I am a midwife. I am pregnant and starting a blog about my pregnancy and birth journey – are there any professional considerations I need to know about?

As a Midwife you have professional obligations under the NMBA codes and guides. You must be aware of your standards for practice, code of conduct and code of ethics to meet your professional obligations if you are going to start a blog about your pregnancy and birth journey.

You may also wish to clearly distinguish the professional boundary between when you are providing education and care as a midwife and sharing you experiences as a pregnant person.

Any blogging, website or videos would fall under the umbrella of social media. While you may be using social media in a private capacity, as a midwife and especially if the private group know you are a midwife you must make it clear when you are giving a personal opinion rather than a professional opinion.

In addition to the NMBA and NMC guides to social media and your employer’s code of conduct would also apply to you.

If you are going to give a professional opinion, ensure that it is evidence-based practice and provide avenues for referral so that you do not inadvertently present information that could be false, misleading, or deceptive including advertising claims that are not supported by an objective evidence base. Inappropriate use of social media can result in harm to the profession and may be reported to AHPRA.