Midwives in their youth - Navigating duty, feelings, and zeal

New Midwives in Baden-Württemberg: Tanja Michel and Mona Keller Embrace Their Rewarding Profession

In a small clinic for gynecology and obstetrics in Leonberg, Germany, two new midwives, Tanja Michel and Mona Keller, have embarked on their careers, marking a significant milestone as the first year group to complete their academized midwifery studies in Baden-Württemberg.

For these dedicated professionals, their daily life revolves around comprehensive care for women before, during, and after pregnancy. Their routine encompasses a wide range of tasks, from prenatal care to postnatal support, and everything in between.

Prenatal Care: Regular check-ups to monitor the health of pregnant women, assessing fetal development, offering advice on nutrition and lifestyle, conducting ultrasound scans, and preparing women for childbirth are all part of their prenatal care.

Labor and Delivery Support: Providing continuous support and assistance during labor, managing pain relief options, monitoring the progress of labor and fetal well-being, and facilitating safe delivery, whether vaginal birth or cesarean section, are vital aspects of their work.

Postnatal Care: Caring for both mother and newborn after birth, supporting breastfeeding, observing recovery from delivery, offering guidance on infant care, and identifying any complications early are all crucial in postnatal care.

Gynecological Services: Beyond pregnancy, they offer reproductive health services such as family planning counseling, contraceptive advice, pelvic examinations, and supporting women’s overall gynecological health.

Emotional and Psychological Support: Addressing the emotional wellbeing of women, offering reassurance, counseling, and preparing families for parenthood are all essential components of their role.

Collaboration and Documentation: Working closely with obstetricians, pediatricians, and other health professionals, maintaining detailed patient records, and ensuring continuity of care are all integral parts of their profession.

In their clinic in Leonberg, Michel and Keller emphasize the importance of personalized, empathetic care, and the varied nature of their work, which combines medical expertise with emotional support and education. Each day can involve diverse tasks from clinical assessments to hands-on assistance during childbirth, making their role both challenging and deeply rewarding.

Mona Keller finds the most beautiful moments in her profession to be after the birth, such as when parents see their child for the first time and find their first words. Tanja Michel, on the other hand, values the opportunity to accompany a close friend during childbirth, which she found to be very special.

Both Tanja Michel and Mona Keller would choose the midwife profession again at any time. They express their appreciation for the high societal regard for the midwifery profession and acknowledge that birth is a topic that interests an incredible number of people.

Their journey to becoming midwives was not a straightforward one. Tanja Michel initially studied health management but switched to midwifery after a practical internship at the Leonberg clinic. Mona Keller first completed training as a paramedic but was inspired to become a midwife after witnessing a natural birth during a practical internship. They both completed a dual study program that combines theory blocks at the DHBW Stuttgart with practical experience in the clinics.

The profession of midwife is demanding, both physically and emotionally, and involves bearing the responsibility for the lives of two people. The organization and documentation in midwifery work take up a significant amount of space. During shifts, they divide tasks among themselves, with some midwives accompanying births, others caring for women after childbirth, and managing the outpatient clinic.

Despite the demands, the rewards are immense. Mona Keller enjoys the unique feeling of going to bed after a night shift while everyone else is going to work. As the first graduates of the dual midwifery studies in Baden-Württemberg, Tanja Michel and Mona Keller are setting a strong foundation for their careers, and they look forward to continuing to make a difference in the lives of the women and families they serve.

The midwife profession has a high societal regard, as proven by the first year group completing their academized midwifery studies in Baden-Württemberg.
Prenatal care services include regular check-ups, fetal development assessments, and advice on nutrition and lifestyle.
Ultrasound scans are part of prenatal care, aiding in monitoring the health of pregnant women and fetal development.
Midwives offer advice on preparing women for childbirth as part of prenatal care.
Labor and delivery support encompasses managing pain relief options, monitoring labor progress, and ensuring safe delivery.
Postnatal care involves caring for both mother and newborn after birth, supporting breastfeeding, and observing recovery from delivery.
Identifying any complications early is crucial in postnatal care.
Reproductive health services include family planning counseling, contraceptive advice, and pelvic examinations.
Supporting women’s overall gynecological health is an essential aspect of midwifery services.
Emotional and psychological support addresses the emotional wellbeing of women, offering reassurance, counseling, and preparing families for parenthood.
In their profession, Tanja Michel and Mona Keller work closely with obstetricians, pediatricians, and other health professionals.
Maintaining detailed patient records and ensuring continuity of care are integral parts of the midwife profession.
A personalized, empathetic care approach is emphasized in the clinic in Leonberg, combining medical expertise with emotional support and education.
Each day as a midwife can involve diverse tasks from clinical assessments to hands-on assistance during childbirth.
Mona Keller finds the most beautiful moments in her profession to be after the birth, such as when parents see their child for the first time and find their first words.
Tanja Michel values the opportunity to accompany a close friend during childbirth, which she found to be very special.
The midwife profession is demanding and involves physical and emotional demands, as well as bearing the responsibility for the lives of two people.
Organization and documentation in midwifery work take up a significant amount of space, with midwives dividing tasks among themselves during shifts.
Midwifery studies combine theory blocks at the DHBW Stuttgart with practical experience in the clinics.
Tanja Michel initially studied health management but switched to midwifery after a practical internship at the Leonberg clinic.
Mona Keller first completed training as a paramedic but was inspired to become a midwife after witnessing a natural birth during a practical internship.
Mona Keller enjoys the unique feeling of going to bed after a night shift while everyone else is going to work.
As the first graduates of the dual midwifery studies in Baden-Württemberg, Tanja Michel and Mona Keller are setting a strong foundation for their careers.
Science, particularly in healthcare, plays a significant role in backing the effective practices of midwifery.
Workplace-wellness initiatives aim to create healthier and more productive work environments, which could potentially be applied to midwifery settings.
Education and self-development are crucial for midwives, as they need to stay updated on medical advancements, therapies, and treatments.
Data and cloud computing offer opportunities for improved record-keeping and patient management in the midwifery profession.
Fashion and beauty trends, particularly in the areas of skin-care and eye-health, could be beneficial knowledge for midwives offering advice to their patients.