Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Midwife Sonita Giudice’s

RBWH Midwife Sonita Giudice’s

RBWH midwife follows in grandmother’s footsteps

Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Midwife Sonita Giudice’s career choice has always felt natural for her, however it was only recently that she discovered there may be a special reason why this is.

The proud Gunggari and Wakka Wakka woman found out a year ago that both her great grandmother and great great grandmother were midwives in their communities before Sonita was born.

Sonita has been practicing as a midwife for just over seven years, two of which were spent with Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital’s Ngarrama Royal Midwifery Group Practice, a small group of dedicated midwives that care for mums and their families throughout their pregnancy.

“Working with Aboriginal patients as an Aboriginal woman myself has many benefits,” she said.

“There are things about the Aboriginal world that are difficult to understand if you haven’t grown up living the culture. For example, families are raised by the entire community, not just by the parents. It is perfectly normal for the parents’ sibling or cousin to raise their child.

“I also know that pregnancy may not be the number one priority for Aboriginal patients, so it’s about balancing this knowledge with providing the best clinical care.

“Understanding the culture allows me to take a more holistic approach to pregnancy with my patients and their families.”

For Sonita, the best part about her job is being able to make a difference to the pregnancy journey.

“Coming to hospital can be quite a traumatic experience for many people, however I am able to use my skills to turn this into a positive experience,” she said.

“When I do this, it’s like I become a part of my patients’ families for life. Their children always remember me for years to come. It’s wonderful.”

The Ngarrama Service at Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital provided care to over 210 women in 2019 and continues to achieve outstanding results in closing the gap in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women and their babies.