Sarah Rio

My sisters and I were raised by our mother in a very multicultural suburb in the Inner West of Sydney. As a migrant, Mum really instilled in us a sense of pride to be Australian, whilst also encouraging us to get to know the world. We travelled extensively as children, something I carried with me into adulthood, having now explored over 20 countries worldwide.

I studied a Bachelor of Business at UTS thinking it’d open up opportunities for good jobs. I loved the degree, but quickly found I didn’t quite ‘fit’ into the business world.

After 10 years of working in the natural health industry, I decided it was time for a change. I knew I loved to help others and especially enjoyed my interactions with people on a daily basis. I started to think that perhaps I could make a more impactful difference elsewhere… just where? And how?

It was a chance encounter with a student midwife that led to my light-bulb moment. I attended an antenatal appointment with my sister where she was having an ECV (external cephalic version), which is when an obstetrician tries to turn a breech baby into a head down position. I was instantly drawn to the aura of the student midwife in the room. She provided the sense of calmness and support that my sister so desperately needed. My first thought was “I can do that. People tell me I make them feel calm all the time”. We got to chatting about her pathway to midwifery and as they say, the rest is history.

Having studied at UTS before, I knew first-hand that the level of training would be highly practical and world-class. The learning has been exceptional and I feel privileged to be taught by industry professionals who are also pioneering research.

The most rewarding aspects of this course are the continuity of care experiences. This is where you follow a woman throughout her pregnancy journey, are on-call for her birth, and then see her a couple of times once her baby is born. To have the honour as a student to provide such care under the guidance of registered midwives is something I will always cherish. I hope to work in similar models once I am registered.

An educated woman is an informed woman, and an informed woman is then able to truly make decisions for herself by combining the information she receives with what her own wants/needs are. This idea of “woman-centred care” is something that midwifery honours and promotes. It also speaks to the core of my own passion for this vocation.

My passion is simple – work with women. Being raised in a household of all girls, we grew up to be strong and independent women who could hold their own in the big world. I don’t think I ever realised I was a feminist until I started my midwifery training. I am especially passionate about helping empower women – to educate them, to create positive relationships, and simply be with them on their journeys through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.

My goal is to secure a position as a new graduate midwife and continue to improve my skills and knowledge. Education (especially targeted at women and families from migrant backgrounds and lower-socioeconomic areas) is something I am passionate about and hope to pursue in my career. I’d also love to somehow bring in all the knowledge from my decade in natural health.

To anyone who is considering midwifery, I would say just go for it! You’ll never know if you don’t try.

It has ignited a passion and obsession in me I never thought I could possess. To witness and support the miracle of new life, and to be part of such an intimate, transformative and for many, once-in-a-lifetime experience, is an absolute honour.

Find out more about studying Midwifery at UTS