Week 10: Emotional First Aid

“When the Moms Start Crying — What Do You Say?”

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When we entered the OB ward, we expected blood, pads, and fundus checks.

But what we weren’t ready for?

The emotional weight of caring for new mothers.

This week, I’m talking about the time I witnessed a mother cry quietly — not from physical pain, but something deeper.

And how, as a student nurse, I learned that emotional care is just as important as clinical care.

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The Moment

She had just delivered yesterday. Second child. Normal delivery. No complications.

But when I checked her fundus that morning, I noticed her eyes were red.

I asked softly, “Okay lang po ba kayo, Nanay?”

She looked away. Then whispered:

“Pagod lang... at parang hindi ko alam kung kaya ko na ulit.”

And just like that — tears started falling.

Not loud. Not dramatic. Just quiet sadness in a busy ward.

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What I Did

I froze for a moment. Then I sat beside her bed and listened.

No lectures. No forced cheer. Just presence.

I handed her tissues, and when she was ready, I said:

“Ang hirap po talaga, Nay. Pero hindi kayo nag-iisa. Nandito kami.”

She nodded. No more words were needed.

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What That Moment Taught Me

🟣 1. Not all wounds are visible

Some moms are physically healing… but mentally breaking. We need to watch with empathy, not just eyes.

🟣 2. Silence is sometimes enough

You don’t need to fix things. You just need to be there, quietly offering comfort.

🟣 3. OB wards can feel isolating for patients

So much focus is on the baby, the vitals, the bleeding… but the mother? She often feels like an afterthought. Be the one who notices her.

🟣 4. Postpartum blues are real

They’re not always dramatic — sometimes it's just a lingering sadness. We need to normalize this in our conversations.

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What You Can Say (When You Don’t Know What to Say)

Here are gentle lines I’ve picked up:

• “Okay lang pong malungkot minsan.”
• “Pahinga lang po muna kayo, nandito lang kami.”
• “Kahit paunti-unti, basta araw-araw sumusubok kayo — ang lakas niyo po.”

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To Fellow Student Nurses

You won’t always have the answers.

But if you can make a mother feel seen — even just for a minute — you’ve done more than enough.

“Some of the best care we offer doesn’t come from textbooks, but from the heart.”

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