Debbi Sutherland

Community midwife advocating for young mums, home-based care and building positive relationships with healthcare

Young mothers are hard work.

Debbi Sutherland, Clinical Midwife at Caboolture Young Mothers for Young Women (CYMYM), wants this misconception to be known as false.

“The young women attending our service are the most inspirational people who are truly strong, determined and passionate about their children,” said Debbi.

CYMYM is a service that empowers, supports and nurtures women aged 21 and under through their journey to motherhood.

It’s based in a ‘home like’ environment that provides a sense of belonging to young expectant mothers in the community. This is a unique health service that is women-lead and relationship-based, facilitated by incredibly passionate midwives like Deb.

Programs such as this forge and improve relationships early between young families and health providers. Building trust, especially during pregnancy and birth, leads to better health outcomes of mums and their children into the future.

Debbi said that CYMYM is an example of how home-based health care programs profoundly benefit members of the community and enrich the role of the midwife.

“Midwifery is returning to the community where it belongs,” she said.

“I am seeing our patients become the leaders in their own healthcare and I’m experiencing the freedom to evolve my own practice to improve health outcomes and relationships with young women.”

For Debbi, the Year of the Nurse and Midwife highlights what makes her role unique, special and often, sacred.

“As a Midwife, something special happens behind closed doors. The relationship that develops between women and their Midwife is unique, raw and vulnerable.  It’s such a privilege.”