According to Ethiopian tradition when a baby is delivered at home both the mother and the baby receive a blessing, however when the baby is delivered away from home the blessing is invalid. The government is making great efforts to change these traditions. For example raising awareness among local women about the high mortality rate of both newborn babies and the laboring mothers. Other type of methods are also used to lure the women into giving birth in hospitals: the free strong coffee with butter for the escorts of the women, a cap, a soap and a blanket for the newborn.
I was observing a woman in labor pains and her companions who were women of different ages from the village, her relatives and maybe a village elder. The young woman put up with her pain so bravely, it gave me chills. The men in Ethiopian culture have no idea about the ordeals women go through. The hardships are only shared between women themselves. Instead of a hospital nurse I was conversing with the women from the village about the role of the man and how things are in our society. I was in no way inferring that our ways are better or more correct. It was simply a chat and exchange of few thoughts. The women were giggling. I am comparing in my mind the rural- and the city life, the life in Europe and the aspirations of the locals to achieve the same standards of living we have. Unfortunately, I see that they have no clue what so ever about how things have gone deeply amiss for us while being only concerned with rapid development.
I am pondering in which direction should the Ethiopians head so the children would have both parents, religion would not be substituted with diving into the Soddo mall, the supermarkets would sell apples that are still edible for the worms and they would not have to choose between three white liquids which all have a common ancestor called milk. What could be the solution for this nation. These immensely diverse surroundings bring up hundreds of thoughts.
Many organizations here have taken up the responsibility to knit the hats for the babies, but there are still not enough of them to go around. Likewise the gynecological examinations are not favored in this culture. The times now are changing thou and if there is anybody who would like to pitch in, knitting a hat would be very helpful.
What could it be then….
Since the baby is born from a warm environment to a colder one (nights in Ethiopia are especially cold) and the body of a newborn is fast to cool it is important to keep the body temperature . The head of a newborn is rather big in comparison with the body so it becomes essential to minimize the heath loss through the head by covering it with a hat. In the hospital necessary vaccines are also given to the babies.
MERLE