[BubbleBird]

Hello,

For a long long time I have wanted to become a midwife and have looked into the course (would like to study bachelor of mid at ACU in Melbourne) lots of times. The time has never been right, and still isn't really, but I think I want to at least start getting more serious about applying.

I have NO idea about working in a hospital setting so a lot of my apprehension comes from the unknown of shift work / long shifts, that sort of thing. I think I have a heap of passion for this work but just not sure if it will be enough IYKWIM. At this point I see myself working in a hospital in the delivery suite or post natal ward.

I just have so many questions though. I'm hoping there are some students / midwives out there that might be able to answer a few for me.

So here they are:

- how many contact hours do you / did you have at uni a week?
- at what point do you start doing prac work in hospitals and how does this work?
- once working as a midwife what is the pay like? I know it is all based on experience.
- how do rosters work? do you work the same days and times each week or does it change? is it easy or hard to change shifts around if needed?
- is it difficult to work part time?
- how often do you have to do night shift / weekend shift?
- how often do you have to work on christmas eve / christmas day and other special holidays?
- how do you cope with the sad stuff?
- I have pretty good family support and child minding so how family friendly is midwifery in your opinion?
- In my early 30s, am I too old to be considering this?
- are there any sites, books or organisation I can get good info from?

Thanks in advance

[Academic]

No personal experience here so the only one of your questions I can answer is:

- In my early 30s, am I too old to be considering this?

My mum went to uni and became a midwife in her mid 50s, so no, you're definitely not too old!

[lucky 2]

Hi BubbleBird,

I have moved your topic to the Studying and Parenting forum as it is likely to be a better fit.
I have left a link in this forum and I hope you get some helpful feedback.

Kind regards,

lucky 2
Moderator of the Doula and Midwife forum

[BubbleBird]

Wow Academic, thanks for that. I now don't feel too old at all

Thanks lucky 2

[MoonPie]

Hi Bubblebird, my experience will be a little different to yours, as I was a registered nurse before deciding to do postgrad mid. It's a 12 month course (although in WA its now being rolled out as an 18 month course. I have just finished my final exam and gotten my 20th birth, so I'm nearly at the end of my course and ready to register. My answers will be a little different to others because I didn't do the undergrad course, but here goes anyway.

- how many contact hours do you / did you have at uni a week?
At uni one full day a week
- at what point do you start doing prac work in hospitals and how does this work?
I had to secure employment at a maternity ward as part of being accepted for the uni course. I'm at work 4 shifts a week, as well as the uni one day a week. I stay in the same hospital for the whole course.
- once working as a midwife what is the pay like? I know it is all based on experience. Paid the same as an entry level RN I believe, level 1.2. For me this is about $27/hr, plus penalties.

- how do rosters work? do you work the same days and times each week or does it change? is it easy or hard to change shifts around if needed?
We have a roster request system which usually means I get the shifts that I'm after. I don't pick all weekday mornings or all Sunday nights though (the valuable shifts.) I try and do what works with DD/daycare/school etc. There's also quite a few people willing to swap shifts, once the rosters out. Being a student though, I have to make sure I'm not leaving the ward short of experienced staff if I swap to a shift, so it takes a bit of planning.

- how often do you have to do night shift / weekend shift? Night shift only every few months, although I really don't mind it. Weekends, probably once every fortnight at least one weekend day.

- how often do you have to work on christmas eve / christmas day and other special holidays?
Our christmas roster has just been done, there was a big spreadsheet for people to volunteer to work christmas and new years shifts as worked for them and the gaps were filled in as needed.
- how do you cope with the sad stuff? Very supportive workplace and plenty of opportunites to debrief.
- I have pretty good family support and child minding so how family friendly is midwifery in your opinion? Very, once qualified. Its been such a hard slog this year though.
- In my early 30s, am I too old to be considering this? No!
- are there any sites, books or organisation I can get good info from? Just read all the birth stories, forums etc you can get your hands on

Hope some of that helped. Good luck!

[Eirlys]

There are also scholarships out there to help people study to become midwives. You should checkout the Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship and Support Scheme: Undergraduate. The website is NAHSSS: Undergraduate.

I think they are closed for next year study but be open in 2013 for study in 2014.


This post has been edited by Eirlys: 16/11/2012, 01:57 PM

[BubbleBird]

Thanks so much to all those who have responded so far. Would love to hear from others

[hitchicken]

Watching this thread with interest, as I have just applied for a Bachelor of Midwifery. I sat my STAT exam on Wednesday, fingers crossed now

I'm quite curious about how the allocation of your work is decided - as in, how is it determined which ward you work in, how long for etc. Do you get much say in that sort of thing?

Also - everyone says that there is a massive demand for midwives, but is that really true? Is it really going to be 'doable' to get a job on graduation?

(Sorry for the hijack, OP - hope my questions are ok!)

[Noah's mum]

I'm also watching this thread, I'm currently doing a bridging course at uni. The marks I need to get into the bachelor of midwifery are very high, I'm not feeling confident at all and I'm now wondering how I'm going to get to where I want to be.

Sorry I don't have answers , good luck OP :-)

[cattyrae]

i have decided to do 3yrs nursing and 1 year midwifery. when looking a bach of midwifery i found it to full on to do fullltime and have my kids. i have 5kids.
so i start my nursing course next year which is far more family friendly for me. i will be going 3 days a week. i have 3 kids at school and im currently looking at a nanny for my other 2 because they are more flexible for when i have to do pracs.
i will be 30 when i start my course. i dont believe anyone is to old to be a midwife. you just have to have the passion for it.
Im going to UC they record visually and voice all there lectures and tuts so if you miss a day it will be all online. thats really good for when you have sick kids and something important is on.
i know the midwifery side of study is more full on as you have to have the women to attend births. but for me my kids will be at school when i get to that stage.
shift work will be interesting but for me its not about money or hours or holidays its about being able to help bring a miricle into the world and sharing such a massive blessing with new parents. i have done it 5 times myself. there will be lows and i dont know how i will cope with that but im sure there will be plenty of people around that will help me through it.

good luck maing your decision. Its an amazing job.