Bloggers for Birth Kits.

I'm not even sure how I stumbled upon this picture (and the story that goes with it), but I'm certain that it happened for a reason.

Just yesterday, I skype-vented to my dear friend, Laura, about how Lua was being so clingy and cranky and I wasn't able to get anything done.  She reassured me that it would get better, but I was still feeling sorry for myself...until I read about the women in Papua New Guinea and other developing nations.

The rate of maternal death in PNG is 1 in 7.  One mommy in seven.

Clean Birthing Kits can save moms' lives.  With a trip to your local convenience store (or a teeny tiny donation), you can provide clean delivery supplies for women in need.

One birthing kit includes:

1. Soap (for the birth attendant to wash her hands). Use a hotel-size soap or cut a regular bar of soap into 1/8-sized pieces. (Microwave the bar of soap for 30 seconds to soften it for cutting).
2. One pair of plastic gloves (for the birth attendant to wear).
3. Five squares of gauze (to wipe the mum’s perineum and baby’s eyes). Gauze pieces should be about 10×10 centimeters or 3×3 inches.
4. One blade (to cut the cord). You can buy individually wrapped sterile blades at the pharmacist or buy utility blades (much cheaper) at the hardware store. We teach the women to boil the blades for sterilization, so utility blades work just fine.
5. Three pieces of string (2 for tying the cord, 1 for “just in case”). String should be about 30 centimeters or 10 inches long.
6. One plastic sheet (for a clean birthing surface). Sheet should be approximately 1×1 meter or 1×1 yard and can be purchased at your hardware or paint store.
7. One sandwich-size ziplock bag (to pack the contents).

that's it.  so simple.

Please follow this link for more information and/or to donate.