Title:Tools of the Trade

Amanda Apodaca, CNM (G’25) seeks to empower women as a certified nurse midwife and women’s health nurse practitioner at Women’s Care in Eugene, Oregon.

After having two children through midwifery care, she decided to pursue midwifery as a career. Georgetown’s program allowed her to earn her credentials online while continuing to work as a bedside nurse in Oregon.

Apodaca joined Georgetown’s online Master of Science in Nursing program and occasionally traveled to the Hilltop to practice on-site clinical intensives.

“Georgetown is so beautiful—as a physical location, a community, and a program—they do such a thoughtful and thorough job of finding faculty that are really passionate about midwifery care,” says Apodaca. “Going to campus and being there physically with all of my cohort and professors to learn skills in person in a hands-on environment was invaluable.”

Apodaca is now practicing ‘catching babies’ and providing emotional support to the mothers until she can practice independently.

“Midwives don’t tend to say ‘delivering babies’ because we’re not—the mom is; we’re just there to catch,” says Apodaca. “As a midwife, I get to utilize my best features.

I provide information and support so that women can make decisions about their own bodies and their own care. That’s the really wonderful thing about midwifery.”

Apodaca says that while she doesn’t carry many physical tools in her profession, she always brings patience, compassion, and empathy.

“To be a midwife, you need your hands, your heart, and your brain,” says Apodaca.

The five physical things she carries with her include:

1. A Pocket Guide to Clinical Midwifery: The Efficient Midwife: a guide book that can be used for quick reference
2. Pen: to write down details about patients and their families
3. Phone: to call for resources or more experienced midwives
4. Labor comb: a comb to press against as a distraction for patients experiencing contractions
5. Necklace with daughters’ initials: W for Willa and L for Luella; they are my whole reason for doing this.