I thought that this may be of interest to members of this list.
Rayner Garner
Hemorrhage in Asia by Robin Lim
During my six years of catching babies in Indonesia, I never saw a
fatality
from hemorrhage in Indonesia (we were able to control them), but I saw
far
too many women bleed excessively after birthing. Speaking with elder
healers who used to catch babies in Bali, I discovered what they
believed
was the cause of so much postpartum hemorrhage: In the early 1960s US
government aid organizations introduced "Green Revolution" hybrid rice
to
Asia. This rice matures in three months rather than six, so it was
supposed
to end hunger. But because it is also a weak variety, it is susceptible
to
fungus and pests and must be heavily sprayed with herbicides,
anti-fungals
and pesticides.
Overnight the people went from eating organic red rice as their staple
food
to ingesting a hybrid, sprayed rice that was polished down to white.
Even
the rats won't eat this rice. This is handy---it makes it easy to store.
According to Mangku Liyer, a healer priest in Pengo Sekan, Bali, "Within
the first season of the new rice I saw women dying, so many dying,
bleeding
too much after childbirth. Before, when a woman would bleed too much, I
could stop the bleeding with herbs and young coconut water. After we
began
to eat the new rice, I could no longer help the women. I only could help
bury them."
In June 1998 we arrived at Baguio, Philippines, the home of my mother. I
immediately began to catch babies for the marginalized mountain people.
I
was astonished to find that these Filipino women, unlike the Indonesian
women I had helped, were not hemorrhaging after giving birth. Their
secret
seemed to be in their food. They were eating organically grown red rice
and
sweet potatoes. Unfortunately women living a more modern lifestyle (in
either the Philippines or Indonesia) in the city and eating commercially
grown white rice and fast foods, had higher blood pressure and more
postpartum blood loss.
So let me take this opportunity to say what we all already know: sound
nutrition equals healthy mother, healthy baby and better birth outcomes.
Please, if you're pregnant or helping pregnant women, choose organic
foods.
It makes a tremendous difference.
Note:
The family health clinic I raised funds to build in Bali is now open and
being run by two wonderful Balinese midwives. Thanks to everyone who
helped
in so many ways. Some gave their time, books, used baby clothing,
equipment, birth supplies, money, etc. Your generosity has gone a long
way.
I will be returning to the Philippines in November to open a
free-standing
birth center in cooperation with Good Shepherd Convents and the Dept. of
Health in Baguio. We hope to encourage traditional birth attendants and
help them get the supplies, supplementary training and networking they
need
and want. Many women have been trained in college as midwives but there
are
no jobs for them. Right now 30% of the reported births in Baguio are
unattended homebirths. As fatalities are not reported, Mary Fernandez of
the Baguio Dept. of Health can only imagine how many births actually
still
take place at home. Our shared dream is that if low cost or free
homebirth
services could be made available, birth outcomes could be much improved.
What I need: Books to help improve midwives' knowledge (most Filipino
college trained midwives speak English. They can help the Ilokano and
Tagalog traditional birth attendants learn from the books as well),
birth
supplies, funding--every centavo helps. All can be sent to me in the US
before I depart on Nov. 1st. Robin Lim, 501 North C. St., Fairfield,
Iowa,
52556; email: [log in to unmask]
Thank you, Salamat po!
o=o=o=o=o=o
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