Antenatal Care

Are you happy with your antenatal care? I thought I was.Even though I have heard all kind of bad things about using the local clinic. I always maintained that I trust my doctors and that I am not trained to diagnose myself.However I do have some background in science and I do have an opinion.For my entire pregnancy I have had A UTI ( urinary tract infection)Not uncommon in pregnancy and just as a woman , many can relate.The thing is I would never have known since I didn't have any symptoms.
But if you go to antenatal care you must always do the dipstick test.So I found out.After trying 3 antibiotics, with no result the doctor said not to worry and drink water.I trusted him , since no test till then could specify anything. It just seemed to be a fluke.Lo and behold, After another test I find out I have a pretty nasty infection.No wonder the medication was not working. The doctor (not my regular doctor) said that the medicine I was taking would never kill the bacteria. Most treatments are not safe during pregnancy so I had only one choice.They did not have the medicine , so I got a tablet for now.I am supposed to get an injection. Some things were overlooked. Like giving me gestational diabetes test. I had to ask for it. Protein was found in my urine consistently. But nothing was done.Naturally I feel a bit frustrated. I don't trust my antenatal team as much anymore.I will trust my instincts more, but I have to be able to trust my doctors, especially going to the phase of birth.

Breastfeeding

There’s no doubt about the benefits of
breastfeeding a baby,still there are many
woman around the world who avoid this
free and healthy resource that nature provided for
the infants. If humans are the only species in the world
with reason,then why is it that a lot of women especially
those from more developed countries are taking this natural
food for granted by replacing it with lower quality
powdered animal milk?

I will defenitely breastfeed my baby!

Pregnancy superstition or Culture?

When you become pregnant in Suriname you have to deal with some limitations and rules that come from the variety of cultures,in my country:

Don't sit with your leggs crossed during the pregnancy: It will hold the delivery back.

When you meet with a family member that is also pregnant you must always carry a twig and break it uneven every time you meet,for the person who delivers last, will have problems if they don't break sticks.

Everytime you crave for food or something specific you cant get at that
time, you must pinch yourself in the buttocks,if you don't the child will get a
mark wich will remind you of the time you wanted to eat pork for example your
child could get a hairy spot on its body just like a porks skin.

Don't get into trouble with family members,because this is dangerous to your unborn child. Especialy your husband parents,brothers,sisters and grandparents.

Don't stay out too late because a pregnant woman is totally open for bad spirits who only walk at night and may harm you.

There are lots of things you should not do when your pregnant,according
to the Surinamese.Some will call it superstition,to us its part of the culture.

Visa Frustration for Mom

Everybody is getting ready for the baby,and that's not so easy for my mom and younger sis Whitney.They are now in the middle of a visa frustration, to get into BVI. They need a visa because they have a Caribbean passport,and BVI is a British Island. My stepdad is Dutch and has no problems to travel whatsoever.

The most irritating part is that they have to travel from Suriname to Guyana to get their visa. This means at least a $1000 extra costs,to travel and pay for a hotel,just to get a visa from the British Embassy.It also means that Whitney who is in the tenth grade of the International Academy of Suriname(IAS) has to miss at least two days of school.My mom runs a daycare and preschool in Suriname: "Sjommischool" and "De duimelotjes" And is also forced to leave her job.

My mom tries to be positive in this whole matter.Her grandfather was Guyanees,but she have never been to Guyana before,so she will try to find her relatives.

He Grandfather's name was: William,Edgar,Plowell and he was born around 1900 in Guyana. My grandmother his eldest daughters name was: Hariette,Mathilda,Koenders-Plowell.My mother is Ruth van der Marck-Koenders also a welknown songwriter in Suriname.

My mom and "sis" Whitney will be staying at the Tower Hotel in Guyana from 22 november till 23 november 2007.Hopefully this journey will not only give them their visa,to be able to see my mom's first grandchild and Whitney's little cousin but also a clue to our Guyanees roots.