blogging in indonesian?

somehow, indonesian is the language of my blog now. I can type in english but most of the rest of the blog is in indonesian. i guess it's a good way to learn the language. so far, i know mainly words like "good" "deep breath" and "push" or ones that are otherwise related to birth and pregnant women. we have been here a week as of today so this blog may be a bit lengthy to catch you all up!


We have been in Bali for one week today. It's surprising how quickly we have let this place capture us, how much we enjoy being here and how we ponder just how long we will get to stay here. We arrived in Bali last Tuesday around noon. We had lunch at the airport then heard my name being paged. We met the driver from the birth center who had arrived to pick us up; the birth center is about an hour from the airport. We also met a med student on her way back to the USA after spending the summer volunteering at the birth center and we met the financial director.

I am not sure how much I should tell you all about the van ride to the birth center. Let's just say that there was not a car seat of any sort in the van. You CPS workers are my friends and thus, will not report me. Plus, you will never find me now as I live in a kick ass house that overlooks rice patties. we are ridiculously thankful.

I went to my first indonesian birth before nightfall, which also happened to be my first water birth and my first birth center birth! I went to my second indonesian, birth center water birth this morning around 6am! i am so grateful to be a part of this place. it's already sneaking it's way into my heart.

The food is great, our house is beautiful and the view from the decks are spectacular, the midwives are welcoming and brilliant and trust birth, the weather is mild in the shade and sunny in the sun, things are too affordable for our own good, and we feel at home already. ez has a friend her age who has the same name as her middle name (know it?). they dance together, eat fruit out of the same bowl, lift their dresses to show off their bellies and play for hours inside and outside our house. her mom helps us find food and cook it or slice it and keeps us sane as we adjust to a new place where most things are not familiar, yet. we are so thankful.

Since last Tuesday, I have attended five births.

The third one was another baby girl born after many hours of struggling to push this huge baby out. She weighed over 10 pounds, which is a lot of baby for anyone but especially here where babes are a bit smaller at birth. The mom worked really hard for this fourth babe of hers to be born naturally at the birth center. The baby did not breathe on her own at first so the midwife helped her breathe as we all took deep breaths in and out while standing by and watching and praying. We encouraged the mom, dad and grandma to talk to the newborn which they did, along with gentle rubs to the baby's body. The babe's color was good ans after a few shots of oxygen, she gave out a loud cry. We all cheered and clapped and thanked the baby. Breastfeeding is the norm for these mom-babe duos and it started without any problems. I got to visit the mom the next day. We sat on her bed together nursing our babes, mine almost two years old and hers' not quite two days old laughing about how big hew newborn is and how hard it was to get her out. Her other three babes were born with a few easy pushes so this one was a bit of a challenge!

The next birth i attended was a rather popular one as it was the birth of a second daughter to one of the staff at the birth center. i barely know this man and i have already seen him in his undies! he jumped in the birth tub with is wife and i was part of a gentle, beautiful water birth. i almost felt like i didn't need to be there with all of the other people caring for them. a first for me was watching the midwife rub vernix on her face as moisturizer. it seems to be a trick of the trade for keeping skin wrinkle free!

Yesterday, I spent 12 hours with a first time mom helping her move and grove and do her own birth dance, which at times looked like something from "sweating to the oldies" or one of jane fonda's videos. although this mom took kindly to every suggestion for different positions and even made up some of her own, it was a longer labor than the other ones i have been to here in bali. the mom worked really hard ad eventually, her baby came out into the arms of an awaiting mid-wife. the midwife helped this baby breathe and other attendants suctioned meconium and gave oxygen. i once, again stood watching and praying. eventually the babe gave out a good cry. I am still processing this birth as it just happened last night. one joy was seeing the midwives' granddaughter at the age of about eight attending this woman in labor. i had a lot to learn from her.