Did she give birth at a health post?

At home. There was no birthing centre like now. There was no facilities like this.

Was there anyone with her when she had her children?

Yes, there were neighbors around.

Did she have any complications?

Not such a complication. Only prolonged while doing first birth, the second stage become a little bit longer.

Did she give birth outside, at home?

No inside house in my own room.

Were her children healthy when they were little?

They were not such a system to take the weight of the baby when they were delivered, but both births were healthy. Babies were healthy there was no low birth at such case.

What are your daily routines outside of being an SBA?

Early morning wake up and I work at the house—washing, cooking, cleaning and sending the kids to school. And from 10-3 I work at health post. If there is any emergency then sometimes it is until 5pm at night. But if not 10-3. After 3 return to house and make some snacks. Take care of my shop. And again cooking, cleaning. The same as usual household work.

What is her cultural background?

Chettri

In her cultural background are there any traditions, ceremonies around childbirth?

After delivery for 10-11 days they do not do any worship. While they are pregnant, they are not allowed to go to temple or worship ceremonies. After birth on the 11^th day they do Newarn the naming ceremony.

What advice did her mother in law or mother give to her?

No mother in law, no mother. And no any advice from anyone in those days.

How have things changed since her grandmother’s generation?

Huge changes even if I talk about myself. I gave birth at home and even our mother in laws would tell us they gave birth at home or even in cow shed. But now when even a little pain started they bring to the health post. Everyone at the village understands it is safe at the health post. So there are huge differences between then and now.

What challenges are women facing today?

Normally the woman from villages, so they have to do their housework—carrying a heavy load, cutting the grass, everyday household work. While they came to check up here we suggest that they don’t do heavy works and other stuff, and we suggest that they just do light work and then take a rest. But it is not possible after they reach back to their home, they must have to do all the work. These are the problems for a village woman, but for city woman they can have a rest, but it is not easy for village woman. To come from village to health post takes one, two, three hours.

Which villages would normally use this birthing center?

9 wards. Not just surrounding Hatiya but other villages—another VDC Malma, Kandeybaas, Nareythanti, Dudhila—not just from Hatiya. Harichaur also.

What is the farthest one from here?

Kandeybaas and Dudhila, it takes three hours walking. There are no vehicles, they must walk.

What has changed in the village since she has lived here?

At those days there was no facility for transportation, to reach Baglung there was no way other then to walk. There was no phone, no mobile, no media. To make one call you have to go to another village and have to stand for two to three hours in a que to make one single call. People used to deliver on their own house. It is much better developed now.

What is the most challenging aspect of her job?

The main problems are when pregnant woman comes, if it is possible here we will do. But if we have to refer it is so hard to get a vehicle, but even with vehicles the family doesn’t understand the necessity of it, and they keep pressuring us to do it here. Even if they take the pregnant woman, there can be many problems on the way. These are the main problems.

What would make her job easier?

For us its lack of sufficient manpower, there are many deliverers and we do not have enough staff. I wish there was more nursing staff. The rooms are very small. Sometimes three or four deliveries come at the same time. At that time it is such a mess, should we allow visitor to go inside or we go inside. Its very small rooms. It is a problem to refer at night. There is an ambulance but it belongs to private hospital. And sometimes when we need it, then it is already being used by another person. So if there was an ambulance it would be much better. With all these things it would make it much easier to work for us. Small buildings and it is really hard for us to make deliveries.

How many cases do they have here?

Last month, 23. This month 17. Another month 21.

Sometimes the pregnant woman come and their delivery dates are very close and need an ultrasound, we have to send it to the private hospital. We have to send to private, if we had training and machines over here. Then they wouldn’t have to go there and spend their money. If we have, at least it would be free. That is also a big problem for us. It costs 600 rupes for it. The private hospital is nearby.

When she first started working here what facilities were here?

I started to work here in 2002. At that time this building was not here. There was another building on another corner of this market. There was no equipment except for one kit box. We have only taken a basic three month training. And there was one delivery set. And if there was a delivery at a village home, they would come to call us, and we would take that kit to the village with us. At that time, there was always something missing in the box. And we used to make deliveries on the normal mat of their own house. There can be many complications—over bleeding, retained placenta, PPS—we cannot expect always normal delivery. And we did not have any SBA training, now we have SBA training and other staff. If any complications come we solve it together. Even in those situations, no big issue came, but we used to work in that way. And now there are many facilities.

What other health workers are here?

We are three SBA including me. Right now one SBA went to her house in Baglung. We have in charge Sir. We are all together we are seven people with health assistants.

What is the SBA rotation?

10-3 we all do together. Night duty, we do two nights for each SBA, deliverers can come at any time so we should have to do night duty.

What hopes does she have for the village in the future?

For future there may be big hospital, there are doctors, we may be able to do some serious operations also. It is now a rough gravel road, maybe there will be an asphalt road. These are all hopes, but I hope.

How many people does this health post serve in the area?

Daily an average of 30-35, 20.

Do the SBAs do work other then deliveries?

Yes we do other works also. Like family planning counseling. Deliveries. Vaccination camps. We also visit field.

In her last interview her husband inspired her, how did he support her?

Her husband told her that when you care for the sick people and you make them well, and then they tell you that you make them well—that will give you a big satisfaction.

What does your husband do?

He works in this same health post as an auxiliary health worker. We are busy in our own work and don’t have time to see each other.

What is her favorite part of the job?

Best thing for me is getting self-satisfaction, it makes me happy when things become successful which I did.

What is her favorite thing to do outside of health?

I love to visit different places, which I have not been before. To sit with family and have fun, enjoy. To be with family and to have fun.

Do you get to visit your family often?

Sometimes, rarely.

What advice does she have for her daughters?

First thing is to get a good education. Do not involve yourself in bad company. Do your studies. Whatever desire or dreams you have share with me. The main thing is I want to fufill their dreams and desire, maybe I want them to be a staff nurse but maybe they do not want. I want them to be a good person. Make improvements on life.