Today is International Day of the Midwife. We have always acknowledged the amazing work midwives do to help the birthing person and all the babies that arrive in the world – but particularly the last year. And what a year they have had!
Many parents I have taught during the Covid-19 pandemic have expressed fears directly related to the situation we are living right now. We can teach parents how to prepare for birth and how to remain in control of their situation, but the midwives they birth with really have helped to give them the best experience they can, despite of any restrictions thrown upon them. We can not thank them enough for what they have done and coped with.
Regardless of Covid, in the UK, our midwives know how to support normality, how to recognise if a labour is veering from the normal path, and how to get it back on track. The knowledge of our midwives is superb, including dealing with unusual situations and knowing when it is appropriate to call in an obstetrician.
All pregnant women and their partners need to really appreciate how lucky we are to have midwifery care in this country, and a strong autonomous midwifery profession. If you are ever called upon to do or say anything in support of midwives – do it!
Thank you to all the midwives not just in the UK, but around the world!
If you are a midwife or birth worker yourself, we have created some free relaxations called Caring for the Carer, specifically for you to use in stressful situations. You can find these here and we hope you find these beneficial.
