How to Become a Midwife

A community job as a midwife has many incredible benefits but the biggest one is that you will be meeting a new person on a regular basis – a new baby. Midwives provide care and support to women as well as their families during pregnancy, childbirth and after pregnancy.

While the main focus is on the woman, a midwife also provides community education and support to the woman's partner and family where needed. Literally from the moment a woman learns that she is pregnant right through to the birthing process at a hospital or in a home, a midwife is there to offer information and support. Following childbirth, a midwife will remain involved as long as necessary, particularly if a woman had a difficult birth and recovery. A midwife will also play a role in providing advice about babies and the birth itself.

Important Traits for a Successful Career as a Midwife

To really succeed as a midwife, there are some important traits that can help you provide the best support possible to a pregnant woman. You should have excellent listening skills, an empathic and warm manner, non-judgemental attitude and superior communication skills. You also need to be skilled at counselling and you should be very comfortable providing advice and education, which is even more important to the community of new mothers who are perhaps worried or confused about numerous aspects of pregnancy and motherhood. One of the more obvious traits is a genuine care for the health and well being of babies.

As a midwife, you need to be able to understand the different social and economic features of each mother's pregnancy. Different ethnic backgrounds will have their own unique customs, traditions and beliefs around pregnancy. As a midwife, you need to provide helpful support and accurate advice, but do so with an open mind and respect for each mother's special background and beliefs. On top of that, you have to be confident and strong when it comes to handling stressful situations. You must also work well independently and within a health care team at a hospital or elsewhere.

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A Typical Day in a Midwife Career

The average day for a midwife will include monitoring the mother's health and the health of her baby. This type of monitoring can involve physical and diagnostic examinations or it could involve providing education on the importance of a healthy lifestyle. A midwife will also provide options and information on the delivery process, the use of pain control and the choices a mother has for a delivery environment. Midwives will provide parenting advice for mothers and their families. They can also run antenatal classes as well, which help mothers become better prepared for the challenges of delivery. Other community classes might teach new mothers the basics of caring for a baby and tips for successful breastfeeding. Midwives have a strong presence in hospitals, where they work alongside doctors and other health professionals.

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Training in Midwifery

To train as a midwife, a person will usually take a three or four year degree program in midwifery. Others might first complete a nursing degree and then take a one to two year graduate level course to become a midwife. In the United Kingdom, a person needs to become registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council to safely and effectively practice midwifery. The Nursing and Midwifery Council serves to ensure that midwives satisfy important ethics and training regulations that keep the practice safe and effective.

A general midwife who works for the NHS will earn approximately £21,000 to £27,000 each year. As a community midwife gains more skills and valuable experience and responsibilities, this salary can increase to £30,000 or more. Those who work as consultants can expect to earn between £38,000 to £67,000. The working hours can, however, be sporadic in the sense that the baby's entrance will dictate at least some of the midwife's working hours. In this sense, a midwife should be prepared to work under a twenty-four hour period. You will work in hospitals or provide support in a home birth environment, among others.

Midwifery is an important community health profession that provides a valuable service to mothers. You will play a key role in helping a new life to enter our world safely while supporting the health and well being of the mother as you provide important parenting advice.

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