“Midwifery is not just a profession. It’s becoming part of a woman’s life before, during and beyond her birthing journey. The crying newborn, the mother’s tired yet happy face and the family’s sigh of relief are all that keep me going”. Prasuna N, a midwifery educator, working in the state of Andhra Pradesh strongly believes that midwives are no less than superwomen and that midwifery is the only way to ensure mothers and their babies are safe.
Prasuna is a Midwifery Educator at State Midwifery Training Institute (SMTI), Tirupati. In her 23-year-long career, she has been a nurse, midwife and midwifery educator. She was awarded a PhD for her study on comparative study on osteoporosis among working and non-working Women. Throughout her career, she had some incredible experiences that she defines as unrealistic but simultaneously made her proud.
At the age of 22, when she just completed her graduation from Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, she worked at a district hospital for her training. She narrates one of her early experiences in the labour room, “during the early days of training, suddenly one day the head nurse called me to the Intrapartum Room for support since the other staff was on leave. I was nervous but my previous experience of being in the labour room during my nursing education gave me a bit of confidence.” She further added “it was shocking for me to know that only staff nurses were there to support the mothers and not any doctors. The rampant use of Oxytocin was being used without any accountability.”
Oxytocin is a hormone used to induce labour, control bleeding after childbirth, and strengthen labour contractions. It is not used until it is clinically indicated. When Prasuna saw that oxytocin was being used without any accountability, she understood that these practices don’t change on their own, they need to be changed. When Prasuna got placed in the hospital, she kept the first thing she was to keep Oxytocin in a cupboard. Another crucial part of being a midwife is to educate people about the dos and don’ts during and after the pregnancy. She recounts another instance where she had to unravel some myths. “During Intrapartum care, many tribal people come with strange taboos and beliefs. Many leave the hospital immediately after giving birth, along with the placenta. So, it also becomes important for us to educate them about healthy practices, hygiene and their well-being”.
Prasuna explains how the role of a midwife is more beautiful and brings positivity to her life. A midwife deals with the natural birthing process and sees a new life coming into the world more closely than other professionals. She calls out other young people to choose midwifery as a profession since it gives them autonomy and power to help others. Moreover, Midwifery is now a recognised profession in India that provides you with a license to practice. It empowers you, gives you scope to prove yourself, and, more importantly, equips you with ways to give compassionate and women-centric care for mothers from all walks of life.
