Discussion

Need Career Information

Oct 19, 200421 yr

Hello. I am new here and this is my first post. I was considering going in to the field of being a midwife or working in the OB. I am a Sr. in highschool so I am ignorant of alot of facts that deal with this type of work. What I would like to kn what all you go through every day in this field, how long you have to go to school for it, where to go to school, what classes to take, and just about everything I need to know. I am very intrested and I don't know the first step of getting ready for this type of work. This is what I have always wanted to do because I have also been fascinated with pregnancy and delivery and how life is created from two small cells, it just amazes me. I need information from expirienced career women/men. I just need as much as you can tell me or some good websites about it. Thanks a bunch!

Oct 19, 200421 yr

Oh my goodness, to try and answer all those questions would fill volumes. I love what I do in ob, albeit I am not am midwife, but a labor and delivery RN. I chose my path after giving birth to my premature son and having such wonderful, compassionate care in the hospital by the nursing staff. I wanted to BE LIKE THEM, if you know what I mean.

Anyhow, I have a wonderful suggestion for you. How about you find a nurse or midwife who is willing to let you shadow him/her? If I knew you, I would be MORE than happy to have you shadow me thru a few shifts to see what nurses do day to day in OB. Do you know anyone who works in the hospital/ birthing field that can hook you up?

Also, you can get a real flavor for the issues we deal with by reading the archives here at allnurses.com (where you are now OB section). Just look into the older threads by selecting dates that go back, and pick some topics that interest you. You have 100s, possibly 1000s of years' experience speaking here at the boards, so go ahead and dive in!

One thing you can do in preparation to be a midwife one day is to become a doula. These labor attendants provide comprehensive emotional and physical support for the entire laboring family. Excellent field! Here is the Doulas of North America site:

http://www.dona.org

Also I have some sites for you to visit, check these out:

http://www.acnm.org/ (frontier school of nurse-midwifery)

http://www.gentlebirth.org/

http://www.midwifeinfo.com/

http://www.lib.flinders.edu.au/resources/sub/healthsci/a-zlist/midwifery.html

These will get you started. GOOD LUCK and HAPPY reading. OH and WELCOME TO ALLNURSES.COM!!!