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She stayed like that for seven days. Murad’s family members told her that there was no need to take the baby to a
doctor and her breathing would become normal with time. However, as the time passed the baby’s condition worsened.
Murad’s husband called the mulla twice for dam.
On the seventh day the baby was breathing with extreme difficulty. When Murad tried to pour a few drops of milk
in the baby’s mouth, milk got stuck in her throat. The mulla came again for dam, and Murad went away to wash baby’s
clothes. When she got back and picked up the baby to breastfeed her, she realized that the baby had died.
Murad said that it is not a custom of the area to take a baby or a woman to the doctor even in case of severe illness
and if they die it is not considered to be a big thing. She said;
“Women and babies are not considered important by men here, because if a baby dies we will get them another baby and if
a woman dies then they will get married again”
Case Study 3 (Haripur): Asphyxia
The case study is about a newborn in Darvesh who suffered from asphyxia. The information
highlights the role of the dai in recognition and management of asphyxia at home and the
lack of awareness of the family members and cultural barriers for delivering at a facility.
The mother said that she came to know about her pregnancy in the third month and went for the ultrasound in the
fifth month because she suffered from pain in abdomen. The lady doctor told her that the baby was positioned above
placenta which is abnormal. The doctor prescribed some medicine for 10 to 15 days and advised her to place the pillow
under her feet instead of head so that the placenta goes back to normal position. The doctor also told her that if the
placenta does not get back to its normal place she will have to have caesarian section at a health facility. She did not
go for the ultrasound again rather she prayed for everything to become normal. She said she did not go to the hospital
for delivery because she thought there is obscenity in the hospital and that she and her family were Syeds and could not
tolerate that. Moreover she also argued that all the babies in her family were delivered at home so she found no reason
to go to a facility for delivery.
In the eighth month the dai examined her by pressing her abdomen. The dai told her that the baby was in normal
position and there was no need for caesarian section. Following this, the dai would come for a check up every 8 th day.
The mother said that she did not avoid any heavy works and kept on doing these (Carrying water buckets, washing
clothes, and sweeping the house) till the last day.
On the day of delivery, she started to bleed early in the morning. The dai examined her and said the baby will be
delivered that day but after some time. She gave an injection in the pulse and asked the mother to take a walk so the
delivery is easy and went back.
When the dai came back latter in the day she applied moderately warmed desi ghee in the vaginal area and gave
massage with a slightly warm cloth so the delivery becomes easier because of warmth. However, the mother was
suffering from great pains and the baby was not delivered. After some time, the head of the baby was visible and the dai
got hold of it and pulled the baby out. This is how the delivery took place.
Once the baby was delivered, the dai noticed that the cord had four loops around baby’s neck and he was completely
unconscious. The placenta was delivered immediately with the baby. The dai unfolded the loops, cut the cord, tied with
clip and wrapped the newborn.
The newborn was not breathing. The dai cleaned the mouth of the baby and gave him breath by placing her doppata on
SAVE THE CHILDREN l 77