Why choose a career in midwifery?

As a midwife, you will help parents and families at one of the most crucial time of their lives. You will support the woman before and during pregnancy, childbirth and after the birth up to six weeks.
 
Your work will involve:

• developing relationships of trust and confidence with those within their care.
• assessing, supporting and managing the care of the woman from before pregnancy, during the pregnancy.
• carrying out deliveries in the hospital or home setting.
• working on your own or as part of a team.

Philosophy of midwifery

Midwives recognise pregnancy, labour and birth and the post-natal period as healthy and profound experiences in women’s lives.

The ethos of midwifery care is to work in partnership with women. Midwives use knowledge, skills and professional behaviours to competently support the woman and her baby.

Midwifery protects and enhances the health of women and babies. That, in turn, protects and enhances the health and wellbeing of society.

What midwifery offers

Midwifery as a career offers much in terms of job satisfaction. Every day is different, bringing with it assorted experiences and challenges. As a midwife, you will be an advocate for women and their babies. Midwives are registered health care professionals who can work independently or as part of the health care team.

Career prospects will depend on your clinical experience, education, motivation, commitment and personal choice.

There are many different opportunities for you to work and develop your midwifery career and this can extend from the hospital to the community and to the home.

The following are some examples:

• Clinical Midwifery Manager, a role which involves managing a service or a team.
• Clinical Midwifery Specialist, a role which involves working as a midwife with specialist knowledge in areas such as diabetes, ultrasound, obesity and bereavement.
• Lactation Consultant, who specialises in breastfeeding.
• Advance Midwife Practitioner, who is a senior specialist, with additional qualifications and responsibilities.
• Registered Midwife Prescriber, a midwife who also can prescribe medication.
• An academic, who lectures and carries out research.
• Independent midwife who can be self-employed.
• A midwife who works in the community, such as in a GP’s practice, a clinic or in private practice.

Following graduation and registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI), registered midwives are in demand at home and abroad. They have opportunities to travel and broaden their experience.