Midwives provide quality care to mothers and newborns before, during, and after birth. To learn about improving maternal and child health outcomes, enroll in online midwifery programs that can help you gain skills in these specialties. Here are some ways in which midwives assist mothers and children:
Prenatal Care
Midwives provide consistent prenatal checkups to monitor the health of the mother and developing fetus. Examination of the mother’s well-being includes observing weight gain, blood pressure, swelling, and other symptoms of complications. If treated early by healthcare professionals, pregnancies are more likely to proceed normally. During this period, these midwives check the position of the fetus and listen to the heartbeat. Measuring the size of the uterus helps determine if the fetus is growing at the expected rate or not.
Experienced midwives may order blood and urine tests to check for underlying conditions, such as infections, gestational diabetes, and anemia, that affect a pregnancy. If these specialists find issues, they may recommend changes in diet and exercise or refer patients to an obstetrician for treatment. Taking any of these steps can increase the chance of a healthy pregnancy. In prenatal care, midwives advise the mother to take folic in the form of supplements and leafy greens to potentially improve the baby’s health.
Labor and Delivery
During labor, midwives teach mothers the right breathing patterns to help manage contractions and reduce anxiety. These professionals may suggest different labor positions, such as squatting, walking, standing, or lying on the side, to control pain and promote effective contractions. A midwife might speak encouraging words to the patient or hold their hand to help calm them.
When it’s time to deliver the baby, midwives may instruct the mother to push during contractions and rest between them. They monitor the baby’s heart rate to determine if they are handling the contractions well during birth. Experienced midwives and obstetricians work together to manage issues such as labor stalls or fetal distress. If a mother experiences excessive bleeding after delivery, the midwife can administer medications to stop the bleeding. Educated midwives are trained to manage a variety of scenarios for safe labor and delivery.
Postpartum Care
Soon after childbirth, midwives check the mother’s blood pressure, temperature, and pulse to assess if they are recovering properly. They may ask questions about how the patient is feeling, their sleep patterns, and their mood to gauge their emotional state after a few weeks. If a mother has signs of postpartum depression, the midwife might refer her to a mental health professional for further evaluation and treatment.
Part of postpartum care as a midwife is to teach new moms about proper latching techniques so that the baby can breastfeed comfortably and effectively. During online midwifery programs, these professionals learn how to assess the child’s appearance, respiration, and reflexes, which are beneficial for determining health. A midwife teaches moms ways to bathe their babies safely and good sleep practices like using a quality mattress. They also advise parents to know the signs of illnesses, including fever and difficulty breathing so they can seek medical help in a timely manner.
Family Planning
Midwives study how to help mothers choose the right family planning methods. Contraceptives help women space out or postpone pregnancies. Providing contraceptive options is one of the first steps in a successful family plan, so the patient’s health and lifestyle are taken into account. When helping a patient select contraceptive options, a midwife explains how effective they are, their benefits, and possible side effects.
Qualified midwives offer women well-rounded healthcare and provide prescriptions, administer injections, or insert contraceptive devices like IUDs. They also educate mothers on how to manage contraceptive devices. Once women have chosen a contraceptive, midwives may schedule follow-up appointments to assess if the method is working or needs adjustment.
Register for Online Midwifery Programs
When you study to become a midwife, you will have the opportunity to study different subjects, including prenatal care, labor and delivery support, and postpartum care. Becoming a midwife can be a fulfilling vocation, a career that serves the women and babies in your community. Provide care for babies and moms by enrolling in online midwifery programs.
