What do midwives do?

In support of the article 'Desparate' impact of shortage of midwives, on page four of the 1 June 2011 issue of RCN Bulletin; Midwifery and Women's Health Adviser Carmel Bagness looks into the work of midwives.

When asked, most people will reply they deliver babies, which is true, but there is much more to being a midwife than just supporting women during the birth of a baby. The word midwife means ‘with woman’, and this is a tradition which has survived over the centuries.

The Midwifery 2020 report Delivering expectations opens with a statement that sums up the role of the midwife in the 21st century: “Across the United Kingdom midwives are key professionals in ensuring that women have a safe and emotionally satisfying experience during their pregnancy, childbirth and postnatal period."   

Most midwives practicing in the UK today are graduates, with a higher education that enables them to be the lead professional for pregnant women with straightforward pregnancies

However, when women have more complex pregnancies they work as co-ordinators of care within a highly skilled team, which includes obstetricians, general practitioners, health visitors, social workers and maternity support workers, to name but a few.

Midwives work with women endeavouring to understand the social and cultural context of their childbirth experience, while delivering evidence based, quality care across integrated acute and primary care settings. 
Midwives are the only professional group who specialise in this life experience and using their knowledge and expertise support women and their families through this life-changing event.