bloggers for birth kits

photo from: themommyhoodmemos

Did you know that 1 in 7 women die  from childbirth in rural Papua New Guinea?

These women don't have money or resources to get good (even acceptable) prenatal care or birthing services. But that doesn't change the fact that they are still giving birth to precious babies every day.

I'm partnering up with Adriel from themommyhoodmemos to help spread awareness and ask for support for the women of PNG.

It is critical that these women have the ability to birth their babies on a clean surface with clean utensils. Women die from infections entering the birth canal during unclean births, excessive blood loss, and other adverse reasons. Babies can become desperately ill by infections picked up from an unclean birthing process.

It is unacceptable.

Adriel works in missions with YWAM medical ships. They sail around Papua New Guinea providing medical services to the rural areas, where otherwise, there would be no medical care.

"We provide dental services, eyeglasses, cataract surgeries, vaccines, primary health care, education, and other crucial services to those who most need it." -from Adriel's blog, linked above 'themommyhoodmemos'

Making a birth kit is as simple as gathering a few inexpensive items and putting them in a standard size zip-loc bag:
1. 1 plastic sheet (1 yard x 1 yard) - for a clean surface (think: painters drop cloth)
2. 1 bar of soap (1/8 of a regular bar of soap or a hotel sized bar) - for clean hands
3. 1 pair of plastic gloves - for clean hands (I would try to avoid latex, some babies are allergic and since it's preventable...why not?)
4. 1 sterile scalpel blade - for cutting the umbilical cord
5. 3 cords/pieces of strong string (10 inches long each) - to tie off the cord after it's cut
6. 5 guaze squares - to wipe secretions from baby's eyes, nose, mouth and to wipe mother's perineum

The idea is for it to be small and lightweight so it can be carried into the villages.

Send completed kits to:

Bloggers for Birth Kits c/o Adriel Booker
YWAM Ships
PO Box 6221
Townsville, QLD 4810
Australia

Please, please, go to Adriel's blog and read for yourself. She offers a video on how to assemble the kits if you want more details. She tells of other ways to help by donating, etc. themommyhoodmemos

I have a new passion for the YWAM Medical Ship and what they're making possible in remote areas of the world. We are so blessed here in the states and I feel like it is our duty to share what we have with those who have nothing. Even in America, you can have zero dollars to your name and no home and go and deliver in a perfectly sterile hospital with certified doctors and nurses there to aid you and your baby.

Now, can't you spare $3.10 to make a birth kit for a woman in Papua New Guinea, to help give her and her baby a fighting chance?

Leave a comment or email me with any questions.
emfen21@gmail.com

"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19