Dhanmaya Shrish has been serving as a Female Community Health Volunteer for 17 years in the village of Lekhani. She is the mother of three healthy daughters, and here tells the story of her second child who would not live to see their first day.

My name is Dhanmaya Shrish. This was my second baby. I had been doing check ups from Saraswoti Madam and I had also taken tetanus vaccine. My expected date of delivery was 2054/11/23, as said by Saraswoti Madam. I fell down two times while working in the month of Ashog and Kartik. My urination was stopped at two months of pregnancy and I had gone to Baglung Hospital for check up. They gave me medicine for one week and in the time of delivery fever had come. In Baglung Hospital they gave me medicine and told that I will not deliver for one week, so don’t be afraid. So again I came back home, and days passed on. Again on Chaitra 30, I went to Baglung hospital for check up and knew from them that the baby is breached and to come to hospital only if I have labour pain. Again they checked up, and said to me that my baby doesn’t have a head. They suggested to me to go to Pokhara. On Baisakh 4, 2054 we went to Pokhara and admitted into Gandaki Hospital. And on 6^th of Baisakh, my baby was delivered after administration of medicine, but due to pulling of cord placenta was retained inside. So I had to have an operation, the next day the doctor came and said to me that the baby was like that because I fell down and have anemia. They told me to throw the baby into Seti Gandaki. Then after five days I returned home. Now I have three daughters and they are healthy. I do not have a son. Now I do not want any more children. We are all healthy now.