Our Alumnus Julian Mäkelä: Midwife's role is to create a sense of security and trust

What made you study midwifery?

This is a question Julian Mäkelä has heard more often than average, as he is one of the few men in a very female-dominated field.

Mäkelä himself feels that gender has no bearing on how good someone is at their job or what they are interested in. A man can apply to be a midwife just as well as a woman can apply to be a civil engineer.

- I think it is worthwhile for everyone to go and study what interests and fascinates them most, whatever the field. 

Mäkelä chose to study midwifery because he was interested in the health care sector and felt that the work of a midwife was particularly meaningful. This idea only grew stronger during his studies.

- My enthusiasm and love for the field deepened the further I got in my studies. I realised how wonderful this job really is, he says.

Mäkelä graduated from TAMK as a midwife in autumn 2024 and now works at Päijät-Häme Central Hospital in the gynaecology ward.

In the future, Mäkelä dreams of working in a maternity ward, but before that he wants to see a wide range of other midwifery work.

- My aim is to see a wide range of departments, roles and tasks. I'm also interested in specialising in ultrasound examinations during pregnancy at some point in the future.

The most rewarding part of my studies were the internships

According to Mäkelä, studying to become a midwife was intense and demanding, but also very rewarding and interesting.

The four-and-a-half-year course is a double degree, which includes both a midwife and a nurse's degree. There was a lot to learn, and the pace of learning was very fast.

- The most rewarding were the traineeships in different hospitals, in different departments and in different roles. It was great to realise that I already knew how to do these things, and to see my own development in practice.

Mäkelä describes the teaching at TAMK as competent and of high quality. Many of the trainers were themselves actively working in the hospital, so there was a close connection to practice.

- School health care and support services at TAMK are also excellent. I got the feeling that they really wanted us to feel well.

The studies also focused on how to approach and deal ethically with difficult situations that arise in working life. This was particularly important for Mäkelä, as midwives face a wide range of situations in their work, from birth to death.

- It is useful to have already considered in advance how one thinks and reacts in different situations. It makes it easier to deal with situations when they arise," he says.

Great, unique moments

Mäkelä feels that one of the most important tasks of a midwife is to create a sense of security and confidence for new mothers and parents.

Childbirth is always an individual and unique event that requires courage on the part of the mother. 

- The most rewarding moments are those when a woman gives birth with the confidence and certainty that this will work out, that I can do this. And when I can support and help myself, it's really rewarding.

Mäkelä also finds it wonderful to watch new parents getting to know their child. At first, they may be shy about their newborn and hesitate to even change his or her diaper. Gradually, they gain confidence in handling the baby.

- It is a privilege to witness these moments when parenthood and love for your child begins to grow.

Midwifery is also a demanding job, as it can be a busy one and not all situations have happy endings. Although difficult situations do not arise every day, you must be alert and always prepared for the unexpected.

- And when everything goes well, it's even more beautiful when you know what could have happened, says Mäkelä.