Priscilla’s Biology class

During the month of January, we received an amazing guest: Priscilla Kramer.

Priscilla is a young North-American Midwife who studied and who is currently working in the State of Florida (USA).

She is levelheaded, intelligent, capable and well prepared. She has been involved in a lot of Natural Water births, home births and births at birthing centers in the USA.

With her at our side, we were able to perform a few deliveries at the Caja de Seguro Social (Panama’s Public Health System’s Hospital) and they were wonderful and caused huge impact in the Labor and Delivery Unit’s personnel, doctors, nurses and aides. The happier ones were the mothers that had the privilege of being assisted by Priscilla and experienced a gentler birth.

In future blog’s entries we’ll continue sharing the enriching experience we lived together.

Today, for example, I’m going to share with you one of these experiences.

Mason was born a few days ago, Sheila’s third son. Graciela and I have assisted her in all her children’s births: José, Ria and now Mason.

This last child was also born in water and at home, as did Ria.

It was a beautiful and gentle birth like the previous ones.

The children stayed with their father Joe during labor and arrived a few minutes after Mason’s birth.

As if it were the most natural thing in this world, they walked to their mother’s and brother’s side. There was only peace and happiness in the room.

After the placenta was expelled, Priscilla was able to answer all of Jose’s (the older brother) questions regarding how the placenta, this human and mammal organ, works.

Priscilla showed them every detail. Vessels, umbilical cord, cotyledon and placental membranes…

It was an unforgettable biology class for Sheila’s and Joe’s children.

When I live these kinds of experiences I realize that Panama’s has a long road ahead to learn about things so simple and life changing as the birth of a child into this world.

We would like to say: Thank you Priscilla for your sensitivity and lessons that we will never forget.

Dr. Rodrigo Aybar
Dra. Graciela A de Aybar