Accompanying Monika Schmidt on her house visits
Without a doubt the profession of a midwife counts to the eldest in the world. But the profession was never easy. In the Middle Ages brave women had to ride on horseback to distant farmsteads. Fortunately these hardships are history, but how does a midwife reach the new-mothers’ homes in Curahuasi in the 21st Century? We asked midwife Monika about her job. She replied:
“By quad I reach the house I need to visit. My colleague and I aim to visit each woman in childbed once after the birth of their child in their homes. We check on the child’s development and the mother’s and the child’s health and give advice that is crucial for a baby’s first few weeks!”
A thankful Quechua-Indian mother outside her house. Monika’s cheerful manner shines like the warm sun into the woman’s life situation. She used this opportunity to learn how the Quechua mothers carry their babies in their shawls. Having convinced herself of the sound state of both mother and child, Monika started the quad to head to her next appointment.
