Dr. Maureen's Blog


This is my way of staying connected with friends and family while I travel to Haiti on a medical relief trip. I am so grateful to have an opportunity to help with the devastation in Haiti and expect it to be challenging, intense and most likely a very moving experience. Thank you to everyone who became a part of the effort by donating medical supplies and encouraging me to take this trip. Please send love, humor and support this way because I may need it! Thanks, everybody!

17th February 2010

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I delivered my first baby!! It took my breath away. Truly amazing. Other women at this clinic arrived with the baby crowning, but this woman’s birth was slower. She pushed for what seemed like a long time to me. Her Haitian compadres did some sort of tapping on her belly that we all found peculiar. We were telling her to push in Creole, English and French! Finally his little head popped out, and Dr. Suelinn talked me through adjusting it’s head until the first shoulder emerged. I could never really fathom the shoulder coming out because an adult shoulder is so huge. But there was his tiny little shoulder, then came the next one and suddenly his body flew out. After what seemed like twenty minutes to me, he let out a wimpy cry. Clamped the umbilical cord and cut the cord. Had to do acupuncture and a shot of oxytocin for her to deliver the placenta. Loved, loved catching a baby today. Hope to do more of this in my life! Dr. Suelinn was a great teacher.

I delivered my first baby!! It took my breath away. Truly amazing. Other women at this clinic arrived with the baby crowning, but this woman’s birth was slower. She pushed for what seemed like a long time to me. Her Haitian compadres did some sort of tapping on her belly that we all found peculiar. We were telling her to push in Creole, English and French! Finally his little head popped out, and Dr. Suelinn talked me through adjusting it’s head until the first shoulder emerged. I could never really fathom the shoulder coming out because an adult shoulder is so huge. But there was his tiny little shoulder, then came the next one and suddenly his body flew out. After what seemed like twenty minutes to me, he let out a wimpy cry. Clamped the umbilical cord and cut the cord. Had to do acupuncture and a shot of oxytocin for her to deliver the placenta. Loved, loved catching a baby today. Hope to do more of this in my life! Dr. Suelinn was a great teacher.