Page 19 - Thetha Issue 6

GRADUATION

Male midwife pioneers vital birth process research

railblazing nursing Nursing College. He started his
professional Xolani Dlamini master’s programme on a part-time
T is not only carving a career in basis while working full-time in a
an industry traditionally dominated busy maternity ward. “I have not lifted
by women – he’s passionate about “I have not lifted my foot off the
helping new mothers to have the pedal since,” he says. my foot off the
births that they deserve. Xolani’s study found that first- pedal since”
The critical importance of time mothers were predominantly
properly preparing pregnant fearful of their birthing process
patients for giving birth was the experience. They also reported
focus of Xolani’s Master of Nursing receiving poor information from
in Advanced Clinical Midwifery and midwives at antenatal care clinics –
Neonatal Nursing Science. but applauded the help from women
Seven years after graduating who have previously given birth,
with a Bachelor of Nursing Science their families, WhatsApp groups,
at Nelson Mandela University, Facebook groups, the MomConnect
Bizana-born Xolani, 30, is also due app and YouTube videos.
to complete his first article for His study concluded that
publication, reporting his master’s there should be formal birthing
findings and preparing for his PhD. preparation classes, counselling
His research focused on the sessions and detailed information-
birthing process preparedness of first- sharing about birthing process
time mothers in the public obstetric strategies – and that poor birthing
units of the Nelson Mandela Bay process preparation could lead to
Health District. He found no previous psychological problems. Xolani Dlamini
similar study and/or literature with a Xolani’s PhD focus will likely focus
South African context. on developing strategies to enhance
Xolani is an accoucheur (male birth preparation to be comparable
midwife) who lectures at Lilitha to developed countries.

Double delight for nature-loving couple

co-conscious Emily and Africa and the transfer of knowledge
Samantha McCullough-Jones between conservation entities.
E cemented their commitment She works in the consultancy
to nature with a PhD each in field and is currently compiling a
Nature Conservation this year. state of knowledge report and data
Emily and her wife graduated repository for the Garden Route
together at Mandela Uni’s George Biosphere Reserve.
Campus in April. “We both enjoy the prospects of
Nicknamed “the fern lady” thanks our current trajectories and hope to
Emily and Samantha to her research on invasion biology, continue to grow in these roles,” says
McCullough-Jones thirty-year-old Emily is currently Emily.
doing a post-doc with SANBI (the Being able to complete their
South African National Biodiversity studies side by side after walking the
“We both enjoy the Institute) at Stellenbosch University, PhD journey together, with all its ups
and downs, was an incredible and
developing a method to assess the
prospects of our environmental damage costs of alien fulfilling experience, the couple says.
“We hope to make women in
current trajectories trees on water systems in South science proud and work together
Africa.
and hope to For her PhD, Samantha, 36, towards bridging the gap between
continue to grow in worked with governance, looking science and practice to facilitate the
shift towards an environmentally
at landscape scale conservation
these roles” initiatives on the west coast of South conscious future in South Africa.”

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