It’s the last Friday of the month – again – June is almost here. On the last Friday of each month bloggers from around the world post a good news story to help ameliorate the news that is often dark and confusing. Especially now when we are in the thick of covid-19, the effects of which are felt on thousands of levels including isolation, hunger, loss of income, restrictions, depression, despair …

It was not that easy this time round to find a single good news story. We certainly know of 1000’s of initiatives by NGO’s, businesses, individuals that are going all out to help communities and individuals in distress. Which doesn’t necessarily mean that only when faced with tragedies does the face of humanity present itself; but it does seem a time when an event of this nature pulls out all the stops to help those in need.

This story appealed to me. It’s of mothers and their babies in hospital, in the neonatal units of the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. I love that mother and baby are together, and the mother who is in isolation with her infant, can use technology to connect with her larger family, so that they can see the new infant, this new arrival, into a new world. The mother no longer feels so isolated and can spend time with family virtually.

There is connection.

Take a look at the mothers chatting to their loved ones and showing off their little babies below. The Newborns Trust was sponsored by RSA Web giving free wifi for mothers for this purpose. The little video is just under 4 minutes long (with thanks for this post to Tyler Leigh Vivier of GoodThingsGuy).

These are the co-hosts this month. Do pop by and say hello and get a dose of good news:

Susan Scott, Lizbeth Hartz, Shilpa Garg, Mary Giese and Damyanti Biswas.

Thank you for reading. Hope you all have a good weekend. Stay safe.

May the Force be with you.

49 Comments on #WATWB – connection

  1. Lovely, heart-warming and positive story. Those connections, from the beginning of birth (probably even before) are so important!

  2. Hi Susan, I hope you are well. A lovely post and video. I am late this month because I have been working very hard to finish the edits of my new book. It is now with the editor who will send back a whole lot more edits [smile].

    • You’re a busy gal Robbie and many congrats on nearing completion! I so appreciate your coming by. All well here thanks and hope with you and family too. Though what’s going on here there and everywhere is distressing to say the least –

  3. This is a wonderful initiative, Susan. I have thought that those major milestones like births, deaths and marriages have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic. This is one way of lessening the trauma. A very good news story.

    • You’re right Norah, for the moment I hadn’t considered marriages. Death certainly all around. An Internet friend who lives in the US was able to be with her brother via Skype during his isolation due to covid-19. It seemed as if he was turning the corner but as she was speaking to him a week or so ago, he died. As tragic as it is, she was/is mightily relieved that she was there. For her the trauma was lessened. Thank you for coming by. I hope your weekend has been pleasant. And have a great week coming up πŸ™‚

      • Oh my goodness, Susan. That is tragic. I’m so pleased your friend is able to be comforted by her ‘presence’ with her brother. There is so much heartache at the moment. The world is crying out for rest and peace.
        Thank you for your wishes. May you find peace and joy in all you do.

  4. It’s a treat to read about something so sweet and constructive at a time when my country is mired in violence and chaos. Thank you, Susan. What a time it is for these little ones to enter life. May the world calm down and greet them with open arms. It’s an excellent time to search for kindness and compassion in the world. (Pluto and Jupiter are conjunct at 25 and 27 Capricorn and Saturn will join the conjunction from late summer into December. Fasten your seatbelt. So far it’s been a rough ride.)

    • Thanks for coming by Elaine, we’re grieving with you believe me. Yes, we welcome these new borns into a world that will hopefully learn and grow in to kindness and compassion.

      It’s pretty much a time to fasten seat belts, good analogy. Thanks for saying about the alignment, or misalignments as it seems right now – sigh –

      Meantime, keep safe and calm as we continue on this roller coaster, here there and everywhere. Just been informed that some surfers on one of the beaches have been arrested. Someone snitched on them. Beaches remain closed under this level of non-comprehension πŸ™

  5. Hi Susan – it must be so trying and so worrying at times like these … but more so for those who need that extra help and time in hospital. Technology has most definitely aided us in the now … a wonderful #WATWB post … thank you. The GoodThingsGuy friends are being so thoughtful at all times … special people around – stay safe – Hilary

    • GoodThingsGuy is a great good news resource as is SA The Good News – this last more political in commentary, though definitely highlights the good deeds around the country! Yes, thank heavens for technology. Thanks for coming by Hilary. Hope all well there with you with all the Cummings and goings πŸ™‚ Be safe, Susan

      • Hi Susan – pass! …… This world … it’s interesting though – it was not good before, but Covid has definitely altered the political arena … apart from the male shenanigans in power. I’m just glad I blog … and I’m of the positive ilk. Also we have some decent weather … though the easterly wind has been ‘mighty cold’ … all the best – Hilary

        • ha ha! re the pass…by the way, I did not receive your #WATWB post by email though that was the way I requested to receive yours, so I’m glad I went by to you a moment or so ago. Re-entered to receive by email and I am subscribed (but didn’t receive. Although I’ll do a double check on in box. I did only a single check)

          • Let me know … maybe I need to re-enter … but things can take 24 hours to register … when I next post – I’ll try and remember and email … and then we can see if it’s come through …

  6. This is a wonderful post, Susan. Even in the midst of a pandemic, people with innovative thoughts and big hearts are making life better for moms, their newborn babies and the families. Kudos for bringing free WiFi to a joyous moment.

    • They say that necessity is the mother of invention… in this instance (and all others 1000’s of instances) necessity brings out big hearts. Thanks for coming by Mary, have a great weekend.

  7. Susan, thanks for sharing this heartwarming story. The video was so touching! How great that moms with new babies can connect, at least by video, with their families during this special time. And I’m glad you were able to put the link up. Technology often defeats me, and it’s great you were victorious.

    • Glad the video is there Lizbeth, thanks to Deborah 2nd commentator … I had just the video up or so I thought. O well, the drama was worth it to get the story out! Have a great weekend.

  8. This is an uplifting story indeed Susan. What a challenging time for families of the newest littles. Thanks for sharing, and for co-hosting this month.

  9. A most beautiful and heartwarming share Susan. We all need to feel a human connection, and newborns especially. Very heartening share. <3

  10. Thank you for sharing this heartwarming video, Susan. I can always use some good news these days. It beats the politicization-of-covid19-news that pervades the airwaves and drags me down very quickly!

    In response to your computer issues, I was scheduled to meet with five other women on Zoom from 10 to 12 and we didn’t get going until almost 10:30 because some of us has so much difficulty just getting into the meeting….crossed signals, connections that didn’t work, sessions that had to be changed, emails that didn’t come…. It was bizarre. Our topic was the uncertainty of these times. The difficulty of getting together virtually demonstrated gave us all a chance to see for ourselves how we respond to uncertainty! It was fascinating. I wondered out loud if Mercury is in retrograde today! πŸ™‚ Jeanie

    • Thanks Jeanie – amazing that it ‘virtually demonstrated’ the uncertainty of these times, this being your topic and as you say an opportunity to witness the response of uncertainty.

      Mmmmm, I forgot about Mercury. Mars, Jupiter, Pluto and Saturn were the 4 I mentioned. Mercury the trickster belongs first and foremost amongst those ‘illustrious’ gods. I better so something to propitiate them ..

      Thank you for coming by – may your weekend be calmer πŸ™‚

  11. Two of my friends’ daughters recently had babies and the grandparents can’t go to hold the baby yet. They have to go look through windows and enjoy technology so they can get a closer view of the baby. My friends are grateful for the new family member and so sad they can’t hold the child yet. What a crazy year!

    • Thanks for coming by Gwynn and saying about friends of yours’ daughters who have to practice social distancing. I hope the new borns are back at home with moms and dads. and that the grandparents and other family members will in due course be allowed to touch, hold and hug with them soon. A crazy year for sure, and getting crazier … from chaos surely order will follow ..

        • We have to sit this one out Gwynn and maybe next year will be better – hopefully we can each and all work towards a better year for all ..

  12. Susan, I was able to see the link, which brought back memories of our youngest grand-child who spent 3 months in the neonatal care unit when he was born 12 1/2 years ago at 2 pounds, 5 ounces.

    Now he is a strapping boy, who will probably be very tall when he reaches full height. He loves the tuba, and cooking, especially Russian cuisine. (Yes, artsiness runs in the family!)

    We visited Ian in the NICU regularly during those months. The visits were stressful because we weren’t sure he would survive, but we had contact. I am glad that parents of these at-risk babies can interact with their wee ones now even during the pandemic. Thanks for publishing this bit of good news today, Susan. Have a great weekend!

    • O my goodness Marian, that must have been heart stopping. Praise be to modern medicine and all that is Holy that Ian is now who he is. (Did he have a Russian nurse in the ICU who ‘fed’ him stories and played lullabies with tuba as an instrument?) Thank heavens now for technology also πŸ™‚

      Thank you for coming by .. all thoughts are with you all at this time – Minneapolis etc. You too have a lovely weekend.

  13. Thank you Susan for sharing another wonderful #WATWB heartfelt story. This short video was easy to find online: https://www.goodthingsguy.com/people/newborn-trust-wifi-donation/

    Oh, this reminds me of the time I become a new mother and entered that uncharted territory myself, let alone all these new mum’s giving birth during the pandemic with no visitors allowed.

    So as much as I don’t enjoy Zoom or Skype meet ups … thank goodness for the technology I say! Most especially for close family members. Love and light, Deborah.

    • Deborah, an unholy stuff up this time round. Thank you sooo much for the link which I copied and pasted and edited my post. STILL things weren’t working. I tried 3 times on dashboard and on this post to reply to you and it wouldn’t take. In despair I got hold of son Mike who has fixed it. Hopefully this reply back to you works. Yes, mothers and new borns face uncharted territory every time! Love to you. Is Saturn or Pluto or Jupiter doing something crazy this day? It seems like it on my side. Sigh.

      • Thanks for letting me know there’s been WordPress problems with you too. I thought it was a UK issue so I included the link. I think all three planets are creating havoc! xx

        • Mars maybe also πŸ™ I’m not sure it was a WP fault … this time round my post was almost too easy .. I did something, maybe scheduled the post for yesterday instead of today.

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