Back to the 60s: The Struggle Career of a Charmed Wife
Chapter 261 - 0261: Giving Birth in the Countryside 1_1

Chapter 261: Chapter 0261: Giving Birth in the Countryside 1_1

Who is Xiuying? She’s Jin Cuihua’s sister-in-law, her full name is Niu Xiuying.

Jin Cuihua’s husband is the eldest, while Xiuying’s husband is the fifth youngest. Out of all the sisters-in-law, they are the closest. When Cuihua heard that Xiuying was about to give birth, she was the first one to run to find Feng Qingxue.

Their production team only had one midwife, who was skilled but had a very high mortality rate.

Despite this, everyone sought her out, because there were very few people in this profession, a profession that was considered to be lowly in the old times.

Now, the midwife was also getting old. Her hands were not as steady when delivering babies, and sometimes she couldn’t be found. Many women ended up giving birth at home, relying on the childbirth experience of their older female relatives.

Life or death, it was all up to fate.

This is Niu Xiuying’s third child. The first was a girl who survived. The second, a boy, didn’t make it and died less than ten days after his birth.

Feng Qingxue rushed over with Jin Cuihua. On the way, she instructed Lu Tianjun to hurry home and fetch the medical kit with a red cross on it from her wardrobe, and two thermos filled with hot water.

The medical kit was given to her by Dr. Guo before she left the military hospital.

Since she was intent on studying medicine, she couldn’t be without the usual medical supplies, so Dr. Guo and several nurses from the hospital who had taught her, gathered all the necessary materials and put them in the kit.

"And bring our new toilet too!"

Guan Cheng stood up abruptly, "I’ll go with Tianjun!"

Both of them were quick runners, so not long after Feng Qingxue arrived at Niu Xiuying’s side, the two kids arrived panting, clutching the medical kit, thermal flasks, and toilet. They were drenched in sweat.

Niu Xiuying was on the ground, crying out in pain, with a layer of corn stalks beneath her. The hard-working men of the production team kept their distance, leaving only a few middle-aged and elderly women to encourage her.

The conditions for childbirth were so poor that Feng Qingxue sighed at the lack of hygiene.

It was now too late to tell them about hygiene. Feng Qingxue rolled up her sleeves and went forward. On the way, she’d listened as Jin Cuihua explained Niu Xiuying’s condition. Now her main task was to check the baby’s position, open the medicine box, use the rudimentary stethoscope of that age to monitor the baby’s heartbeat, sterilize scissors and towels. She was incredibly busy.

The scissors were sterilized with alcohol.

The bottle contained alcohol which she had prepared beforehand in her space, however, she claimed it to be spirits to others.

The previously boiled clean towels were soaked in hot water poured into the toilet, and Feng Qingxue also washed her hands. She instructed the women helping her to pour out the dirty water in the bucket, replace it with hot water, and leave it to cool.

Given the conditions, this was the best she could do.

Niu Xiuying had experience with childbirth, so about an hour later, the birth canal had dilated fully. Without any difficulties, she gave birth to a boy, which delighted her mother-in-law who was anxiously waiting by her side.

Post-natal care is also important in the process of childbirth.

Feng Qingxue, despite the filth, diligently cut the umbilical cord of the baby, mixed the hot water from the toilet with some cold water to wash the baby, wrapped the clean child in the old clothes that Jin Cuihua’s son had brought from home. After Niu Xiuying delivered the placenta and showed no signs of hemorrhage, Feng Qingxue reassured her. "Take good care of yourself during confinement at home, don’t start working until a month later. Don’t neglect your self-care." She also offered her and Jin Cuihua some postnatal hygiene knowledge.

"Thank you, big sister!" Niu Xiuying turned her head and looked at her newborn son, filled with joy.