Summary: The Culture Of Midwife

“The Culture of Midwifery” There is often a thought when someone says “midwife” and that is that they help deliver babies. But there is much more to the occupation of midwifery and the men and women that fill this occupation. In the United States there are “approximately 15,000” midwives that are practicing in medical facilities, and this does not include the number of midwives that are self-promoted (MANA, 2015). The educational requirements for midwives is extensive, the diversity of treatments they do versus an obstetrician is huge, and the “soft” skills that create a lasting effect with the patients makes a difference. Midwives have been and are changing the way women look at their prenatal, birthing, and post-natal care. The professional

This change can be attributed to several factors that differ in the attention they receive from a midwife compared to other physicians or obstetricians. Being a mother is often a role which requires patience, caring, and tenderness. These traits are all traits that, coincidently, aptly describe midwives and the care they impart on their patients. It only makes sense that women would choose these professionals to care for them and their babies over a somewhat "cookie cutter" style of care they would receive from less holistic

However, I did feel that there may be a difference between midwives that work in a hospital setting and midwives that work in a birthing center that is only focused on pregnant women. In a hospital setting midwives have easier access to treatments that would not be the norm in a midwife based birthing center or facility, an example being a vacuum to suck the infants from the birthing canal if the infant is to large. This can make a midwife to be more prone to taking these options despite them not being the normal exception of the midwife culture. Being a midwife is all about holistic treatment. The natural path first and foremost and showing women they have the abilities and strength to do everything in pregnancy and birth on their