If you have given birth or heard stories about someone giving birth, you may have heard or know of another person in the delivery room, aside from the patient, the doctor and the nurse – the midwife.
Midwifery is a health profession with roles in supporting pregnant women during pregnancy, labour, birth, and other responsibilities.
The midwives help you to stay healthy during your pregnancy. If no complications arise, they also help you give birth with less intervention.
Furthermore, midwives also give care for you and your baby after the delivery. Learn more about how midwives play an important role in a woman’s pregnancy journey.
Table of Contents
What Is a Midwife
Midwifery may seem under-practised, but their responsibilities to assist pregnant women can’t be compared to other roles in a mother’s birth.
Traditionally, midwifery is a nursing responsibility equipped with extra study. Meanwhile, midwives in the present day are qualified by doing a 3-year university program without studying nursing first.
Midwives may deliver babies and give antenatal and postnatal advice, care, and support to mommies, their babies, and their partners. Often, midwives do something like what a doula does.
Apparently, a midwife can work in hospitals, clinics, health units, community settings, and midwifery units.
Image from | freepik.com
Roles and Responsibilities of a Midwife
There are typical roles of what a midwife does as their responsibilities in giving assistance to pregnant mothers.
Typical roles and responsibilities included in midwifery are listed below.
- They examine and monitor pregnant mothers.
- They assess care requisites and list and write care plans.
- Midwives do antenatal care in hospitals and homes.
- They perform screening tests.
- Midwives provide information, emotional support, and reassurance to mothers and their partners.
- Also, they take patient samples, pulses, temperatures, and blood pressure.
- Furthermore, midwives monitor and give medications, injections, and intravenous infusions in labour.
- They give advice and support to parents in the daily care of their newborn babies.
- Midwives help parents to cope with cases of miscarriage, termination, stillbirth, and neonatal death
- Often, they are recording write-ups.
- Identifies pregnancies that are high risk
- Checks the fetus in the womb from time to time
- Assisting and caring for pregnant mothers during labour
Qualities That a Midwife Should Have
Pregnancy and birth are key events in the life of a pregnant mother and her family. Therefore, midwifery roles take consideration into the responsibilities of providing care for women throughout their pregnancy and childbirth.
Additionally, midwives are the lead health professional for those mothers with uncomplicated pregnancies. They also work as part of a team of health professionals like GPs (general practitioners), health visitors, and social workers.
There are many personal qualities a midwife should possess. These are the following:
- One must have an understanding and caring attitude.
- A midwife needs to get on well with people coming from a variety of backgrounds.
- In midwifery, one must have emotional and mental strength.
- Sometimes, a midwife needs the ability to act on their own initiatives.
- They have patience and maturity.
- One must be always ready to willingly take responsibility.
- Lastly, a midwife must be able to cope with distressing situations and stay calm during stressful events.
Key skills of midwifery roles and responsibilities
In becoming a midwife, one needs an approved midwifery degree that leads to registering to a midwife course in Singapore. Alternatively, others who want to be midwives may take a midwifery apprenticeship.
Also in midwifery, one must have the skills to perform their responsibilities and execute their roles appropriately.
The key skills of a midwife are the following:
- One has the ability to deal with emotionally charged situations.
- They have excellence in teamwork duties.
- A midwife must have interpersonal and communicative skills.
- She or he works with strong observational skills.
- One has a promising interest in the process of pregnancy and birth.
- They are flexible and adaptable.
- A midwife has the ability to work and communicate effectively with people from different orientations.
- She or he can follow instructions and procedures.
- Finally, they have the character of being caring and patient.
Role of a Midwife During Pregnancy and Labour
Image from | freepik.com
Most midwives provide antenatal care if you have decided to give birth in a public maternity unit. You may also see a midwife during your private obstetrician appointments.
Meanwhile, for a planned home birth, you will probably see the same midwife or a small team of midwives throughout your pregnancy.
Roles and responsibilities of a midwife during pregnancy
Your midwife will mostly:
- Check your baby’s health, growth, and position
- She or he may advise or help you with hospital bookings and routine tests and checks.
- They will give your support and advice.
- Most especially, they will help you prepare for labour and birth.
Roles and responsibilities of a midwife during labour and birth
Midwives usually support you through labour and birth. Also, they can:
- give you information, encouragement, and emotional support
- monitor your progress and suggest strategies to help your labour
- check your baby’s heartbeat and other signs
- offer you pain relief, or settle for a doctor to administer it
- and lastly, get extra medical help if needed.
If you will have an uncomplicated birth at a public hospital or birth centre, your midwife shall assist you with both your labour and birth.
Sometimes, you may not have the same midwife care for you during the whole span of labour. If you have complications during labour, a midwife will call an obstetrician.
In another situation, in private hospitals, your midwife would update your obstetrician on your progress. Also, your midwife will call an obstetrician during your birth.
If a mother has chosen a home birth, the midwife will manage her labour and birth. They might need to call an ambulance to take the pregnant mother to the hospital if complications would arise. This means that there is a need for medical intervention.
However, midwives can’t give epidurals because these can only be given by an anaesthetist in a hospital.
How to Get a Midwife When Pregnant
The first time that you already knew you were pregnant, you may contact or set an appointment with a midwife.
While midwives work in local hospitals, clinics, health units, community settings, and midwifery units, it is easy for you to contact them. There are several midwife service companies in Singapore that you can check and explore until you find one that fits your requirements.
It is best to see a midwife as soon as possible, so you can get the information you need for a healthy pregnancy.
You can have your midwife appointments at the most convenient place for you. It can be at your home, a children’s centre, a GP surgery, or at the hospital.
It should be convenient for you because you might discuss about sensitive issues such as domestic violence, sexual abuse, or mental health problems.
However, expect that you will always go to the hospital for your antenatal checkups and pregnancy scans.
ALSO READ:
Maternity Hospitals in Singapore: A Comprehensive Guide for New Parents
How To Make A Birth Plan: A Complete and Detailed Guide For Singapore Parents
Mums-to-Be, Here’s What To Expect On Your First Prenatal Visit
Midwife vs OB-Gynaecologist
Image Source: iStock
Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.