Update From Haiti — Introducing Judith
Meet Judith Michel, one of the student midwives we’re sponsoring with our grant to Midwives for Haiti.
She’s been sharing her experiences with us as she started her education and training this spring, settled in with her teachers and other students and began taking care of patients.
Check out Judith’s three-part Q&A and learn about her journey to becoming a midwife, the skills she’s learning and putting in practice and the impact she’s making on women in her community.
Part one
Judith, 29, received a perfect score on the MFH class entrance exam. Confident and smiley, Judith has already made fast friends with many of the other students.
Where are you from?
Maissade. It’s a little town to the west of Hinche; where all my family lives.
What were you doing previously?
I went to nursing school in Port-au-Prince and then volunteered there for two months, practicing my clinical skills and preparing for the official infirmière (nursing) exam. I graduated in October 2012. After, for a few years, I helped to teach others to be nurses in Port-au-Prince. Now, I’m glad to be back in the central plateau and closer to my family while in the Midwives For Haiti School.
Why do you want to become a midwife?
My favorite part of nursing has always been doing births. And I loved the time I spent practicing in a family planning clinic during my clinical practice in Port-au-Prince. I really enjoyed giving advice to expectant women and encouraging moms about nutrition and breastfeeding. I want to be able to provide that quality care to women with all the knowledge and skill I can get.
I’ve also always wanted to work in a rural area; it’s a specialization I love and it takes special skills. You have to be the full support for a mom, where there might not be any care otherwise. There are a lot of problems for pregnant women where I’m from in Maissade; they don’t have any midwives there. So there’s a high rate of maternal and infant mortality. Growing up there I saw the need for more nurses and especially midwives.
Tell me about your family.
I’m single right now. I have a relatively small family in Maissade, which includes my mom, dad, one brother and one sister.
What do you think of the class so far?
I love it so far [she says with a huge smile]. I’m really liking learning about pregnancy more specifically than just regular nursing skills. And I’m making new friends. I can’t wait to start doing more clinical practice. I’m happy when working with people, so I like supporting women through their pregnancies and giving them comfort when they are in pain.
What are your favorite parts and the most challenging parts?
I find the material very interesting so far. I also really enjoy that we will be getting so much practice in the hospital with the clinical part of the program. The hardest part so far is something we learned today. We talked about the station and position of the baby in the mom’s belly and how to do a vaginal exam. It’s very technical, but with study I’m sure I’ll understand it.
Do you have dreams for where you would like to work after graduating from the program?
Moms and babies need help everywhere, so I’d love to help wherever I can. Wherever I can find work.
For more updates from Judith, explore the below:
