Midwives in training
From 05-01-26 till 20-03-26 midwife in training Joëlle de Kock is doing her internship at the Bakermat.
Hi everyone! I’d like to introduce myself with great enthusiasm.
My name is Joëlle de Kock, I’m 19 years old, and starting January 5th, I’ll be doing a 10-week internship at De Bakermat Midwifery Practice as a second-year midwifery student. After all that studying, I’m really looking forward to getting back into practice!
I live in Lienden and am studying Midwifery in Amsterdam. What I find so appealing about this profession is that you get to guide people for an inspiring time and then be present at one of the most special moments of their lives. The gratitude you often receive makes this work even more valuable to me.
If you’d prefer not to have me there, please let the midwife know. I’m really looking forward to meeting you, and who knows, maybe I’ll see you soon!
We like to invest in the quality of our future midwives. For this reason, we offer space at the Bakermat to students from the Academy of Midwifery in Amsterdam a few times a year. This way, we can lovingly pass on our profession of midwifery, while remaining critical of our own actions.
Depending on the student’s level, it is determined which actions she may perform. Trainee midwives are present during consultations, but also accompany you during the services and maternity visits. It is always possible to indicate that you do not want a student at the check-ups or during your delivery. But why should you choose that? Read the experience of a mother from our practice below. Read more
‘No, sorry, we don’t like it if you are present at the delivery.’ I can still hear us saying it to Willemieke, the intern. A difficult message, because she had already attended the check-up a few times and we liked her a lot. Besides, I am a teacher, so I know how important it is for a trainee to get the chance to do as much as possible. After all, how else are you supposed to learn the trade? But still… We thought peace and quiet around the birth was very important, and felt that as few people as possible should then be present. Fortunately, the intern took it well.
Then the contractions started. The midwife came by to see how things were going, and the trainee midwife was there too. And that actually felt very familiar, because we already knew her from the check-ups. Lars and I looked at each other and the decision was made without words: we would invite her to be present at the birth after all, should it go ahead. The intern was surprised, and delighted.
It turned out to be a good move. The trainee midwife was very calm; it was almost unnoticeable that she was there. But her presence was valuable to us. She gave Lars some good tips, which allowed him to help me cope with the contractions. And what I personally really liked: she was always there. There was another delivery and the midwife occasionally walked to the other delivery room. Willemieke then stayed with us, and it supported me enormously that an expert was always with us.
We are very happy that we finally decided that Willemieke could be present at the birth. And we hope that she can assist in many more deliveries. Because we also wish other future parents the fine, trusted presence of two midwives!
Lars en Hilde Hulzebos
