Vision
„I believe, that all Colombian women and families will be able to receive maternity services that are safe and accessible. The supplies shall be based on evidence and provided with all appropriate respect to the mothers – for a healthy beginning of a new life.“
On first steps
„Everything counts! When you move towards your goal, see every single little step as a great progress.“
About
visionary midwife & global health alumni
On the four-day jungle hike to „The Lost City“ in the north of Colombia I met Luise, a close friend and university colleague of Ana. We came to talk about my project and one of Luise’s first responses was: „You have to meet Ana!“ Luise connected us and a couple of weeks later I met Ana in Bogotá. Luise didn’t promise too much.
„It was 9 PM and the doctor decided to make a caesarean section without even asking the heavily pregnant women if she agrees on that severe – and in that case unnecessary – intervention. She already gave birth five years ago to a healthy baby. I suppose, he just wanted to go home and didn’t want to wait for hours until the lady could give birth to her child naturally.“ Ana Vélez shares her experience when she was invited to a hospital in Cartagena, Colombia, to witness child birth standards. Her voice sounds concerned. What she describes stands exemplarily for a maternity system that lacks both dignity for women and respect for their needs: „Stories like these can be told throughout the whole country. It happens way too often in Colombia.“
Ana spent several years in Europe
She started her nursing studies in 2005, finished in 2008 and moved to London afterwards to start working as a nurse. She became a midwife in 2012 and became familiar with the British maternity system: „More power is given to the pregnant women. Doctors, midwives and families decide in accordance with each other and with the natural process.“ When Ana came back to Colombia after seven years in London, she was confronted with a system that lacks nearly all what she had appreciated so much in the United Kingdom. „I started to research on the maternity system in my home country. That was when I realized how difficult things here really are for women.“
Midwife is not a profession in Colombia
„Natural childbirth here is more associated with shamanic rituals than with a serious occupation. It’s rather something esoteric than a serious occupation“, Anna tells. In 2015, the maternal mortality ratio in Colombia was 64 per 100.000 live births. The United Kingdom counts 9, Austria 4. „90 percent of the births take place in hospitals, but women are not treated well there. Mostly the doctor tells them what to do without asking for permission or explaining anything. We call that obstetric violence, where the wishes and desires of the women are not respected at all.“
Colombia is home of 87 indigenous tribes
Hence a lot of knowledge is stored in traditional birth attendance, which is passed on from generation to generation. „This knowledge is not acknowledged in Colombia at all, although it could help so many pregnant women on the secluded countryside that don’t have access to hospitals“, Ana describes the status quo. She has volunteered and worked with several tribes to learn about their skills and exchange knowledge with them. The maternal mortality ratio amongst indigenous people is about five times higher than in the rest of the country. „The goal is to identify alarm signs and train safe practices of child birth while reinforcing their traditional knowledge.“
Ana just finished her master degree in global health
She returned to Colombia for many reasons, first and foremost to contribute what she has learned in Europe to improve the system in her home country:
„Being part of a well running system as in London was not what made me happy on the long run. That’s my comfort zone there. I can earn good money with a job I like and the profession is well respected in the British society. I can help women giving birth, but I realized that I am not making an impact on a bigger scale.“
„I have the dream to improve the system. I know, it’s a long way, it’s going to take years and needs a lot of political will. But I believe in the change and I want to contribute my skills to improve the system. Little by little.“
The next steps
Ana’s goal is to develop a humanized childbirth, where interventions are negotiated upon the patients needs and desires on eye level. „We need to give back the power to the women. This is how it works in Europe and this should be state of the art in Colombia too.“ The road is not clear yet, for the system is incredibly complex. Ana has ideas though about how to climb this huge mountain. „After I finished my studies in June I want to go back to London for a while – to make new contacts and learn more about the field. Working more with the indigenous tribes in Colombia is also part of my personal project.“ Armed with this rather unique set of skills and knowledge she wants to go deeper into the political processes that are crucial for the change she longs for.
One doesn’t need to see the whole path. Essential is knowing the next steps, the willpower to take them and trust in the process.
Find Ana Vélez on Facebook or connect with her via e-mail: anavelez7@hotmail.com
Greetings! My name is Monique Cowan and I am a doula living in Southern California, USA. I have plans to travel to Colombia (near Cartagena) for a month in January. I would love to get to know some things about traditional birthing in Colombia, if that is possible. I currently work with postpartum moms here in California and learning traditional healing and how you all deal with postpartum depression in your country is of a huge interest to me. I would love to connect with you. Thank you for your time.
Hey Monique, thank you for your comment and your interest. I’d be happy to put you in touch with Ana, who surely can tell you more about the system in Colombia. I’ll send her your mail address and ask her to get in touch with you. Greetings from Vienna, Jakob
Hi, I want to connect with Ana wrt suggestions for my wife’s pregnancy. We’re expats in Colombia.
My email address:
hasain.md007@gmail.com
Hi, I am an Australian Registered Nurse/Midwife and IBCLC who moved to Barranquilla 3 months ago. I am settling in my three daughters and trying to get a grasp on the spanish language but I would be very interested to learn more about birthing in Colombia and how to support women and their babies in the new year! I look really forward to hearing from you, many thanks, Imogen
Hi, that sounds interesting, enjoy learning the Spanish language. I had so much fun doing it in Medellín. I’ll put you in touch with Ana, she has recently met a network of women who work in natural childbirth. Pls check your mails, also spam-folder. I’m sure she can help you further. Greetings from Vienna
Hi Jakob,
I’m also interested in connecting with Ana and learning how to study with the midwives in Columbia. Thank you in advance.
Hi Kristina, thank you for your comment and your interest. I’ve forwarded your comment to Ana and included your mail-address. I haven’t talked to her in a while and I’m not sure what she’s up to these days, but I hope she gets in touch with you soon. With love from Vienna
Hi! how can I connect with Ana? I would love to ask her a few questions, we plan on going to Colombia next year and have some collaboration ideas. Thank you!
Hi Stephanie, thank you for your comment. I just sent Ana a message on facebook with your mail-address and asked her to get in touch with you. I’m not sure where she lives at the moment, might be that she lives in London now, but I hope she gets in touch with you soon. I’ll keep you posted. Much love from Vienna
Hello I’m Juliana. I’m a registered nurse in USA with OB/GYN experience. I’m originally from Colombia and lived in the States for 12 years. I’m back in Medellin now. I would love to connect with Anna. We share the same passion. I felt the need to come back to my country to help improve women’s wellbeing.
Thank you
HI! I am also from Medellin and moved to the US when I was 9. I have been contemplating moving back for many years now. Currently I’m an Emergency Room nurse in NY. I would love to get in touch with Ana and ask her how to go about this and help out.
Hi Cataina, thank you for your comment. You can reach out to Ana via e-mail (anavelez7@hotmail.com) or find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ana.velez.756?fref=ts
Good luck with your further journey through life! Best wishes, Jakob
Hey Juliana, hope this message finds you well! I admire your and Ana’s passion and would love to connect the two of you. Please get in touch with her via e-mail: anavelez7@hotmail.com or find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ana.velez.756?fref=ts
If I can be of any further help, please let me know. Best regards, Jakob
Hi, I am currently pregnant. I am African, living in the US, and I am looking to birth my first child in Medellin, Colombia. I am looking to have a natural birth with a Colombian midwife/doula. Is there any place I could be pointed to?
Hey Bethany, sorry for my late reply, hope this can still be of benefit for you: please get in touch with Ana via e-mail, maybe she can help you with this, as I’m not familiar at all with the specifica of your request. Ana’s mail adress: anavelez7@hotmail.com
Wishing you the best!
Greetings! It is so exciting to read all about Ana and the revival of woman-centered care in healthcare! I am a labor & delivery nurse of 6 years from California looking to connect with like minded women in Colombia. I am planning on traveling for a month or two in January to make some connections in hopes of working together. I would love to connect to discuss more. Looking forward to speaking with you.
Warmly,
Brit
Hey Brit, that sounds awesome. Ana is an amazing young woman with great visions, I’m sure connecting with her can be of great benefit for the both of you. Please reach out directly via e-mail (anavelez7@hotmail.com) or find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ana.velez.756?fref=ts
If I can help you, please let me know. Warm hugs from Austria, Jakob
I am a doula living in Canada and would like to volunteer in Colombia. I came across this article in my search for connections and information. Would you be able to put me in touch with Ana? Thank you!
Hey Jennifer, thank you for your comment and your interest. Ana would be happy to read from you, please reach out directly via e-mail anavelez7@hotmail.com or find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ana.velez.756?fref=ts
Much love from Vienna, Jakob
I am a natural childbirth (Bradley Method) educator from the states who has lived in Bogota, Colombia, for the past 25 years. I have worked with pregnant couples, and agree with Ana’s passion to change the system to give women more respect and freedom in birthing. I have a pregnant friend who is interested in talking with a midwife. Is there a directory somewhere of midwives in this huge city??
Glenda
Hey Glenda, thanks for reaching out. May I ask you to direct your question to Ana directly? Here’s her mail: anavelez7@hotmail.com Best wishes, Jakob