The job for someone special: Midwifery

─Intl day of the Midwife is observed

DPI, Guyana, Tuesday, May 5, 2020

When it comes to giving birth there is that one special person who must be in the birthing room, giving crucial assistance to ensure both mother and baby are safe, during and after delivery – the midwife.

As International Day of the Midwife is being observed on May 5, midwives all around the world are being recognised for the integral role they play within the health care system.

Guyana’s tertiary health facility, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation sees on average 6000 deliveries annually.

This is a somewhat challenging task for the midwives within the hospital’s employ. However, the job is done and at the end of the day, mothers are happily discharged with healthy babies.

Two midwives of the Maternity Unit at the GPHC spoke briefly of their experience in the profession.

Firstly, Stacy James who has been a midwife for just about four years enthusiastically said she owes the selection of this career path to her mentors who were also her supervisors when she served as a registered nurse for 12 years.

She noted that no job is easy and midwifery has its fair share of challenges. However, she views these as stepping stones to be overcome to becoming a stronger individual and professional.

“A midwife is someone special. A trained professional that assists women in preconception care, in the labouring process, the delivery process, the post-natal process and we even help with the care of the newborn, that post-partum period that includes vaccination. S0, our role is very extensive,” James said.

Her colleague, Dawn Stuart has been a midwife for ten years. She too agreed that despite of the challenges, the pleasures of the job are “what makes you stick with it”.

Stuart said she never saw herself become a midwife until the words of a doctor helped her decide.

“I was a nurse working in the ophthalmology department and the doctor I worked with at that  time always said once you wear white the public will think you know everything about health, and I at the time I had some knowledge of midwifery so that pushed me to become a qualified midwife,” Stuart explained

They both agreed that even with COVID-19 pandemic, they still find joy in doing their jobs.

The World Health Organisation has designated 2020 and the year of the Nurse and the Midwife. WHO recorded that approximately 20.7 million nurses and midwives are rendering their services in health care settings, globally.

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