“Good deeds lead to good encounters / reading / sports / mother of 4 / walking the dog /down-to-earth / open / humor / loving

How it all began… “I was 22 when I started as a midwife. I graduated in Belgium in 2002, and a year later, in 2003, I began working as a midwife in Tiel. In 2007, I joined the WKZ (Wilhelmina Children’s Hospital), where I also met Daphne van der Putten. 

Then, in 2013, when child number 4 came along, I took a break from midwifery for a while. Balancing a family of four children with a midwife’s life was challenging. From 2015 to 2021, I worked as a midwife in Ede and at the UMC (University Medical Center).

From practice support back to midwife! In 2022, the role of practice supporter at Dana Centrum came my way. I still knew Daphne from the WKZ, and our collaboration was soon established. I worked at Dana as a practice supporter for a year. 

There, I was the point of contact for pregnant women, managed the midwives’ schedules, and more. It was rewarding work, and it was also nice to be able to close the door behind me and be at home with my family in the evenings. It was a welcomed step back during that time.

“However, my true love was in the waiting room, with the pregnant women.” And at Dana they noticed that too. The question often came up: “Ellis, wouldn’t you like to join the midwifery team?”

The urge never truly left, and after careful discussions with my family, everyone supported my career once again. “My children are now 18, 16, 14, and 10. So, they can manage quite well now. Although it’s still an adjustment for everyone at times.”

“Actually, I’ve always been a Dana Midwife at heart.”

What makes Dana Centrum so special? 

“The time you have for pregnant women and their partners. When someone calls me, I immediately know who they are, what they look like, and who their partner is. Clients here are anything but just a number.”

“Actually, I’ve always been a midwife of Dana in a way. But in a hospital or at a regular midwifery practice, there simply wasn’t the space to provide that extra care. I believe if someone needs me, I stay. Fortunately, this is standard at Dana. In my opinion, this should be the standard in maternity care.”

A Warm Community “The collaboration with colleagues here is so lovely. It’s truly a warm community where you can be completely yourself. That’s wonderful.”

What’s the best part of your work? 

“What I find so special is the bond you build with the pregnant woman and her partner. I genuinely care about ‘my’ pregnant women. I’m involved, open, and willing to be vulnerable. By doing so, you invite others to be vulnerable as well.”

“Especially during pregnancy, a time when you can feel incredibly vulnerable, it’s important to be able to share your story, to express yourself. I think it enables you to respect your own needs and boundaries. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable helps you take better care of yourself and find the necessary rest and relaxation.”

IPT in the Future

 Ellis is not yet an IPT Practitioner. “I definitely want to learn more about it and apply it in practice, so I will take the training next year. I recently experienced an IPT session myself, even though I had little to no complaints, I was amazed at the impact the session had. From that moment on, I was completely converted. I felt the tension in my pelvis melt away and became so much more grounded. Every woman should experience this.”

“In my view, IPT can mean a lot. First, it helps you become aware of your pelvis and its possibilities. Many women, especially with their first child, experience some fear like, will my baby fit through my pelvis?”

“Additionally, IPT can also be highly beneficial for trauma processing. I’ve seen firsthand the progress women make after IPT sessions. It’s truly remarkable. I’m convinced that these women start motherhood better, without the burden of previous experiences.”