Foochow Midwife Lau Fong Fei

 

My mum and I would always be grateful to my aunt Lau Fong Fei who looked after my four precious pregnancies. She gave good advice and counselling and mum was well rest assured.

Mum lost a sister due to poor medical support and as a result of that trauma my mother would not, if possible be hospitalized., She was only once warded in a hospital and that was three days before she passed away. She asked to return home where she passed away very peacefully on 31 August 2020.

Mum always reminded me to pay tribute to Aunt Fong Fei.

During National Nurses' Week I would like to thank my aunt Lau Fong Fei for delivering two of my babies in Sibu.

It is with great sadness when I read the announcement of my aunt Lau Fong Fei's passing. She was the beloved cousin of my late mum Lau Hung chuo, Lau Hung Hee (almost the same name), Lau Hung Ding, Lau Hung Toh, and Lau Hung Yung (all daughters of Lau Kah Jui). Aunt Fong Fei's sisters have Phoenix as their middle name whereas my mother and her siblings and cousins have Hung or Rainbow as their middle name. Same sound but different Chinese character.

Aunt Fong fei was a young girl during the Japanese Occupation and she was a lively girl who was determined to educate herself. She became one of the first western trained midwives in Sibu. She was also one of the first Foochow girls in those days to marry a Hokkien man, Wee Ho Soon. (In those days it was not the thing to do according to our elders) But Uncle Wee was a capable man. I do stand corrected if I am wrong about this.

In the early days when we moved to Sibu, I was always happy to meet her. I enjoyed listening to her talking with my mum,exchanging news and normal concerns and a few humurous stories. They loved a chuckle or two even though I knew already at that age how much the two ladies had suffered during the Japanese Occupation. Both had gone without much food so that the uounger siblings could have more. The two ladies had plenty to talk about .

In those days cousins were as good as siblings. they shared common stories and news and got along as if they were all in one household. there was so much brotherly and sisterly love among them.

She was never too busy to have a conversation with relatives. That was my impression of her. She was the kind of person I would later use as an example of a lady with good PR and empathies.

She started her Lau Fong Fei Maternity Clinic in Hardin Walk and delivered many babies. The Lau King Howe Hospital had less than 100 beds and probably less then 15 beds for its maternity ward. In the 1960's there was a baby boom and maternity clinics sprang up. Her investment was not only financially timely but socially suitable. She was known as a midwife who saved many mothers and babies because of her skills.

Aunt Fong Fei was a caring woman, who listened to young mothers and even gave counselling to women who had too many children or no children.

I remember my first baby was delivered by her and she said such comforting words because my baby was 25 days over due. It was a safe delivery after a 2 day labour and 4 false alarms in May. She was born on May 25th. But my late mother trusted her and would not have me admitted into any hospital.

She also delivered my 3rd daughter with such skill that I hardly felt any pain. My two other babies were born in Lau King Howe Hospital because I was admitted by the doctors checking my pre -natal conditions.

I end up having all children born in Sibu but I must say Aunt Fong Fei was truly the kind of midwife you would like to have when your child wanted to see the world for the first time.

She would always be by your side in the labour room and her predictions were so accurate!! All mothers who had their babies delivered at her clinic would never find themselves in dire straits as she was so kind in collecting their fees. At times I heard she even gave some poor mothers minimum charges. (to day deliveries cost a leg and an arm.)

She was truly my 5 star midwife! She made delivery of a baby a festive episode of a new mother's life. It was a moment to treasure, new baby, new mother and midwife who saw that all was fine.

Deepest condolences to the family members.

We have gone through an era where women like Aunt Fong Fei had given their utmost to serve the people regardless of race, religion and creed. She was a gentle angel for women in their greatest need - the birth of a new life.

May her soul rest in peace. Till we meet again at Jesus' feet.