Midwifery Today Community

I am searching for an alternative birth experience for a friend of mine in Guatemala.  She is due in June and does not want to be in a hospital.  We have had difficulty finding a midwife or birthcenter--those we have found are volunteer opportunities to train traditional Mayan midwives but not to actually contact anyone about midwifery services.  

Does anyone know of a practicing midwife in Guatemala?  Otherwise, how should we proceed looking for an OBGYN.  Suggestions?  Thanks for all your help!

Sarah 

Hello Sarah,

I just signed in and read your email and I am very surprised that you have not found anyone...Trained as a CPM at the US mexican border, I have heard of so many midwives wanting to go and live in central or south america....I just assumed(..) there was a healthy network of midwives of all nations in Mexico and Guatemala...I know of a birth center in the Chiapas, called Luna Maya, but your friend is probably not interested in travelling so far...

Just as I am starting to look at other options in terms of practicing...I am french/american based in France and the road to get my CPM training validated in France seems endless. I am considering volunteering abroad to keep practicing and being with women THAT way...Did I read you correctly: there are volunteer opportunities to work with traditional Mayan midwives?

If I would find a place to volunteer for in Guatemala, I'd come and visit you and your friend.

Blessings and good luck, Sarah

Hi Sarah -

I run a waterbirth center in Guatemala City - look at centrodepartonatural.org!!

Greetings,

Hannah

I just gave birth with a wonderful midwife in Guatemala City. She runs Centro De Parto Natural and really knows what she's doing. I had a 31 hour labor and still got the natural birth I always wanted thanks to prayer and our midwife Hannah! Check out my birth story at http://tinyurl.com/3cn38k9

Lovely birth story Chrisi,

It shows that a little patience, support and perseverance will sometimes beat the odds in childbirth cultures.  Good for you and your babe for staying strong and working together.