Midwives For Haiti--Let's Go!

Here begins a blog documenting my trip to Haiti to work with and train rural midwives in Hinche, Haiti, with the non-profit Midwives for Haiti. The M4H concept is that Certified Nurse-Midwives and other medical staff from the US make regular trips to Haiti, with the goal to help reduce the maternal and infant mortality rate there. Training Haitian people in midwifery skills and providing supplies and support for their training is at the heart of the program.

We'll be working with a Haitian certified nurse-midwife who is employed by M4H, and will be helping to start a new class with about 15 students. I'm travelling in a group with Nadene, the founder of the program, Steve, an OB-GYN physician who is one of the medical directors, and several Nurse practitioners who will run clinics while we start the midwifery class. Our classes will be taught in a classroom at the local hospital, and they tell me I may do some work with students at the hospital as well.

I expect an experience that will be entirely different from my daily, cushy life in Northern Virginia. I anticipate sleeping in a mosquito net, frequent power shut-offs, cold water showers, and more poverty and health needs in the population than I've ever seen. I also imagine I may enriched in ways I do not yet know. I do know my heart leads me to care for mothers and babies, with a passion. I'm grateful to have a husband that supports and encourages that mission...and a lot of friends and family do too.... So you're all invited to travel with me, via this blog! Here we go!!