Career Change to Midwifery

[LittlePistachio]

NC For This.

I am looking for advice from current, former and trainee midwives. I am currently considering a career change to become a midwife. It’s not something I probably would have considered before having my own DC but after having 2 babies plus recurrent (incl late stage) pregnancy loss I know how important midwife’s are and I do think I’d make a good one. I’d love to support other women in the way that the amazing midwives I’ve had have supported me.

I need to go back to uni (I currently have a BSc but in psychology) but the studying isn’t what’s putting me off.

It’s that all you ever hear is that the NHS is a terrible place to work, everyone is stressed all the time, it’s miserable etc.

I currently work in the charity sector. I earn about £40k a year, very flexible can come and go as I please but I’m bored, I’m not challenged or mentally stimulated at all and honestly feel a bit wasted.

I just worry will I regret trading that in for a bad, miserable environment even if it might be more challenging and fulfilling.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I left midwifery as I didn’t have the time to support women, and my role was being eroded by giving my tasks to HCA’s. Rather than support one woman through labour, I was expected to jump in at the end of multiple births and catch the baby, as I’ve got a PIN number.
It’s not the job I joined for, but you might enjoy the job it has become.

Training is hard, you are expected to work the same shifts as your mentor. So nights, weekends, bankhols will mean you need bombproof childcare. You will start on a band 5 wage once qualified, which is rubbish money when you’re responsible for 2 lives. Im glad I did it as wouldn’t be where I am now but I did 4 years then left to do safeguarding.

Could you do a masters with a view to working in maternal mental health? Women can need a lot of help when pregnant and post partum and it might be a quicker route into working in maternity care for you as you have the pschyology degree already.

I have been a midwife for 25 years. I now specialise in a certain area which is not as hands on. There are some areas that have started offering apprenticeships, you get paid to do your degree! Finally some sense. I work with women who have families and are student midwives and they are a tough breed! I am glad I did pre children, you work full time hours that mirror your mentor and study for a degree. It is inflexible as a student. I would say midwifery is slightly more flexible than it used to be as they are desperate to keep good midwives. It is very rewarding, but extremely physically demanding and obviously mentally & emotionally. Most shifts are 13 hours, nights and oncalls. Looking after someone in labour for a long period is demanding, two lives to be monitoring and documenting everything. Whilst supporting the woman is hard and physical work. But.,..I wouldn't change it! Also glad my career path has taken me off those shifts especially as I am getting older. My back and knees have thanked me! Maybe get a bank contract as a support worker on a maternity unit first? Then you can see first hand work it is like? Good luck!