Answering the Call

During the week of International Breast Feeding week, i was contacted by a connection with a village health worker in our rural areas. She informed me that there was a 2 week old baby whose mother had passed away 10 days after giving birth. She was a younger mama and seemingly healthy. It was her second baby. The story sounds however as though she bled what they understood to be a normal amount at birth, and then over the next 10 days bled a bit more and a bit more until she became symptomatic of this. The family said she progressively became more tired and believe she died of exhaustion. We believe she bled more than her body had capacity to deal with. Whatever the cause - there was a baby in need of milk. His grandmother had taken both him and his older sister back to her village to care for them, however was unable to supply the necessary milk. We were excited that within 12 hours of hearing the story we were able to put 2 months supply of milk powder, bottles and storage container in the hands of a Village Health Manager to deliver to the grandmother. We have committed to supporting this baby with milk over the course of the next year.

Monica Parker
Midwife Program Director

Monica Parker is from New South Wales, Australia and is a registered nurse and midwife. She has been living and working in Thailand and Myanmar since 2009 and is the Co-ordinator of SPM’s Maternal Health Program. She is seconded to work with Earth Mission Asia’s Physician Assistant program based in Kyaukkyi, Myanmar. It is Monica’s dream to train a strong core of professional midwives to serve the Karen people in the remote areas of Karen State. She also wants to help set professional standards in maternal health care. This includes identification and appropriate management of high-risk pregnancy and birth.

Mon is based in Kayaukkyi, Myanmar. She is married to Saw Eh Hsu and, they have two precious twin boys.