank God I was able to experience pre and post natal care during may pregnancy. Daddy Allan is always there in every check up. Funny thing was that he almost missed seeing me giving birth since he’s still at work when I was admitted at the hospital. But we are fine in God’s grace.
Mommy Maye recently posted..A Little Update + Mini Thank You Giveaway Winners
Mothers should really be given enough prenatal care and hospitalization during childbirth. If not in the hospital, at least, moms should have access to safe child delivery. Most of the time, it’s still a money issue.
Chin chin recently posted..Which Brand of Electric Fan Do You Recommend?
I know, it’s sad and that’s why Save The Children is calling upon the help of governments.
True, not everyone would be as lucky as us! I really feel so much for my baby then because it was hard for me to be pregnant… he was so precious!
Pinay R. recently posted..NO SMOKING CAMPAIGN IN ZAMBOANGA CITY @ APRIL 2014
Being a Mom and going through labor is hard. I been through that situations twice, but having a good family support and good care provider will help you through the whole process is amazing. I can’t imagine other Mom’s out-there who don’t get enough care for their babies.
Melgie recently posted..My Scrapbook Keepsakes
I know that it is really hard for women to gave birth. I was at the labor room when Mommy tried to undergo normal delivery for Matt. She tried pushing for about two hours yet she was directed to have CS procedure since our baby is already starting to get stressed as the pedia told us.
Allan recently posted..Caltex’s Tie-up with Happyplus Card
That same thing happened with my first baby, too. I was also getting sick at that time.