Annie Nguyen (she/her)
4th Year Midwifery Student
UBC Midwifery Program

My name is Annie Nguyen and I am a 4th year midwifery student. I am excited to serve the community in providing inclusive, respectful, and safe midwifery care to families. Growing up, it was normal for me to hear and talk about the mixed blessings of pregnancy and women’s health with my mom and aunts. As a result, I am passionate about supporting and empowering people’s health care choices that are right for them with the guidance of midwifery care.

Being a second generation immigrant to non-English speaking Vietnamese parents, I became the primary translator for their appointments as soon as I learned how to read and speak. I hope to bridge the cultural and language barrier for many non-English speaking pregnant families.

One birth I vividly remember was at a home water birth, after a long labour overnight she finally reached fully and had an urge to push. My sleeves and pant legs were soaked from helping her in/out of the pool and listening to the baby heart rate. At one point during pushing, she cried saying she can’t do it anymore but everyone in the room encouraged her to keep going. Her eyes were locked on mine as I helped her into a squat position, she whispered “squatty potty time” and I knew that by the next contraction her entire mindset had shifted. She was able to push the baby out in the next few contractions. I am still amazed at the power of encouragement and the way she followed her natural instinct to get into her “squatty potty” position to push. I like to reminisce on this experience as a student often to remind myself how powerful words can be for birthers, as well as myself birthing into the new role as a newly registered midwife in a year from now.

In my free time, you can find me exploring new places to eat with my sister, tweaking new baking recipes for my family and friends to taste, and enjoying nature.

Sage Thomas (she/her)
4th Year Midwifery Student
UBC Midwifery Program

Weyt-kp (Hello to all), my name is Sage Thomas (She/Her). I am in my 4th and final year of the Midwifery Education Program at UBC. I am a mother to three children ranging in ages 2 to 14 years, so my life in and out of school is busy! I am an Indigenous community member from Tk’emlups te Secwépemc. Currently located in the unceded territory of my home community Tk’emlups (Kamloops).

I have an academic background in Fine Arts (UVIC/Enowkin), Anthropology and Sociology (TRU). I have always enjoyed working with infants and children, first as a nanny and eventually an ECEA and Indigenous youth worker for children in care with the ministry. I am also a professional visual artist that works in a multitude of mediums. I am an advocate within the Indigenous community and have a passion for the arts, reproductive rights and justice, Indigenous and gender equality, revitalizing Indigenous birthing knowledge, and my Secwépemc culture and language.

After my own experience with midwifery care during my pregnancy and birth with my first child, I began my journey into birth work with becoming a birth doula and then a postpartum doula and breastfeeding/lactation educator & counselor. In doing this work, I felt the calling into midwifery, and I haven’t looked back! I am so honored to be welcomed into the sacred time of pregnancy and birth and to look forward to the many families I will get to meet and care for.