In my profession, one of the things we do is to do immunization to the children. This is a picture of us doing immunization. It is not easy for us because we don’t want to hurt them but we just think of the benefits it gives to them. What is immunization?

When the human immune system is exposed to molecules that are foreign to the body (non-self), it will orchestrate an immune response, but it can also develop the ability to quickly respond to a subsequent encounter (through immunological memory). This is a function of the adaptive immune system. Therefore, by exposing an individual to an immunogen in a controlled way, their body can learn to protect itself: this is called active immunisation.

The most important elements of the immune system that are improved by immunisation are the B cells (and the antibodies they produce) and T cells. Memory B cell and memory T cells are responsible for a swift response to a second encounter with a foreign molecule. Passive immunization is when these elements are introduced directly into the body, instead of when the body itself has to make these elements.

Immunisation can be done through various techniques, most commonly vaccination. Vaccines against microorganisms that cause diseases can prepare the body’s immune system, thus helping to fight or prevent an infection. The fact that mutations can cause cancer cells to produce proteins or other molecules that are unknown to the body forms the theoretical basis for therapeutic cancer vaccines. Other molecules can be used for immunisation as well, for example in experimental vaccines against nicotine (NicVAX) or the hormone ghrelin (in experiments to create an obesity vaccine).

Immunisation can be achieved in an active or passive fashion: vaccination is an active form of immunization.

Active immunization
Active immunisation entails the introduction of a foreign molecule into the body, which causes the body itself to generate immunity against the target. This immunity comes from the T cells and the B cells with their antibodies.

Active immunization can occur naturally when a person comes in contact with, for example, a microbe. If the person has not yet come into contact with the microbe and has no pre-made antibodies for defense (like in passive immunization), the person can become immunized. The immune system will eventually create antibodies and other defenses against the microbe. The next time, the immune response against this microbe can be very efficient; this is the case in many of the childhood infections that a person only contracts once, but then is immune.

Artificial active immunization is where the microbe, or parts of it, are injected into the person before they are able to take it in naturally. If whole microbes are used, they are pre-treated, so that they will not harm the injected person as the naturally occurring microbe would. Depending on the type of disease, this technique also works with dead microbes, parts of the microbe, or treated toxins from the microbe.

Passive immunization

Passive immunization is where pre-made elements of the immune system are transferred to a person, and the body doesn’t have to create these elements itself. Currently, antibodies can be used for passive immunization. This method of immunization begins to work very quickly, but it is short lasting, because the antibodies are naturally broken down, and if there are no B cells to produce more antibodies, they will disappear.

Passive immunization can be naturally acquired when antibodies are being transferred from mother to fetus during pregnancy, to help protect the fetus before and shortly after birth.

Artificial passive immunization is normally given by injection and is used if there has been a recent outbreak of a particular disease or as an emergency treatment to poisons (for example, for tetanus). The antibodies can be produced in animals or in vitro.

This was one of my favorite pictures of pregnant women. This was taken during one of my health teachings. I really like it when they listen intently and have some fun. I love to make jokes to them. It is so much when you see them laugh at the same time learn from the things they needed to know about pregnancy, fetal growth and development, nutrition, breastfeeding, family planning, labor and delivery and so on.

In my nine years of practice, I observed a lot of older women have prolong labor and ended up having caesarean section. I think it is not just a physical condition that causes them to have long labor but I think psychological aspect plays a vital part of it. It seems that older women who are pregnant for the first time think that they will have a long labor and some think they will have caesarean section. It is already imprinted in their minds. I always tell those women to think and condition there minds that they will have a normal labor and delivery.

Scientists at Cambridge University have found that advancing age is associated with impaired uterine function, specifically a lesser degree of spontaneous contraction and a change in the type of contraction. This is thought to result in poor progression of labour and therefore increase the rate of caesarean section.

A newly born baby delivered at home. He is my cousin’s son. I was her midwife. She had a long labor and delivery but everything went well by God’s grace. He is very cute. He is now 1 year and 5 months. It feels so great to be there with them when he came out.

This was taken during one of the busy shifts in our clinic. These are my co-workers. It is so fun to deliver many babies in a shift. It is amazing to know how babies born at the same time or almost at the same time. It is so crazy when they come at the same time. 6 Midwives versus 9 babies… and the winner …………….BABIES!!!

In my profession, I am blessed to be a witness of the miracle of life. I delivered and assisted more 2000 babies. I really love them. They are so cute and they melt my heart. Truly they are bundles of joy. I really have fun bathing and clothing them. It is my honor to help parents put on their first baby clothes.
Babies deserve to have beautiful clothes. We can find some cool websites for them like Tiny Tiny Clothing. They have variety of matchless baby clothes to choose from. There is also a website Tie Dye Baby Clothes where you can find all the designs that you wanted.

I want to share these pictures as tribute to all the mothers. Pictures are kind of blurry, the camera was not set in the right mode but I love these. These are one of those moments that I’ve treasured in my life. This was taken 2 years ago. I delivered my cousin’s 2nd baby, a home delivery. Her first baby (I also delivered, home birth) was there during the birth. As you can see in the first picture, she was touching her mother’s forehead as she was asking her if it was painful. I really can tell that she was sharing the pains with her mother. The second picture, she was looking at and acquainting her new brother. The third picture, is the best. She kissed her mom and her brother was looking at them. It’s wordless. It was one of those precious and wonderful time I have as a nurse-midwife. I really appreciate and salute all the mothers in the world, you are all awesome and amazing. Happy mother’s day.

A midwife friend of mine wrote me an email today. She told me that she delivered her sister’s baby. There was a complication of delivery called shoulder dystocia. Shoulder dystocia happened when the shoulders is stuck up way up high to the pubic bone. The baby’s head is out but it will take some manuever or management to let the whole body to come out. Thanks God the delivery went well. The exciting thing there aside from  having a new baby was, my friend is also pregnant, she is 36 weeks pregnant one or two weeks more she will have her baby. Pretty sure there was an andrenaline rush. I am so proud of her.

One of the best things I like with my profession is bathing and clothing babies. It is so fun to cloth them with personalized baby clothes. Babies are so cute. It feels so great to see them with their first outfit on in their entire life. It is a great honor for me to be able to parents put clothes on their babies. It is so much fun.

This is me and the baby I delivered 4 months ago. Isn’t she cute? Oh my goodness! She is so so cute. Look at her spiky hair! =) This baby made my day. I felt delighted in the midst of my busy day. The last time I saw her was when she was still 6 weeks old. I can’t imagine how fast babies grow and how fast time passed. It seems like I just delivered her few weeks ago.

Yesterday I was on prenatal check-up. We were 57 patients. There were 5 of us working. I think I did like may be 20 out of the 57. Not to boast myself but I always do more prenatal checks than my co-midwives. I think I can do more without them interrupting me all the questions they have for their patients. It is always fun doing check up on pregnant women. It always makes me so happy to feel the baby inside the womb moving. Pregnancy is one of the most amazing phenomenon can happen. It really shows how powerful God is. Sometimes I can’t fathom how the baby grows inside and be delivered in a specific or right time. Preggy moms will not carry babies in their wombs forever. Most of the time it made me feel somewhat exhausted after duty. But hey are worth the hard work though.

Hi! This is my photo hunt for this week. This is really a party isn’t it? These babies were born in our clinic last month. Eight babies born in 12 hours. One of the busiest shift we had. Usually we have babies born 2 or 3 babies in one day. They are so cute. They melt our hearts away. They are worth the hard work. It is an honor to be a witness of the miracle of life.