How To Become A Midwife

A midwife is a person who is known to attend childbirth, provides support during labor and delivery, and supervises the general care of women and children directly after birth.

The term midwife, means “with a woman,” Contemporary midwives provide care to women during normal pregnancies and deliveries and call on obstetricians or other physicians if complications develop. Midwifery is a professionally regulated field. If you want to know how to become a midwife, you need to be able to understand and learn a few things.

While the main focus is on the woman such as providing assistance for women who are in labor and, a midwife also provides community education and support to the woman’s partner and family especially when it is 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.

After childbirth, a midwife is expected to remain involved as long as necessary, particularly if a woman had a difficult birth and recovery. A midwife is also expected to play a role in providing advice about babies and the birth itself.

If you want to train as a midwife, such person who wishes to become would usually take a three or four year degree program in midwifery. You might also consider completing a nursing degree and then take a one to two year graduate level course so you would be able to become a midwife.

In case you do not have any previous experience working in healthcare, you might need to do a three or four year degree course that would lead you to the registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).

The training courses include biological sciences, applied sociology, psychology and professional practice. Most of the study hours are usually split equally between theory at a university and hands-on clinical practice.

During the applied part of the course you will be asked to have direct contact with women and their families in hospitals, community clinics and in their homes. This can be a challenging task but it is also something that is very rewarding in the end.

There are lots of things you can do when you are a qualified midwife. You could choose to stay in university, or you can continue working in education or research. You may decide to apply to work for the NHS in a hospital or birthing center or you might also choose to work independently or as part of any team in a private maternity unit.

You work options are unlimited once you are already qualified to practice being a midwife and with the things you have learned on how to become a midwife, you might consider becoming one.