I’ve just come back from a long and interesting journey. The group, which is now down to four members (Tarik, Caitlyn, ML and me), traveled a total of 24 hours across Mexico to visit Xochitl Ferman Flores, a former student of CASA’s midwifery school. Upon graduation, Xochitl returned to her hometown of Gabino Barreda in the state of Veracruzand opened up her own professional midwifery practice, hoping to improve reproductive health in the area. We wanted to follow her during an average day to understand and document the effect that reproductive health, and thus CASA’s programs, has in the rural areas of Mexico.
Traveling over 10 hours from San Miguel, we made a stop in Mexico City, and then took an overnight bus to Santa Cruz, a town so small that we had trouble finding it on both print and internet maps. At 6am, I groggily stepped off of the bus and immediately took off my sweater; even before the sun had risen the air was extremely humid.
Xochitl arrived at the bus station around 7am with a cab ready to take us to the next town down the road, Gabino Barreda. My discomfort in the five of us, our backpacks, camera equipment and the driver all being crammed into about 5 square feet of space was eased when I saw the beauty that surrounded me. My first glimpse of Santa Cruz included giant banana tree leaves illuminated in the faint golden sunrise.
Within five minutes, we pulled up to “el armarillo a la izquierda”—the yellow one on the left and Xochitl’s hard work in physical form. The building was quaint, professional, and comfortable with a sign that read “Casa de Nacimiento” on the outside. She took us on a tour of the facility, pointing out the important tools and techniques she uses in her profession. Without our inquiry, Xochitl passionately spoke of the extreme connection between the midwife and the patient. This strong relationship has been a common theme in our interviews with various CASA employees and patients and Xochitl was no different. We discussed this unique bond and how it makes the act of bringing life into the world a more comfortable and natural experience.
Later that day, we had the opportunity to witness Xochitl’s relationship with Jennifer, a woman who was 7 months pregnant and visiting for her routine checkup. The two women were observably good friends as they engaged in comfortable conversation throughout the meeting. Xochitl measured Jennifer’s weight, her temperature, and then listened with a metal cone to the baby’s heartbeat. The two women then seated themselves at a table to discuss what Jennifer was experiencing and any problems she had encountered.
What was very significant to me about the relationship between these two women was the close proximity of help in such a rural village. Xochitl told us that the closest hospital was 14 km away. While to many that may not seem far, it is a massive distance in an area where few own cars and it can be very problematic in emergencies and at night. As I was very aware of by the end of the day, Gabino Barreda and the surrounding area has very difficult weather and torrentially rains for hours on end. Midwives, on the other hand, live right in the center of the community and can be called upon at any moment without difficulty. I witnessed first-hand Xochitl’s commitment to her work. She stayed in the facility all day and even when her practice closed, she was still available – a patient in need could visit her at home, located right next door.
-Briana