What does a midwife do?
Midwives provide professional care and advice to women during pregnancy and childbirth. This includes things like assessing the health of the woman and her baby as pregnancy progresses, referring patients for ultrasounds and blood tests, and providing pregnant women with information about all aspects of pregnancy and birth such as nutrition, birth plans, pain management and breast feeding. Midwives also run classes for pregnant women and their partners to prepare them for labour and birth.
Tasks:
- Creating healthcare plans for pregnant women and newborns
- Arranging medical and imaging consultations
- Supporting women during labour and delivery
- Educating women and their families on a range of issues relevant to pregnancy, labour, delivery and post-birth
What skills do I need to be a midwife?
Midwives need to have a thorough understanding of all aspects of pregnancy, labour and birth. They work in a stressful environment and therefore must also be able to make decisions under pressure. It is very important that midwives are able to relate well to people from a range of backgrounds, cultures and environments. Many other professionals are also reliant on midwives providing accurate information, so being detail-oriented with good written communication skills is another valuable attribute.
- Comprehensive understanding of pregnancy and birth
- Capacity to handle stress and work well under pressure
- Good people skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication abilities
Specialisations
Midwives may find over time that there are particular aspects of midwifery and healthcare that they wish to focus on and dedicate their time to working in specifically. Some options include becoming a midwifery educator, a community midwife, and taking on healthcare management roles.
Midwifery Educator
Community Midwives
Obstetrics Manager
Study pathways for midwives
There are essentially two pathways to become a midwife in Australia, either by completing a Bachelor of Nursing, followed by postgraduate study in midwifery, or through a Bachelor of Midwifery.
Getting Started
Find courses to get started on a career in nursing and midwifery.
Skill Building
Take the next step in your career pathway and add to your professional accreditation.
Professional Development
Give your career an added kick and set yourself apart from the crowd.
Industry Recognition
Midwives must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia to practise in Australia.
Getting a job after graduation
Put your training to good use and get the best professional head start in your midwifery career. Take a look at our sample resume and cover letter and put your best foot forward when you apply for midwifery jobs.