I have been inspired to study midwifery ever since I shadowed my cousin, a midwife, at a hospital in Pakistan. After that visit, I started researching the role of a midwife and I knew it was the perfect career for me as I would enjoy helping expectant mothers bring new life into this world. I see midwifery as a very fulfilling career as I recognise the midwife is the lead person in providing advice, care and support for women, and their families before, during and after childbirth. During my one week placement in a midwifery department at the hospital, I visited the ante-natal clinic from where I learnt that care needs to be individualised and woman-centred. In the ante-natal ward, I discovered that a midwife needs to be patient and compassionate, especially with women who have pregnancy complications with complex needs and increased …show more content…
I particularly enjoyed meeting the new parents, hearing their concerns and being a part of their happiness. I also learned that taking care of a woman’s dignity is very important for a midwife by offering emotional support and empowerment for women and their families. In the post-natal ward, by discussing pregnancy cases with the midwife, I realised that the midwife’s role involves constant and close reflection of the mother’s and baby’s wellbeing. They need to take accountability for their decisions and actions because this will affect their patient’s experience. Spending a day with the community midwife enhanced my perception on the variability of the midwife’s roles. The duty of a midwife to offer equitable care had great impact on me because for a midwife, it is mandatory to care for women of all ages, religions and cultures. Conversing with the midwife taught me that a midwife needs to be well networked into the local health and social care system, and be proactive in identifying women at risk, and engaged with the woman and her