Can you imagine women going through childbirth without the help of a midwife? The gyne may be the one to deliver babies in most circumstances, but midwives are the specialised professionals who do the heavy lifting. Throughout the pregnancy and birthing process, they’re there! If you’re a person who is passionate about making childbirth the best experience for expecting families, then your calling in life is probably midwifery.
In this article, we’ll cover exactly what a midwife is and some inspiring reasons why you should consider pursuing this noble career.
What is a midwife?
A midwife is a professional in the health care industry who is responsible for seeing and assisting parents throughout pregnancy, childbirth and even throughout the child’s early life. Midwives will work in hospitals and birthing centers and help people who have chosen to do a home birth.
Did you know that certified midwives can also be certified nurses? This means they are qualified to do more than just assist doctors during childbirth; they can also perform gynecological procedures and prescribe medication.
Their main responsibilities usually include counselling, facilitating prenatal and postnatal classes, checking medical files, helping create birthing plans, and recommending medical tests, just to name a few. They may also advise alternative interventions for high-risk pregnancies. So, just know that when you’ve got the midwife nearby, you’ll be in good hands.
Why should you consider becoming a midwife?
Midwives are pivotal throughout the child-birthing process from beginning to end, and if you need more reasons as to why you should pursue this noble career, here are a few points to consider:
#1 Emotional fulfilment
One of the most fulfilling and rewarding careers in the world is, without a doubt, midwifery. Can you imagine what it’s like to be one of the pivotal reasons why there are so many healthy babies in the world?
You’d not only be a key player during childbirth, but you also help ensure the expectant mothers are eating properly to ensure the baby is receiving proper nutrition, and you also provide counselling and checkups to ensure the baby is well looked after. Not to mention, you also get to be a part of all the excitement as families prepare to meet their new members.
#2 Career progression
Midwifery is far from being a dead-end job because the more experience you can have and the more you further your education, the higher your ranking and earning potential becomes.
Midwives who are certified to perform c-sections and other surgeries may even move on to become gynes or obstetric surgeons. Taking a Graduate Certificate in Nursing may help you become a nurse unit manager.
#3 High earning potential
Coming hand in hand with career progression is earning potential. The more you advance in your career as a midwife, and the more advanced your education, the higher your earning potential becomes, as you’ll be eligible to take on leadership roles.
#4 Meaningful relationships with patients
A beautiful aspect of being a midwife is that you get to work with patients for several months. When providing emotional and physical support for such a long time and getting to experience the joyful and difficult moments in your patients’ lives, you’ll have the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with them and their babies. Sometimes, families opt to employ the same midwife every time they are pregnant because of their first experience and the bond that was formed.
#5 Relationships with colleagues
Being a midwife means you’re not a lone ranger, as you’ll get to work with a broad range of other medical professionals in the field. This means you’ll have ample opportunity to build strong relationships with colleagues who know what you’ve experienced and can help you through the more challenging cases.
#6 Ability to work in various locations
For anyone who thrives off working in different locations as opposed to working day in and day out at the same hospital, you’d be happy to learn that midwives can work from a wide range of locations. We’re talking about hospitals in different patients’ homes and birthing clinics in urban and rural areas. Being a midwife, you’ll work with different people in all different areas in all stages of life; from the richest to the poorest, and everyone comes with a different location and different experiences.
#7 Ability to provide individualized care
As a midwife, you’ll have the opportunity to work with individuals who each have different wants and needs throughout the pregnancy and birthing process. Some insist on having a home birth, while others prefer to have their baby delivered in a hospital. You have the ability to plan customized prenatal and birth plans for their unique situations while also providing advice on whether they will need other interventions for both their and their child’s safety. You’ll also be able to advocate for your patients and help them get the best treatment and experience.
Final Thoughts
Essentially, certified midwives, with all their knowledge and experience, are invaluable when it comes to childbirth. Can you imagine how rewarding it must feel to know you’ve helped bring a new life into the world? The work is hard, but the rewards are priceless.
