Our partners in Nepal, Bodhi Tree Foundation, sent us this story and pictures of Pasang and her new baby boy.

As we settled into our camp in Yalbang, a small Buddhist village in northern Humla, the man of a pregnant woman came to find us.  He had heard that there was a Nepali Health Worker and two western Nurses in town and was in need of our services.  His wife, Pasang, was in labor with her fourth pregnancy (of which only two children were still alive).

In a dark corner of the one room home we found Pasang laboring quietly by herself.  She allowed me to do a cervical check on her to determine how far along she was in her dilatation.  Since she was still in early labor we decided to head back to camp for a short while and instructed the family to come get us if there was any change. Two hours later we returned to find Pasang still in early labor.  While we waited for her labor to progress we were honored to be part of unique religious ceremony performed by a local monk to promote a safe, healthy birth for both mother and child.

After several more hours, I performed another cervical exam which indicated that Pasang was still in early labor.  Against my better judgement we were told to go back to camp and await their message for us to come back for the delivery.  We left Pasang and her husband with two clean delivery kits and new baby blankets.

When I awoke early the next morning I had a gut feeling that Pasang had delivered during the night.  I quickly walked the twenty minutes down to her home and entered the dark room to find her in different corner.  I knew instantly that she had had the baby.  The husband informed me that there was no time to get us.  Pasang had stood up, asked him for the ‘plastic’, moved to the other side of the room (where she was allowed to deliver), and the next thing he heard was a baby crying.  She had a baby boy and had done the entire delivery herself.  I was so happy for them and so sad for me since I had missed the delivery.  They allowed me to check the newborn, clean him up and to sterilize and re-cut the umbilical cord.  Pasang and her baby were both healthy and stable.  We gave her a year’s supply of pre/postnatal vitamins and instructed her on proper use.  I look forward to seeing Pasang and her baby when I return to Nepal this spring.

Vitamin Angels is so happy to be able to connect Pasang with the essential nutrients that will give her baby the foundation for a healthy life.