I jumped at the chance to do home visits here in Haiti. This is by far my most intimate view into the life of a Haitian mother and baby. Clinically, the visits are largely the same as my visits at home: how are you? how are things with the baby? Is the baby latching well? I weigh the baby, check the mom's abdomen (too often checking her vertical C-section sutures). Culturally, I am wide-eyed and listening. Babies with abdominal bands to make their muscles strong and little strings on their wrists to ward off evil spirits. The dangers of voo doo. Of course the visits are different because I arrive on the back of a motorcycle to a small alley where people are sitting outside, directing us to the new mother and baby. Sometimes it is a typical Haitian shack away from the downtown of Hinche with barefooted children who run away with a smile and a piwili (lollipop) offered to them by the blan (white lady).
We went to Miss Genette's house today so that she could teach me how to make Haitian meat sauce. It is a savory, salty, peppers and tomato-based sauce with small bits of meat. The meat is usually goat but today we made the sauce with chicken legs, feet and necks.
Here are photos from the first week's home visits:
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