To celebrate the end of primary school for our son Jacob, and secondary school for our daughter Maya, we had planned a big family trip to Indonesia. The last time James and I were in this part of the world was 21 years ago, during a post graduation gap year. Much has changed here, especially in Bali which has a huge tourism trade. But Bali is still home to many thousands of Balinese who require health care and maternity care. So when I knew we would be visiting Ubud I asked some of Born’s suppliers if they would like to donate some useful items to Robin Lims Birth Centre Bumi Sehat as I was happy to use up my generous luggage allowance with useful items for the clinic.
For anyone who doesn’t know Robin Lim, in 2011 she won the CNN Hero of the year for her dedication to midwifery in Indonesia and the Philippines. Plus from the heaving display of awards you can see that Robin is well loved throughout the world. She’s written many books on Gentle Birth and the importance of delayed cord clamping, post natal care and breastfeeding.
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| Some of Robins awards |
I had the pleasure of visiting Robin at the centre, when I arrived there was the smell of Moxy in the air, a traditional acupuncture remedy for turning babies in-utero. At the consultancy desk was a young travelling couple who came to confirm a pregnancy with a scan. Their faces afterwards showed that they had yet to take in the impact of the little black and white scan picture Robin handed to them, a flick through a picture book to show them the baby at 8 weeks and Robin’s matter of fact attitude helped a little, but it was clear that this new addition to their travels was definitely a stowaway.
Robin’s centre is open to anyone and everyone who needs the service, not just Indonesians. Robin was very pleased to see me turn up with my bag of Aden & Anais muslins, tubes of Lansinoh, Bumkins nappies and wraps, bras and breast pads from Bravado and my friend Dominique Sakoilsky’s book; Seven Secrets of a Joyful Birth. She was most excited with the Bumkins wraps, saying they were like ‘gold dust’ in Bali. For ‘the personal health of the baby and for the health of the earth’ she was very grateful to have these to give to the families and said she’d make sure she instructed them personally. After having 8 children in cloth nappies, I’m sure Robin will know what to do with them.
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| Mum at Bumi Sehat gratefully receives an Aden & Anais muslin for her new baby |
There are 2 labour rooms at the centre. There was one woman in early labour and another in established labour. Easy to tell from the low groaning noises coming from the room. There is a postnatal room with 3 beds which when I visited were full. Robin was excited to give the mums some Lansinoh as anything that encourages breastfeeding is good. She told me that to bottle feed a baby in Indonesia costs the same as the average monthly wage ($50-60) so if a baby isn’t breastfed they can’t afford much else. Plus you have the issues with water contamination, thinning the milk and none of the many health benefits that come along with breastfeeding for mother and baby.
The money Robin received from the CNN and since is being used to fund a new centre for which work starts next year. To find out more about Robin Lim and her work or to make a donation please see Robins website.
With thanks also to Lansinoh, Bravado, Bumkins, Aden + Anais, and Dominique Sakoilsky.
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