In ancient times, midwifery was thought of as one of the few career options for women, and the practitioners of this art were venerated by many different societies. A midwife is usually the first and main contact for the woman during her pregnancy, throughout labour and the early postnatal period. Midwifery is an ancient and respected career that dates back to biblical times. However, it remains very rare. Our certified nurse midwives provide compassionate care designed to empower women to create the birth experience that is right for them. The teams cover the following areas: Maple team (postcodes: SE11, SW8, SE17) mapleteam@gstt.nhs.uk Being a midwife is more than just delivering babies. What does a midwife do? Midwifery services are increasingly moving from hospitals to the community. The divisive thinking itself perhaps obscures what women tell us and what the results of a growing body of research show us (for a thought provoking discussion about this kind of thinking see Fieder etal 2004). In areas like the UK and the Netherlands, midwives are the standard providers of care for pregnancy and birth, attending over two-thirds of births. In the United Kingdom, even after the passing of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, the Royal College of Midwives barred men from the profession until 1983. What skills do you need to be a midwife? The role of the midwife is diverse. Where you see a midwife will depend on where and how you choose to give birth. Midwifery is a whole lot more than just delivering babies. So, answering the question, do women want midwives or obstetric nurses, is more complex than might first appear. A midwife is a professional trained in the care of a mother and baby during pregnancy, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period (the first 6 … It’s the professional care of mothers – before, during, and after the birth of their child. 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. A midwife is a trained health professional who helps healthy women during labor, delivery, and after the birth of their babies. Midwifery care empowers women to assume responsibility for their health and for the health of their families.” Worth noting that midwives are often left to address a wealth of sensitive issues to address like domestic abuse, bereavement, or intimacy and sexual health issues. What Do Midwives Do? A combination of medicine and compassion, midwifery has been an honoured and important profession for thousands of years. She is responsible for providing care and supporting women to make informed choices about their care. Each caseload team consists of 6 midwives who look after around 220 women each year. Caseload midwives work in pairs to improve the continuity of care and offer care before, during and after birth, including home births. A midwife is a healthcare provider who gives care to women during the childbirth process. Sometimes pregnancies do not go to plan and you will need to offer support and advice on stillbirth, miscarriage, termination, neonatal death and neonatal abnormalities. Where do midwives work? Many doctors and midwives will do a consultation: a free appointment for a potential new patient that is a chance for you to ask all your questions and get to know the person who may be delivering your baby. As of March 2016, there were between 113 and 137 registered male midwives, representing 0.6% of all practising midwives in the UK. 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