Perhaps your friend just had a baby and you think it would be great to deliver babies yourself. Or maybe the birth of your own children has spurred you toward a new goal in life. Becoming a midwife will provide with a rich rewarding experience no matter what your reason for pursuing it.
First consideration if you want to become a midwife is what kind of midwife you would like to be. The training required of the various types is pretty diverse and how your own schedule would work with it must be considered.
A direct-entry or lay midwife does homebirths in most cases, though they have been known to work in free-standing birth centers as well. Usually an apprenticeship is the path to take for this kind of training. A local midwife could help you out in many cases. They often need an assistant, and though it probably won't pay any money, it is nearly a free education. You get hands-on experience in the real world.
Along with an apprenticeship is textbook knowledge. Hands-on is crucial but there is also knowledge that needs to be learned, most especially the anatomy and physiology of labor and delivery.
Some programs can offer both hands-on experience and textbook training. They sometimes come in the form of a midwifery school that has on-site training.
Another possibility is having a local midwife help you with the practical part of your education while you gain valuable midwifery knowledge through a distance education format.
If nursing is more your line of work, then pursuing a certified nurse-midwife,CNM, degree will be the best choice for you. This entails becoming a registered nurse first and then gaining practical experience as an R.N. in a hospital. The reason for this is that knowing various medical conditions can also be part of being a midwife and working in a hospital provides this.
After obtaining some experience on the job more formal education will follow. Many states require a degree at a masters level and that takes several years of training beyond a bachelors degree.
Which path you choose might depend on your personal schedule and what interests you the most. A lay midwife has a more natural approach and less medical interventions are brought to birth. A CNM can practice the same way but with more medical options.
If you have very young children you will need to consider child care. Either route will demand you have reliable care so you can leave home at a moment's notice to attend a birth.
Having a supportive spouse helps as well or nearby family who would help you in your venture. The more help the better in this situation.
Cost is another factor to consider. Becoming a lay midwife is significantly cheaper than the nursing route and will also be a quicker path to being a midwife.
No matter which path you take on your journey, becoming a midwife can provide a unique life experience comparable to no other. A love for women and babies is at the heart of it all.
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