What does midwife do
Nurse Midwife - Explore Health Care Careers
What does a nurse midwife do?
A nurse midwife specializes in women’s reproductive health and childbirth. Nurse midwives provide care to women from adolescence through menopausal years. For pregnant women, they provide care during prenatal visits, attend the birth, and provide care after the baby is born. Nurse midwives have similar roles to OB/GYNs but focus on natural techniques for childbirth and reproductive care.
Scope of practice
Nurse midwives work with doctors, social workers, dietitians, physical therapists, educators, and nurses. Common tasks and duties include:
- Confirming and dating pregnancy
- Providing prenatal and postpartum care
- Caring for women during childbirth including monitoring the mother and fetus during labor, assessing labor progress, managing complications, assisting with pain management, performing episiotomies if needed, and delivering the newborn and placenta
- Providing education for new parents on infant care
- Supporting new mothers that are breastfeeding with education and training
- Preparing pregnant women for what to expect during the birthing process
- Performing preventive health screenings and tests
- Diagnosing and treating gynecological disorders such as sexually transmitted diseases and infertility
Work environment
Hospitals, clinics, birthing centers, health departments, and private practices hire nurse midwives to provide care for patients in regards to women’s reproductive health and childbirth.
Typical working hours can vary depending on the organization the nurse midwife works with and can include eight or 12-hour shifts. Depending on the facility, they may be required to work evening, weekend, holiday, and on-call hours. Nurse midwifery can be a stressful and emotionally draining role, but it is also found to be quite rewarding to help new parents prepare for childbirth and welcome their newborn into the world.
Becoming a nurse midwife
Nurse midwifery may be the career path for you if you enjoy promoting holistic health and working with women of various backgrounds. Nurse midwives are great and building relationships, work well in stressful situations, and are able to provide unbiased support during emotionally charged situations.
Higher education requirements
Individuals interested in becoming a nurse midwife must first obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) and pass the NCLEX-RN licensing exam to become a registered nurse. After that, you can complete a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (DNP), then apply and test for certification to become a nurse midwife.
Certification process
To become certified, you must take the certification exam through the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB). In order to qualify to take the exam, you must:
- Submit proof of licensure as a registered nurse or nurse practitioner
- Complete an accredited nurse midwifery graduate or post graduate program
Certification is valid for five years.
Career opportunities and outlook
Nurse midwives can expect a median annual salary of $112,830.
Nurse midwives are in high demand to provide obstetrics and gynecology services for low-risk patients. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects employment of nurse midwives to grow much faster than average.
With additional training and experience, a nurse midwife may move into a managerial or administrative role or go into education. Others may even own their own practices.
By the numbers
Nurse midwife programs at Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic offers a Nurse-Midwifery Clinical Rotations Program that prepares students for a career as a nurse-midwife as well as a Nurse-Midwifery Fellowship for current professionals seeking additional clinical training and experience.
Browse similar careers
What do midwives do? | Pregnancy Birth and Baby
What do midwives do? | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content5-minute read
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A midwife is a health professional trained to support and care for women during pregnancy, labour and birth. They help you to stay healthy in pregnancy and, if no complications arise, to give birth with little intervention. Midwives also care for you and your baby in the first few weeks following the birth.
What is a midwife?
Traditionally, midwives were nurses who underwent extra study. Now, midwives can become qualified by doing a 3-year university degree without needing to study nursing first.
Practising midwives must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia.
Some have extra qualifications and can prescribe certain medications, or practise privately. Private midwives must also register with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
In Australia, while both men and women can practise as midwives, most of those currently working are women.
Where do midwives work?
Midwives operate in many settings, including hospital maternity units, birth centres, obstetrician's consulting rooms, midwifery group practices, community health centres and in private homes. Where you see a midwife will depend on where and how you choose to give birth.
If you live in a rural or remote area, your choice of birth facility might be limited. You might see a midwife (or doctor) at a local community health service. You may also need to travel to a hospital with a maternity unit for the birth.
Midwifery care in a public hospital and birth centre is covered by Medicare. If you have a home birth, Medicare will cover some of the care offered by a private midwife with a Medicare provider number, but only for care given during the pregnancy and after the baby is born — not the actual birth.
You will pay a fee for midwifery care under a private obstetrician or for a private midwife. But most private midwives are registered as Medicare providers, so you may get a rebate through Medicare. Otherwise, you may get a rebate from your private health insurer.
Your midwife's role during pregnancy
Midwives will provide most of your antenatal care if you're planning to give birth in a public maternity unit. You might also see a midwife during your appointments with a private obstetrician. For a planned home birth, you'll probably see the same midwife (or a small team) throughout your pregnancy.
Your midwife will usually:
- check your baby's health, growth and position
- advise on or help with hospital bookings and routine tests and checks
- give you support and advice
- help you prepare for labour and birth
Your midwife's role during labour and birth
Midwives will support you through labour and birth. They can:
- give you information, encouragement and emotional support
- monitor your progress and suggest strategies to help your labour
- monitor the baby's heartbeat and other signs
- offer you pain relief, or arrange for a doctor to administer it
- get extra medical help if needed
If you have an uncomplicated birth at a public hospital or birth centre, your midwife will usually assist you with both the labour and the birth of your baby.
You may not have the same midwife care for you for the whole labour. An obstetrician can be called in if there are complications.
In a private hospital, your midwife will update your obstetrician on your progress and call them in for the birth.
If you’ve chosen a home birth, your midwife will manage your labour and the birth. They might need to call an ambulance to take you to hospital if complications arise that require medical intervention.
Midwives can't give epidurals. These can only be given in a hospital by an anaesthetist.
After your baby is born
Your midwife will care for both you and your baby immediately after the birth. The midwife, or your doctor, will check whether you have lost too much blood or need stitches.
Midwives offer postnatal care in hospital, including:
- helping you with breastfeeding and settling your baby
- showing you how to bathe your baby and change nappies
- administering pain relief if needed (or organising a doctor to provide it)
- carrying out some routine health tests, such as newborn screening
When you go home, a midwife might visit you at home.
After a home birth, your midwife will usually visit you daily for a few days. Some midwives will also be available to give advice over the phone for the first few weeks.
Your local child health nurse, many of whom are midwives, can also visit you at home and see you for regular appointments as your child grows.
- Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436 to speak with a maternal child health nurse.
- Learn more about midwifery at the Australian College of Midwives.
- To find a private midwife, visit Midwives Australia.
Sources:
Raising Children Network (Midwife), Raising Children Network (Public hospitals: pregnancy care and birth), Raising Children Network (Homebirth: pregnancy care and birth), Raising Children Network (Birth centres: pregnancy care and birth), BMC Health Services Research (The distribution of maternity services across rural and remote Australia: does it reflect population need?), NSW Health (Becoming a registered midwife), Australian College of Midwives (What is a midwife?), Department of Health (Australia's Future Health Workforce Report – Midwives), The Royal Women's Hospital (Pregnancy care & birthing options)Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: January 2021
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Related pages
- Antenatal care during your pregnancy
- What does a child health nurse do?
- What does an obstetrician do?
- What does your GP do in pregnancy care?
Need more information?
Midwives: guide for women & families | Raising Children Network
Midwife means being ‘with woman’. Midwives care for women during pregnancy, labour and birth. They work in hospitals, birth centres and homebirths.
Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website
Birthing services in Central Australia | NT.GOV.AU
Antenatal care, midwife services, labour and birth, lactation consultant, childbirth education and support for Central Australia.
Read more on NT Health website
Pain relief during labour | Raising Children Network
Pain relief in labour includes natural options like massage, as well as medical options. It’s best to discuss options with a midwife or doctor in pregnancy.
Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website
Pregnancy & antenatal appointments | Raising Children Network
At antenatal appointments, your doctor or midwife keeps track of your health and your baby’s health during pregnancy. You can ask questions and get support.
Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website
Homebirth: pregnancy care and birth | Raising Children Network
Homebirth is an option for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies who can transfer to hospital.
Private midwives care for homebirthing women in pregnancy.
Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website
Health professionals involved in your pregnancy
Information on the health professionals involved in your pregnancy, such as midwives, doctors and obstetricians.
Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website
Choosing where to give birth
Advice on choosing where to give birth, including a midwifery unit or birth centre, hospital or at home, and what to expect from private and public care.
Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website
Pregnancy care & birth: public hospitals | Raising Children Network
Public hospitals are safe options for pregnancy care and birth.
Midwives usually look after women having public hospital births. Medicare covers most costs.
Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website
Pregnancy care & birth at birth centres | Raising Children Network
Birth centres support healthy women with low-risk pregnancies to give birth in a home-like environment. Pregnancy care at birth centres is led by midwives.
Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website
Having a baby at a birthing centre
Birthing centres are usually more home-like than hospitals. Birthing centres are run by midwives, and in some centres, water birth is an option.
Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website
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Why do we need a midwife...
— I am expecting a baby, this is the first time in my life! I am happy and worried at the same time ... I really want everything to be fine with me and the baby ..!
- This is a happy period! And don’t let this anxiety upset you, you need it to find love and strength inside yourself, which you don’t know anything about
did not know before.
Now everything is changing in your life: your body is changing, your emotions are changing, and even your thoughts – and it seems that something is constantly slipping out of your control, and every day brings many different, sometimes unexpected questions.
These - new - sensations are not always clear and pleasant. This is normal, this is how we women react to change – it is inevitable and necessary. There comes a time of growing up, a time of work, creativity and joy - the time of the birth of a child! nine0005
In any country in the world, a midwife is a medical professional, a certified specialist who helps a woman during pregnancy and childbirth. Literally, the English midwife means "to be near a woman (mother)", but it is also consonant with wisewoman - "wise woman". Similarly, the origin of the word "midwife" in French - sagefemme - is "a wise knowledgeable woman."
First of all, the woman who understands and feels another woman - and thanks to her intuition, experience and medical knowledge - helps the expectant mother to go through her, of course, difficult, but incomparable path to motherhood. A midwife will help a woman to reach her natural potential and give birth to a healthy baby, while having a joyful experience of childbirth.
Traditional obstetric care is not technology. This is art, and art is creative. nine0005
In our country, it just so happens that a doctor conducting a pregnancy, a doctor who managed to get to know the peculiarities of a woman's pregnancy well, and a doctor taking delivery, who often gets to know her a few hours before giving birth, are different doctors. The link in this illogical chain can be ... a midwife, a person who understands and feels you well, who has been living with you on the same wavelength for more than a month. But at the same time, a midwife is a professionally trained specialist who is able to provide you with the right medical care, suggest which specialist to contact and who knows how to support. Not to give birth for you, but to take birth. Not lead, but direct. Not to take full responsibility for your pregnancy and childbirth, but to help learn to take this responsibility for yourself and your child - a completely new quality that future parents should also learn.
nine0005
CTA midwives
In our Center we create a balance between the necessary medical care and a variety of support for pregnancy and childbirth. We do not treat pregnancy, we help you maintain and improve your health. The midwife is your main assistant in this.
CTA midwives :
- attending;
- give lectures, conduct courses for pregnant women;
- give birth;
- carry out patronage of mother and child. nine0029
Obstetric care
To ensure that our obstetric care is as effective as possible, we recommend that you discuss the following with your midwife before you give birth:
- how you feel during pregnancy. At the first meeting with your midwife, be sure to grab all the tests and examinations, an exchange card, a food diary, ask your mother about how her pregnancy and childbirth went. After an examination, the midwife will give you recommendations on nutrition, lifestyle, and the impact of the emotional state on the course of pregnancy.
If deviations from the physiological state are found, she can refer to specialists and recommend additional examinations. The midwife does not prescribe or cancel drugs, does not make or cancel existing diagnoses. Its main task is to help a woman approach childbirth in an active and healthy state; nine0029 - births. Ask the midwife any questions about the physiology of childbirth, about the technique of behavior in each stage of childbirth, about everything that worries you on this topic. If you are going to give birth with this midwife, be sure to tell her about your expectations, the important points that you want to implement during the birth process;
- participation of a husband or close relatives in childbirth;
- breastfeeding and child health in the first postpartum period.
Childbirth
Tell your midwife as soon as possible if you have your first (or suspect) regular contractions. If you wish to have the early stage of the first stage of labor at home, then - in the absence of medical contraindications - a midwife will come to you and provide supervision and support at home, and then accompany you to the maternity hospital.
The midwife will be by your side throughout the birth. She will explain what is happening with you and the child, support if it is difficult. Her calm confidence will help you cope with doubts and believe in yourself, realize that childbirth is a wonderful natural process in which a woman learns to love and trust in a new way: herself, her body, even her pain. This is an experience in which not only a child is born - a whole family appears. And at this very responsible and personal moment, only the closest should be around. nine0005
What a midwife does
Tags
Pregnancy Parenting Kids Women Life Hacks Medicineantenatal clinic midwives can run 10 km around the maternity hospital per shift. A random person will not stay in this profession for a long time - after the first birth they see, they refuse, it is very difficult and scary to watch someone else's pain. What kind of nervous system do you need to have!
- A midwife is a person with a medical education, and her task is not just to hold a woman's hand during childbirth.
She sews up tears in the most intimate places and has knowledge not only about the female body, but also about the body of a baby. nine0002 The most difficult thing, the midwife with 30 years of experience admits, is to help the mother survive the death of the baby, to support in all possible ways.
- Many people wonder where the placenta goes . Now a woman in labor can take her away, but it’s interesting how it was in Soviet times.
The placenta was stored in special refrigerators and then transferred to France for the production of cosmetic products.
- There was no one close to me during the birth, and for several hours after that. Now many prefer joint childbirth. Midwives are sometimes surprised by the choice of women in labor: women choose even their father-in-law as partners for childbirth! nine0002 Watching people become parents, realizing this, is no less exciting than witnessing the miracle of childbirth. A man's face changes its expression forever when he realizes that he has become a dad.
- Now you will not surprise anyone with a dark-skinned child , even if both parents are white. All because of maternal relatives, ancestors that few people know about ... Even a distant Uzbek relative can influence the fact that a child of color is born.
- The death of a mother during childbirth is a rare case, babies die, and most often this is due to some congenital pathology .
Such an anomaly as the sixth finger or toe is not so scary and occurs much more often than we used to think. Usually it is cut off before the baby is one year old.
- Every child is beautiful in his own way! Working as a midwife, it is impossible not to admire the beauty of babies, each of which is unique. Babies who are born with hair are very funny, like dandelions. nine0008
- In the elevator, on the stairs of the maternity hospital, in the toilet... Wherever women give birth! The midwife needs to contrive to take delivery in an unusual situation.
