Cassia Morgan Zimmerman
Born January 11, 2015
6:54 pm
7 lbs, 19 1/2 inches
Hospital Lumiere, Bonne Fin, Haiti
For those who like the short story, that's it :) But if you like details, here is "the rest of the story."
A while before I was due, we started thinking of what we wanted to know about delivering in Haiti. What would be the same? What would be different? What should we expect? What should we do with Orrin?? That question was a little complicated as baby was due January 10 and several families were coming and going to and from furlough and moving back to the states, either that same day or that next week. So to find someone who would for sure be around when the time came....I asked Kurt and Joan Plattner if they would be willing to watch him and they enthusiastically said yes :) One problem solved.
I also asked Jami Hartzler to be my "doula"...if she was around. (Their family was returning from furlough January 10). She delivered their baby at the hospital two years ago, and so she knew more than us what was going on and was a great person to ask random questions to. We also knew that the pain medication available is next to nothing down here (no narcotics, about 7 epidural kits in the storage room, but no one on staff that could administer one unless someone from a work team happened to be around). So we faced the reality of all the Haitian women here...we were gonna do this natural :) Things had gone well with Orrin, so I wasn't too worried, but I also thought it would be nice to have someone around to help me (and give David a break :) ).
With those details "ironed out" we just waited to see what would happen. I really wanted to have the baby on January 11, one year from the day that we moved to Haiti. I thought that would be really neat. But when I had my appointment on Tuesday the 6th, Dr Mario said I was already dilated to a 4. Hmmm...this could be anytime. He told me to come back the next day....and I was a 5. Thursday morning I was a 6. (To all those who labored really long to get to a 6...or a 3....I know you're muttering under your breath right now. But may I defend myself and say that I worked hard for my 5 with Orrin?? And my pregnancy stunk, too, don't forget :) ). Dr Mario kept asking, "Are you sure you're not having any pain?" No, not really.... He said he could break my water, but I told him I wanted to wait until Sunday :)
Friday morning, David came home from his weekly men's Bible study. "Did you know Dr Mario's leaving?" Leaving? How leaving? He has an appointment in Port au Prince on Saturday morning, so he would be gone from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening sometime. Ok, so time to stress out. When I went up again that morning, I was still at a 6. Dr Mario told us he was going away, so he put me on "bedrest." We hoped the baby would be obedient to mommy and wait until Sunday. I then used a creole expression I never thought I'd need when I learned it. "Pa mize," I told him. Don't dally.
So I got to experience 24 hours of bedrest, and it was kind of fun for that day :) I was really stressing that I would go into labor that night and not have anything I wanted. No Sunday baby. No Jami as doula. No Dr Mario who speaks great english. So I sent out a post on Facebook asking for prayers so the baby would wait a little, and tried to just give it to God.
Saturday came and went, and I breathed a little easier the later it went, and when I knew Jami was back in the area. At least we were getting closer....
Sunday morning, it was time for a morning walk :) As we walked up the hill, David commented on how fast I was walking. (It's been a long time since I've walked fast....) Let's get this thing going! We went to church in the morning, and then right before lunch, Dr Mario called David. We went up to the hospital and he checked me again. A 7. Alright, lets do this. I said I needed to get Orrin fed and to Joan, and we would be back. We went home and ate lunch, and called Jami. Everyone was going to Cayes for afternoon church that day, but Jami said she would stay back. And Kurt and Joan said they'd take Orrin :) So around 1pm we were back up at OB, and at 1:30, he broke my water.
We went outside to walk around, but that's not much fun when you can't leave the hospital gates :( So I wanted to find a cool spot where we didn't have to be watched by everyone ;) David's new office is in a small electrical building. It has really tall ceilings and a fan and it's shaded and cool. So we hid out in there for an hour, played Skip-Bo, and timed contractions at 10 minutes apart. I was supposed to go back after an hour to be checked, and at that point I was an 8. We went back out to walk, but this time it was different. Things were getting a little more intense, and as we stopped to talk to someone, I felt lightheaded and like I was going to pass out. I tried sitting down, but I really just wanted to lay down and rest. This was totally unexpected. Laying down was the last thing I wanted to do when I had Orrin. It was pure misery to lay down. I knew I should eat, but I felt like I would not keep it down, so we went into the delivery room and I layed down. Things kept getting more intense from there. They called the Dr up, but I was making poky progress. I was fully dilated but had nothing telling me to push. I pushed through contractions, but it did not seem to be working. Dr Mario asked me if I wanted something to eat. I said yes, can I? He said no. I did the only appropriate thing and stuck my tongue out at him. Who makes these rules anyway?? Jami got me some gatorade, and that helped, but my, I was tired. Why was this taking so long??
I think Dr saw things were not working, so he gave me an IV of Dextrose, which has sugar in it. After that I had the energy to at least stand a little, which helped things along. Then he said if I didn't have this baby in 25 minutes, he was going to take it out. You wouldn't dare. Don't know if it was the sugar, or the scare tactic, but baby got down to business, and soon she was here.
At the first look at her face, I said, "It's totally a boy!" (Sorry honey, you'll look like a girl soon ;) ). But no, it was a girl! I just really didn't believe we were capable of having a girl :) Wow, how awesome to hold that new little baby!! So awesome. Daddy didn't get to help deliver like he had kind of hoped, but he cut the cord and got to spend a little bonding time putting on a diaper and dressing her :) In no time, the nurses were getting me out of bed and wheeled us into our room...filled with 5 other patients :) We were being watched, oh yes, sticking out like the whites we are, but we really didn't notice. We were absorbed with baby!
Jami left and she and Eric came back with some supper for us. Fantastic! I am starving. This not eating business is for the birds. The meal was delicious...turkey sandwiches, doritoes,
string cheese, yoplait yogurt, and dove dark chocolate. What a sacrifice!! :)
There were several things the same with giving birth in Haiti as opposed to the US...a hospital, a bed, doctors and nurses, medication offered very readily, NOT BEING ABLE TO EAT. But then there were those subtle differences...like bedding down that night with about 10 other people in the room, no room service, and bringing your own TP.
We passed a rather sleepless night, with noise from about 40 other people and babies, lights on and off, windows barred shut so it was stifling hot, Cassia eating and pooping....and me wearing off my sugar water IV :-P
The next morning, we had a lot of visitors. Madam Ino came by before work, and she was so thrilled with the little baby girl :) Even the whole Bonne Fin Gecko school came on a field trip, brought a present, and asked questions :)
Kurt and Joan brought Orrin by, and it was so precious to watch him see her the first time. He LOVES her! He kept saying "Cassia." (He was prepped). And he wanted to hold her and find her toes.... So sweet!
Sheila came and asked us if she was named after anything. Nope, just names we like. (Cassia was a name I've wanted for a loooong time, and it's in the Bible. Cassia was a spice, kind of like cinnamon. ) Sheila said we'd have to research it, but Captain Henry Morgan was a pirate in this area long ago. So maybe we did have a little Haiti influence on her name without trying...albeit maybe not someone we want to name her after :) !
Dr Mario came by and asked if we were ready to leave. Yes! David went and paid our bill....2200 gouds, which equals about $48.88 US. Loved paying that delivery bill! (Anyone else want to come to Haiti to have their baby?? Sonograms are about $8 too... :) ) Here's where I have to add a side note about Samaritan Ministries....our alternative to health insurance. Besides this delivery bill and random stuff we have had done in Haiti, which is really too small to worry about, we have had ALL our medical bills from this pregnancy paid for! How fantastic! So much better than the health insurance we thought we had to have :) I highly recommend this Christian organization to anyone looking for an alternative.... Anyway, we left the hospital before noon that morning. Ahh...going home. When we came in the door, Madam Ino was racing to meet us. She scooped up Cassia in her hands and started praying. Then abruptly she stopped, gave Cassia back, and hurried back into the kitchen. We sniffed the air. "She burnt the beans," David said. :) Oh well, it was worth it.
David got to stay (mostly) at home until going back to work Thursday. And most every day someone has taken Orrin for the morning. Its been great to have some bonding time with Cassia. We've also received lots of yummy meals and that has been great too! Other than a little lack of sleep, everyone seems to be doing good so far. Thanks everyone for your prayers for a safe arrival and healthy baby! We felt them! Also thankful to God for His provision and blessings, His being with us this past year, and giving us a little piece of Haiti that will make us feel more like we belong...and that will be in our hearts forever.
