A day in the life of a midwife
Midwives care for birthing people and their babies, providing continuous support and empowering people throughout pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period. It is a varied and enriching role that can make a real difference in people's lives.
You might dream of becoming a midwife but wonder what to expect day-to-day. Midwifery students at the University of Hertfordshire can hone their skills on placement during their course, where they work alongside qualified health professionals and gain valuable experience. BSc (Hons) Midwifery (Pre-Registration) graduate Laura Broadfoot did just that.
Laura has just started her first midwifery job in the community with a hospital trust she trained at during university. She believes her elective placement experience gave her the foundations needed to succeed as a newly qualified midwife.
She shares what her day-to-day experience on placement was like.
Starting the day
‘I started my days with a coffee and food prepared the day or night before. My shift at the hospital or clinic often started at 7:45am or pm.’
Plenty of variety
‘Your day will always be varied - it doesn't matter whether you are at the hospital or in the community. Typical tasks you'll do are taking the patient's blood pressure, bloods, and temperature.
‘If you're in the antenatal ward or delivery suite, you'll become familiar with reviewing cardiotocography (CTG) traces that record birthing people and baby's heart rate, alongside contraction activity. On a midwife-led birthing ward you’ll learn how to listen to a baby’s heart rate using a sonicaid machine. In both birth settings, you'll learn to recognise signs of labour, understand physiological changes, and explore the best positions for both labour and delivery.
‘In a postnatal ward, you'll carry out checks on birthing people and babies. There is the newborn infant physical examination (NIPE) clinic, which is an extensive check, like an MOT, before the baby is discharged. We also carry out checks in the community and even visit people in their homes.
‘Shifts are fuelled by coffee or tea, and we take turns to make them whilst catching up with other midwives, doctors, health care assistants and volunteers. You work with various healthcare professionals, which means the day is never dull, and there's always something new to learn.’
Finishing the day
‘A day or night shift in a hospital finishes at 8:15am or pm. In the community, it can finish much earlier, but there can be paperwork to catch up on, mainly if there have been a lot of visits or referrals made that day. You may also be on-call to attend a home birth.
‘Once the day is done, I get home and prepare my dinner and food for the next day. I take my dog for a walk to get fresh air and headspace before showering and heading to bed with a book or trashy TV. Sometimes, I write a reflection on the day's events, especially if a case was challenging or emotionally difficult. I find it a useful way to unpack the day and regulate before bed or I may look up more information about something that occurred in the day to improve my knowledge and, therefore, my practice.
‘Being a midwife is rewarding – two days are never the same. It requires multidisciplinary work, which means there is always someone new to meet and learn from. And whilst most days are positive and enjoyable, it can be emotional and stressful too, so having and being willing to build a strong support network is essential.’
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