Helping Babies Breathe

I loved reading the article in The Church News about the Helping Babies Breathe humanitarian work the church is doing.

LDS Charities is a recognized innovator of the “train the trainer” approach to neonatal resuscitation training. In Indonesia, a portion of that training called Helping Babies Breathe is being introduced for the first time. While more advanced training focuses primarily on physicians in a hospital setting, HBB focuses on midwives in a clinic or rural setting. Each year, LDS Charities presents about 40 such training programs around the world.

LDS Charities trains people, who then in turn go out and train more people and then they go train people, etc, etc, etc. It makes me think of the power of sharing our knowledge.

I know that is one reason we (The Gift of Giving Life authors) were inspired to write the book was because we felt inspired to share the knowledge and wisdom women had about birth. We love it when our readers then share the book with their friends and families. Some host Gift of Giving Life Parties, some share books as gifts, some pass on their copy. The beautiful thing is the powerful message of hope is spread.

Helping Babies Breathe actually helps train women so they can preserve the life that is created in situations where babies need help adapting to life outside the womb.

“When we finished the training in Bandung, we told all 60 midwives that they were going to receive their own ventilator bag and mask, suction device and stethoscope for their own deliveries,” said Dr. Visick. “Everyone cheered and clapped. These midwives are doing home deliveries and do not have their own equipment to resuscitate babies. They were very excited to hear that they would receive this equipment.” If you’re wanti

The experience reminded Dr. Visick how he and his wife feel when they donate just $50 to the Church Humanitarian Fund, which finances LDS Charities.

“That contribution buys two kits and equips two midwives with everything they need to resuscitate babies,” he said. “They may not need it every month, but they’ll be ready when they do. Most have worked for 10 or 15 years and have never been able to help babies in respiratory distress. When they cheered at receiving equipment, inside we were cheering, too. We were touched to know our little sacrifice will make a big difference in their lives.”

That is so wonderful!!