Inside the Maternity Ward Where Midwives Make New Beginnings Possible

This week on Bright Side, we’re celebrating new beginnings, and what could be more profound than the arrival of new life? At the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, midwives are the unsung heroes of this journey. They’re there every step of the way, guiding moms through pregnancy, ensuring safe deliveries, and supporting families long after that first cry. From the first contraction to the moment a newborn takes its first breath, we take you inside the maternity ward to witness the dedication, compassion, and skill that help bring these precious new beginnings into the world.

 

Sabreena Daly, Reporting

Nothing says ‘new beginning’ quite like the arrival of a newborn. It’s the ultimate fresh start; beautiful, yes, but not without its risks. They say giving birth is like standing with one foot in life and the other in death, a delicate, powerful moment. Here in Belize, there’s a special group of professionals who walk that journey with mothers every single day. They’re more than caregivers, they’re guides, advocates, and lifelines. We call them midwives.

At Belize’s only tertiary care hospital, the Karl Heusner Memorial, there’s a team of one hundred and fifty-four nurses keeping things running. But here’s the thing, only sixteen of them are certified midwives. Sixteen. And yet, their impact is enormous. These are the professionals who often serve as the very first source of education on sexual and reproductive health. They’re the ones guiding expectant mothers through pregnancy, ensuring safe deliveries, and continuing care long after the baby arrives. They are, quite literally, at the heart of maternal and child health in Belize. That’s according to Director of Nursing, Keslyn Lizama.

 

Keslyn Lizama, Director of Nursing, K.H.M.H.

“For a very long time, way back when, if we look at the history of midwifery and the origin of the word itself, it means to be with women. And it has transcended so much to not just be there with the laboring woman, but to look after complications, knowing what interventions are needed in those complications, being able to provide immediate support to the newborn when they’re here and we look at them as a normal and the complications. And so it’s not just, you know, we’re here, we labor, and then here you have a smiling baby. But rather that I am with you for the entire timeframe.”

Inside the maternity ward, new moms are catching their breath after one of life’s biggest moments, bringing a baby into the world. Some stay just a short while, others a bit longer, depending on the delivery and any complications. Also, there are expectant mothers waiting for the moment nature takes its course. Among them is Stacey, pacing her breath through induced labor. Supporting women like her is Nurse Midwife Ashley Charlesworth, who notes that the busiest months for deliveries are September through December. The reason, she says, traces back to the holidays, Christmas, New Year’s, and even the love-filled month of February.

 

Ashely Charlesworth, Nurse Midwife

“The peak season is nine months after every holiday. Nine months after Christmas, nine months after New Year’s, after Valentine’s, you know, after the roses and chocolates, something has to happen.”

 

Every birth is a miracle, natural or C-section. And behind those miracles are midwives. Dellese Gibson is one of just five newly trained midwives in Belize, guiding mothers safely through this life-changing journey.

 

Dellese Gibson, Nurse Midwife

“ It was nerve wracking because you visualize it in the books and you read about it, but actually doing it is a different story. Those babies are very slippery, so it takes a lot of grip, but it was actually very rewarding. It made you realize this is why I’m doing it, and it actually propelled us forward to actually complete it.”

 

During labor, the support a mother receives is just as important as the birth itself. Just steps from the labor room and right next to the operating area for any emergency, every detail here is about one thing: keeping mom and baby safe. For every mother, whether it’s her first birth or her fourth, the experience is deeply personal. Regina, waiting for her fourth child, describes how having midwives guide her through the process brings comfort, reassurance, and confidence at every step

 

Dellese Gibson

“It’s actually very rewarding. You develop a relationship with these patients because sometimes for some people, you’re the only person they have and you’re the only person there with them throughout the process and they remember those things.”

 

She may now hold an administrative title, but Nurse Director Keslyn Lizama knows the frontlines well. In fact, she’s one of just five recently trained midwives in Belize. For her, midwifery is both humbling and deeply rewarding, being there at life’s first breath, and sometimes, its last.

 

Keslyn Lizama

“It’s still an area that I enjoy. I love being there. It’s the humbleness that you learn from it. I’ve had senior nurses who would explain what it means to care for someone throughout the lifespan. And it’s a really rewarding and humbling experience to know that we are there when the eyes open, and that we are also there in situations where the eyes close.”

 

From the first breath to the first cry, from the discomfort of labor to the joy of new life, midwives are there every step of the way. They witness beginnings and endings, triumphs and challenges, and in doing so, remind us that life is as fragile as it is extraordinary. Looking on the Bright Side, I’m Sabreena Daly.