A bridge that brings "angels" to humanity.
In the delivery room, where pressure and joy go hand in hand, doctors and midwives become a solid support system for mothers during the arduous journey of childbirth. When the cries of these "little angels" are heard, the first to share in their happiness are the doctors, nurses, and midwifery team.
Midwives accompany expectant mothers through the most stressful times and act as a bridge, bringing tiny lives into the world and their families.
Midwives accompany expectant mothers from the most stressful moments until the moment a tiny life comes into the world and into the family.
Midwives are healthcare professionals who provide care for women throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, as well as caring for newborns. Ms. Truong Thi Thanh Mai, Head Midwife of the Obstetrics Department at the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Hospital in Dong Hoi ( Quang Tri ), has over 20 years of experience working alongside expectant mothers.
She can't remember how many times she's welcomed little ones into the world. But the joy of hearing their first cries remains as strong as ever.
Ms. Mai shared that midwifery is a special profession in the medical field, as it simultaneously involves the responsibility of welcoming new life and ensuring the mother's safety. The moments of overwhelming joy are the result of a stressful process that only those involved can truly understand.
Midwife Truong Thi Thanh Mai provides care for a pregnant woman from an ethnic minority group before childbirth.
When receiving a pregnant woman in labor, midwives must closely monitor each fetal heartbeat and each uterine contraction. Their keen observation and experience help them identify the earliest signs of abnormalities so they can coordinate with doctors to handle them promptly, ensuring the safest possible delivery.
"During the journey of welcoming a child into the world, every moment is tense because obstetric complications can arise at any time. A healthy pregnant woman can fall into a critical condition in an instant. Therefore, dedication and sensitivity in assessing the situation are the 'key' to minimizing risks for both mother and baby," Mai shared.
When receiving a pregnant woman showing signs of labor, the midwife must closely monitor each fetal heartbeat and each uterine contraction of the mother.
Midwife Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung still vividly remembers a particularly difficult emergency case at the end of April. Around 1 AM, a pregnant woman was admitted to the hospital with a fetus only 28 weeks old, experiencing massive vaginal bleeding. Doctors diagnosed her with central placenta previa (the placenta is located right at the baby's "exit," obstructing the baby's descent during labor).
An emergency cesarean section was performed to deliver the baby and quickly control the bleeding. The midwifery team each had a task: some urgently took the pregnant woman to the operating room, others rushed to get blood for emergency use, while still others patiently reassured the family and completed the paperwork.
In the operating room, the seamless coordination between midwives, obstetricians, and pediatricians was intense. After moments of extreme tension, when the condition of both mother and baby gradually stabilized, the heavy burden on the team was finally lifted.
In the operating room, the midwife monitors the mother's vital signs and is ready to receive the baby as soon as the doctor delivers it from the uterus.
"We are always aware that each childbirth is a journey where mother and baby stand on the brink of life and death. Therefore, the midwifery team must always be mentally prepared and possess excellent skills for any unexpected situation," Tuyet Nhung confided.
Amidst the intense pain and overwhelming anxiety, midwives are a source of support and encouragement, helping mothers confidently welcome their babies into the world. Their mission continues even after the baby leaves the womb, through meticulous guidance on holding the baby, early breastfeeding, and postpartum hygiene, helping mothers feel more confident in their sacred journey of motherhood.
Midwives use the skin-to-skin method after birth to strengthen the mother-child bond.
"As soon as the baby's first cries rang out, we promptly assessed their overall health to provide the best possible care. The moment we performed the 'skin-to-skin' method, seeing the baby lying peacefully on the mother's chest, our hearts were filled with shared happiness. Witnessing the radiant smiles and even the choked-up tears of the family as they welcomed their little angel, I cherish and love my quiet profession even more," midwife Le Hoai Nho shared emotionally.
Midwives are professionals who care for mothers and babies after birth, and provide families with essential knowledge about postpartum care.
Thoughts from those involved
For midwives, dinner often turns into a late-night meal, and sleepless nights are commonplace. Midwife Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung recounts that many times during night shifts, just as meals were being prepared, they received news of an emergency surgery. Everyone put down their chopsticks and quickly went to work. By the time the surgery was over, it was late at night, and the lunchbox was cold and dry. But for them, it was still a delicious meal because it was filled with happiness and pride for having contributed to saving two lives in the world.
Head midwife Truong Thi Thanh Mai said that the Obstetrics Department currently has 33 midwives. Not only do they work during the day, but on average, they have to work night shifts 2-3 times a week. Then, during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), while everyone else is celebrating and enjoying themselves, these midwives remain stressed with childbirth cases. They don't have much time to care for their families or rest.
"My husband is a soldier working far away, and I'm often on duty at the hospital, so I can't fully take care of my children and parents. For the past three years, I haven't been able to celebrate New Year's Eve with my family. My children are gradually understanding that this moment of togetherness has to be put aside because there are other expectant mothers out there who desperately need their mothers," midwife Phan Thi Thu Binh, who has spent over 30 years working in the delivery room, confided with a heavy heart.
For midwife Le Hoai Nho, after hours of intense care for expectant mothers, she would rush home to check on her baby, who was crying with a high fever during the night. Guiding her husband on how to care for the baby over the phone, and hearing her child cry for her mother, she could only suppress her emotions, wipe away her tears, and prepare for new shifts.
Midwives sometimes have to put aside family matters to join doctors and nurses in welcoming new lives.
Throughout her years of service, Head Midwife Truong Thi Thanh Mai and her colleagues have often faced the anger of family members or requests for cesarean sections when they weren't truly necessary. "I understand and empathize, because all those reactions stem from extreme anxiety for their loved ones," Mai shared. It is the patient explanations and calm demeanor of the midwives that have become a source of support, helping families regain their composure and make the right decision.
She vividly remembers the birth of a couple who had struggled with infertility for 22 years. They arrived at the hospital under immense pressure and insisted on a C-section due to overwhelming anxiety. After careful assessment, the medical team patiently encouraged the family to trust in natural childbirth as the best option for both mother and baby. "The moment the baby was safely born after hours of tense monitoring, seeing their tears of happiness after more than two decades of waiting, my eyes welled up with tears too. I only hope that families will remain steadfast, equip themselves with pregnancy knowledge, and be more understanding so that they can work together with medical staff to welcome their beloved children safely," Ms. Mai confided.
According to Dr. Tran Thi Son Tra, Deputy Director of the Vietnam-Cuba Friendship Hospital in Dong Hoi, midwives are indispensable "teammates" for doctors in the journey of welcoming babies into the world. They are the bridge between doctors and expectant mothers. Midwives care for, monitor, and inform doctors of any early signs of abnormalities. In the delivery room, midwives assist with procedures, encourage the mother, and care for both mother and baby postpartum.
Midwives are indispensable "teammates" for doctors in the journey of bringing babies into the world.
"One doctor cannot simultaneously care for and monitor many pregnant women; the midwifery team acts as our extended 'eyes and arms.' The seamless coordination between doctors and midwives helps to reduce stress and make the childbirth process safer for women," Dr. Tra shared.
Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/chuyen-cua-nhung-nguoi-don-thien-than-169260505131908402.htm
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