Midwifery
International Day of the Midwife – midwife profiles
Jessica Plater, NSWNMA John Hunter Hospital & John Hunter Children’s Hospital Branch delegate and midwife
Why you chose a career in midwifery?
Midwifery is such an important role. Many people associate midwifery with the happier elements of bringing new life into the world, which is wonderful, but forget that being a midwife also means being a pillar of strength and support through the harder times. Not every birth is easy or goes to plan, and then there are the births that occur in really challenging situations. Mothers can feel totally isolated and alone during this, so being there for them and giving them guidance and support is a big part of what got me into midwifery
What you love about the profession?
I have always wanted to help people and midwifery is such a rewarding and amazing profession. Empowering and advocating for women and their families as they bring life into the world has been a wonderful honour and privilege. I love providing holistic care to my women and their families as they venture on this new stage of their journey
What is needed to ensure midwifery is attractive as a profession into the future?
I think midwifery is already such an attractive profession but the pressures on the current healthcare system are leading to an exodus of midwives, whether they have been working in the profession for short or long period of time. Ratios and making our babies count in our workloads will go a long way into making our profession even more attractive. Our babies are some of our most vulnerable patients that we’ll ever care for, and they don’t have the ability to advocate for themselves. Our babies are equally as important as their mothers and they need our support, so we become their advocates, along with their mothers, fathers and families and we need to be able to have the time to provide the necessary care and support they need.
Any other comments?
Being a midwife has been one of the most wonderful things I have done in my life. Becoming a fierce advocate for my profession has allowed me to shine a light on this wonderful profession and the difficulties we face and I am hopeful that this profession will only become more positive and fulfilling as we continue to advocate for our women, their babies and the care they deserve.
Enass Akkouch – NSWNMA Auburn Hospital branch member and midwife
Why you chose a career in midwifery?
I entered midwifery as a profession as it just ticked all the boxes of what my future profession would be. It involved supporting and advocating for women, meeting new babies and working with women and their families in such a special and intimate moment- becoming a mother and parents.
Seeing my mother raising us inspired me to be there for other mothers as they enter the parenting world!
What you love about the profession?
I love the ability to support women in such an important moment in their life, becoming a mother! My job involves supporting women in one of the most personal and emotional moments in their life! This gives me such joy and happiness to be able to provide care and support to women in such a special moment in their life alongside their family.
What is needed to ensure midwifery is attractive as a profession into the future?
For the future, I definitely think better support in the profession whilst working with your colleagues. It’s amazing the difference that support can make towards making our day a little better whilst working, especially when our shift is overwhelming! This will ensure future midwives are able to see that our profession is supportive and worth every moment, without all that extra stress.
Also, I believe that better shift by shift ratios will draw people to enter this profession as that’s such a big issue preventing people from entering healthcare at the moment.
Any other comments?
Just want to wish all my fellow midwives a Happy International Midwives Day! May your day to day life be filled with passion, joy and love!