Dr Rahul Sen

What is a Midwife and What do they do?

Midwives have been at the core of childbirth medical care for a very long time. A midwife is a health care professional that provides assistance to women during pregnancy, childbirth and for up to six weeks after the baby is born. Their role is to encourage a healthy pregnancy and provide the medical care and advice you need to have a natural birth.

Midwives are trained and authorised to provide medical care under their own authority, meaning that they only need to refer to doctors when necessary or there are complications in the pregnancy or birthing process. They often work in conjunction with an obstetrician to ensure that you have the care and support you need to give birth to a happy and healthy child.

What do midwives do?

While most people assume that midwives only provide care during the birth of the child, to be most effective it is recommended that a midwife is present before and after the pregnancy as well. This is called continuity of care and means that you will have someone present to give you advice when you need it and be aware of the details and peculiarities of your case, a role which is vital to the success of your pregnancy and labour.

Midwife care during pregnancy

Midwife care during pregnancy and before the birth is focused on monitoring the health of you and your baby and helping guide you in your physical health and psychological needs. A midwife’s role might include:

Midwife care during and after labour

If your pregnancy is expected to be natural and without complications then a midwife might be the only support you need, however, if there are complications in the birth then they should be working closely with an obstetrician to provide the medical care necessary for you to have a successful delivery.

During labour a midwife will:

After your baby is born your midwife will:

Midwives work in a variety of settings from hospitals to birthing centres and obstetrician clinics. They are often able to visit you at home and play a key role in providing you with advice and care on an ongoing basis from conception to around 6 weeks after birth, meaning that if you don’t already have one you should contact a clinic today.