2. Introduction Midwives help women with normal pregnancies and deliveries, with the idea of letting childbirth occur as naturally as possible. Midwives are trained to help women with normal, uncomplicated pregnancies, labor, and deliveries.
3. Nature of Work ○ Volunteering at a nursery would be very beneficial ○Volunteering at a hospital is also a good idea.
4. Working Conditions ○Midwives work in a variety of settings. ○The work involves long hours and irregular schedules. ○Prenatal exams, check-ups, and post-natal (after birth) exams, however, can be scheduled for normal work hours. ○The work can be physically and mentally tiring and can disrupt personal plans.
5. Training, Qualifications, Advancement ○Have at least a bachelor's degree and may have a master's or doctoral degree ○Completed both nursing and midwifery training ○Have passed national and state licensing exams to become certified are licensed in every state ○Some training courses last 3-4 years
6. Job Outlook/Employment ○ Employment for Midwives to 2014-15 is expected to grow strongly ○ Midwives have a relatively low proportion of full-time jobs. For Midwives working full-time, average weekly hours are 37.5 (compared to 41.3 for all occupations).
7. Earnings ○Earnings for midwives vary depending on education, experience, employer, and location. It may be easier to find work in urban centers where there are more hospitals and health care facilities. ○In general, earnings for full-time certified-nurse midwives (CNMs) range from about $45,000 to $90,000 a year. ○Midwives’ fees typically range from around $2,000 to $4,000 per birth.
8. Uses of Technology in Career ○Uses ultrasound to check how the baby is doing and progressing ○An epidural is sometimes used to relive pain
9. Summary No, I do not think this career is all that appealing. I think it would be a nice job, but midwives are on call 24/7. So they can get called in any time of the day. I wouldn’t like that because eventually I want my own family and I will want to go on vacation and relax; which most midwives probably can’t do.
