Janifa’s modir on her birth: ‘I had no idea’

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And Geneifa does this translation from her point of view as a qualified midwife. Emphasis on an eligible word, as they are not fascinated by the fact that many influencers nowadays give unsubstantiated advice. On Instagram you see beautiful pictures of all these moms who are teaching you that you should do this or that because it works so well for them. They will “teach” from their own situation, but that is not medical training at all. It makes it often one-sided. Great fun to follow, but not for breastfeeding advice.”

It is precisely the balance between experience and expertise that Janifa finds so important. “I’d like to see more scientifically trained fellows on social media,” she pleads. “We are still very few, compared to the number of coaches and Insta moms with unrealistic actions. For most women, this type of content is fundamentally frustrating, while it can be very rewarding to find recognition online.”

absence of security

In any case, Djegenefa noticed a huge increase in fear and uncertainty among mothers. Since the pandemic, she says, that process has accelerated even more. “We live in a culture where we want our information now, preferably ordered today and delivered yesterday. In the world of health, technology often doesn’t move that fast, and it involves waiting and trusting your body. Many women are finding that increasingly difficult and I think That this is a shame: it makes it very difficult to enjoy your pregnancy. While in nine out of ten cases the complaints are not a cause for concern. It also makes the midwives’ work more intense: we feel more and more reassured and for a longer period.”

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Blind faith

Fortunately, there’s still more than enough time for that “Mary Poppins feeling,” Janifa laughs. “It’s how you feel sometimes, because you become very involved in someone’s life during this period. You’re a very good friend temporarily, who a pregnant woman should be able to rely on completely. I think that’s the most beautiful thing about this business: faith.” Blind that someone enjoys you.”

And sometimes unusual situations suddenly arise. For example, there is a woman Janeefa will never forget. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer during her pregnancy and ended up in the medical mill. Her request was not to talk about cancer during obstetric examinations, according to Jjegenefa.

“At all those other check-ups, she felt like she was sick, not pregnant. That’s why she wanted to talk about the fun things during her check-ups: listening to the heartbeat, talking about baby stuff. Luckily, the baby was born healthy, and the mom is healthy too. These are the moments The special ones you’ll never forget, the moments when you could really mean something.”

Special birth

Jjenifa is currently 38 weeks pregnant and is preparing for her second birth. What about the professional distortion as a midwife? Is she holding all the strings in her hands tightly? “Actually, not at all,” laughs Djegenefa. “I find all the knowledge I have mostly reassuring—I’m sure it will work. But the first time, I thought I was going to be so alert during childbirth. Until I had my baby in my arms and I had no idea what to do. I was completely blank. All knowledge? Afar. At a moment like this, you are basically a mother, not a health care professional.”

For (new) moms, VerlosMoeder One word of adviceInvest in your confidence. “Find information, get to know your body, but pay attention to where you are getting that information from. Then also learn to relax and trust the process, because that is just as important.”

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