Arts and Crafts Time

One of the activities that I have tried doing with the women of the Casa Materna is teaching them how to knit or crochet.  Sometimes it is successful, like with this woman, who learned fast, and kept crocheting in her spare time, which is always plentiful when all you`re doing is waiting for labor to start.

More often than not, though, it is struggle to get women to try crocheting, let alone actually teaching them the correct stitches.  For women who don´t have a lot of practise with fine motor skills, it is sometimes an intimidating task.  I decided that I needed to find another activity that they would enjoy, and that would be slightly easier to learn.  My friend, Anna, has been very successful with making earrings in her Casa Materna, so I bought some supplies and gave it a shot.

They really got into it.

They were less enthusiastic about me taking photos.

Our supplies

Finished product

I, meanwhile, was knitting and playing with my doll that I use to demonstrate the process of labor. 

Please note how I have to support his head if I don´t want it to flop around.  Our next arts and crafts should be them teaching me how to sew properly.