Question for midwives with small children

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Outpatient Pediatrics, IBCLC.

I just recently got married and will soon be starting a family (can't wait!). I'm currently an RN and am considering going back to school to get my CNM. I'm confident that I can handle going to school with a youngin at home, but my concern is what to do once I'm working. So I have a few questions for all of you fab midwives:

1) When you are called to a delivery, how do you get child care last minute? Do you have a babysitter on call whenever you're on call?

2) Do any of you work part-time so that you have more time with your baby?

3) For those of you who have had a baby while practicing as a midwife: how did you make it work?

Thanks!

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Outpatient Pediatrics, IBCLC.

Bumping! Are there really no midwives with little kids here?!?! Please help!

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Specializes in Cardiac.

i have been trying to get these answers for a while too...

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Outpatient Pediatrics, IBCLC.

Sigh. I'm wondering if I should wait until i have kids and they're older to start...It might be hard to wait that long though!

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Specializes in LPN.

I tried to apprentice with a licensed midwife (DEM, not a CNM) a few years ago, but I couldn't make it work. I've been a single mom for several years, but found child care was too expensive when I needed someone who was on call all the time. It's a whole different ballpark from traditional childcare for a job with stable hours. With only one exception, most of the midwives I've known are married. They are able to rely on their spouse at times, using other family or on-call babysitters less often.

I also couldn't make it work financially because I need to work to bring in income. It's one thing to take out school loans to be able to pursue a degree full time. It's another thing to have to balance a real job with the irregular and unpredictable hours needed to attend births. Of course, as a CNM that is your "real job", not an apprenticeship. Many CNM's work in practices where they take turns being on-call.

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Ok so I am not a midwife, but I am a doula and midwife assistant (home births) for now and will be going to midwifery school soon. Hope you don't mind me adding some advice here.

I think the best thing that I have done is to have family/friends on call for childcare....while that isn't always possible...I have made it a point to become friends with other doulas, midwives and assistants that also have children. We casually rotate child care. It works out perfectly because we don't pay for care because we just trade off and it so much easier to be able to call someone in the middle of the night for childcare when they are familiar with the crazy schedule. Yes, it can get tricky sometimes because everyone is on call, but most of the time we keep each other aware of due dates and as soon as there is some signs of labor we call around to see who isn't at a birth and able to watch kids if need be.

Hope that helps a bit.

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I think it all depends on your support system. For day time calls you could have a daycare that allows drop ins. At night, won't your husband be home? Or some friends or family? It can be done:). Good luck!

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Specializes in Family Medicine, Outpatient Pediatrics, IBCLC.

Thanks everyone!!! I think part of my worry stems from the fact that I don't know what my husband's hours will actually be in the future....he's hoping to become a full-time police officer but only time will tell! Also, I'm 1.5 hrs from all of my family :( Boo to that!

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I understandabout the family distant thing. My husband is military so I don't have any family near me either. I just applied to the program and we will see how it goes:). Best of luck to u!

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