Working in the caring profession can be very similar to a customer service role. If you are interested in giving the best service and experience then becoming a midwife might just be for you.
We want women to be satisfied with the care that their receive before, during and after having a baby. We want them to recommend the hospital that they have given birth in because of their experience and the caring midwives that have looked after them.
When you are thinking about a journey that you have been on, whether its buying a house, going on a holiday, or when you had your own children, what made it memorable? For most it is the experience, the relaxation, the excitement or the people you meet along the way. You might have a great estate agent, travel agent or doctor, but excellent customer services always makes this experience memorable.
When you speak to many women that have had babies, regardless of how long ago it was, most will remember the name of the midwife that helped them welcome their baby into the world. This shows the importance of the midwife role, the extra mile you go to make everyone feel like an individual and because you really care that its not just another birth, but a memorable, enjoyable experience for the whole family.
Some of the key aspects that are looked for in a midwife are:
- Are you a good communicator?
You will need to tell quite quickly how a woman likes to communicate with you, some like a talker, some like silence and some prefer touch, you need to be able to pick up on these cues. You also need to work well with the rest of your team members, you need to keep everyone updated on what is happening as they may need to help you at some point and you all need to pull together. - Are you resilient?
Being a midwife can be tough, the long hours, back-to-back shifts, the unhappy aspects of midwifery, emotional challenges, having the stamina and being able work in various environments all in one shift. - Are you motivated?
Working as a team to make a family’s experience as best as possible comes from a team that are highly motivated, educated and communicate well together. You will need to problem solve, think of inspirational ideas to improve the ways you work and continue to have a sense of humour even when the days are really tough. - Are you responsible?
Midwives often say that if you were to think about the responsibility then no one would ever want to be a midwife. There are many professional standards to uphold to promote professionalism, trust, safety and able to prioritise women’s needs. Luckily they are all written in a very handbook called ‘The Code’ and each hospital will have their own procedures and recommendations that need to be followed.
