Healthy Cooking and Comraderie

Today I walked into my health post, ready to start my first program directed at pregnant teens and mothers, when the obstetrician excitedly motioned for me to come into one of the rooms. When I walked in there was a tiny little baby, wrapped up in a bundle of blankets, happily asleep in her mother’s arms. Less than an hour before this woman had given birth in the health post and was now proudly showing off her new child. I’ve never seen such a brand-new baby, still pink and wrinkly, but somehow adorable. It was a perfect way to start off my workshop with pregnant women.

Teen pregnancy is an important issue in Poroto, and a significant percentage of adolescent girls end up pregnant before reaching the age of 20. I’ve been seeking a way to interact with pregnant teens, but accessing them can be complicated. My baking classes have been successful with the youth of my town, so I decided to partner with my health post to extend my classes to pregnant women. I’ve been coordinating with the obstetrician and nurse to offer a weekly program that incorporates interactive cooking classes, nutritional information, and maternal health care.

The first class was today, and more than 15 pregnant women came to participate in the program, five of whom were teenagers. We started by getting to know one another, and then prepared a carrot cake. Each of the women participated actively, although it took a bit of encouragement, and it was a good chance for them to gather, discuss, and participate in a new activity. As we waited for the cake to bake I gave a session about nutrition with the nurse and obstetrician. The women seemed genuinely interested in the information, and asked questions about incorporating healthy local ingredients into their cooking.

Each of the women was also able to attend their check-up with the health post staff and ask any questions about their pregnancies. Many of the women live in far away caserios and had to walk more than an hour to arrive at the health post. A high percentage of teen pregnancies occur in adolescents who live in isolated, rural areas, so it was a good opportunity to reach out to those who are typically further removed from access to health care.