Baby Birthing and Women's Health in Guatemala

Day one in Guatemala I questioned my decision to go. I was scared, alone (because I arrived 2 days before the course was to start), and I was shell shocked by the overwhelming feeling of having to communicate with only limited Spanish that I had from high school courses. But I toughed out that first night and it was the best decision that I ever made. I arrived in Guatemala as a nurse with a slight interest in maternal health. I left Guatemala as a midwife in training, with applications sent out to midwifery schools across Canada. This course absolutely changed the way I thought about pregnancy, childbirth, and women's health. The online course work was light, often leaving us with questions, but the course coordinators were more than willing to supplement our learning with more lectures, readings, or videos. The aspect of this program that made course so memorable were the practical experiences. We were able to see first hand how a women's health clinic with limited resources was able to drastically improve the health of a population of women. We were able to learn about family planning, cervical exams, and prenatal exams. Being present for births was only a small part of this program, but of course an amazing one. I learned so much about natural childbirth that focuses on the woman and her family. Looking back on this experience, I would do it all over again 50 times if I could. It was a life changing course for me, and I will have a relationship with the women that I met there for the rest of my life.