Covid-19 has made me ‘more than just a midwife’
We speak to Unesu Dandato [pictured right], midwife at Newham Hospital, about why she chose her career and her experience caring for women during the covid-19 pandemic.
Why did you decided to become a midwife?
My mother worked in a maternity clinic, and growing up I remember the fascination I had with pregnancy and childbirth. The memories of observing breastfeeding sessions, a mother being taught how to change her first nappy and seeing the confidence of a mother walking out of clinic are all images that will forever be etched in my mind. Years later I delivered my niece on my lounge floor while waiting for the paramedics - an experience I will never forget.
Delivering my niece was a deciding factor for me to pursue a career in midwifery.
How has the pandemic changed the way you deliver care to women?
One of the monumental changes that have come with the pandemic is that women cannot be with their two chosen birth partners. To protect both the public and staff the patients are currently only able to labour with one birthing partner.
This for me has meant that I’ve become more than just a midwife to the women I look after. Now more than ever, midwives have to be a source of emotional and psychological support, and are having to help fulfil the role that their partners would usually be able to do.
How have you offered support to women worried about giving birth during this period?
At a time when women are at their most vulnerable, and have anxieties about being in isolation, suspense and fear about waiting for their test results, in the midst of it all there is a new life.
As hard and difficult as it is, I encourage all expecting and new mothers to cherish this precious undisturbed alone time with their babies, to bond, master breastfeeding, and just be a mom.
What's your favourite thing about your job?
Midwifery is dynamic, evidenced during this pandemic by the constantly changing guidelines and daily updates. It’s just never the same. One minute you could be on the calmest of shifts and the next it’s manic, non-stop activity. I love it!
Do you have any advice to anyone thinking about becoming a midwife?
If you genuinely have a passion to empower, and support women, if you’re fascinated by the processes of pregnancy, labour, birth and beyond, than midwifery is for you. For me, when the shift never seems to end, when the outcome is not what you expected, when you’re dying for a toilet break, or just a sip of water, it’s this unrelenting passion that reminds me why I chose to be a midwife in the first place.