Midwife

You can do a degree in midwifery, approved by the Nursing & Midwifery Council.

Full-time courses take 3 years.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
• 2 or 3 A levels, including a science, or a level 3 diploma or access to higher education in health, science or nursing

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• university courses and entry requirements

You can do a midwife degree apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

If you're a registered adult nurse you may be able to qualify through a conversion course. These usually take between 18 and 24 months.

Registration

• you'll need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council

Career tips

Previous paid or unpaid experience of working in a caring role would be useful. You could contact the voluntary services co-ordinator or manager at your local NHS trust for further advice about opportunities.

Further information

You can find more on how to become a midwife from the Royal College of Midwives and Health Careers.

You'll need:

• knowledge of medicine and neonatal care
• sensitivity and understanding
• knowledge of psychology
• customer service skills
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

In this role you could:

• give pregnant women advice on issues like healthy eating
• explain options like giving birth in hospital or at home
• run classes about pregnancy (antenatal) and parenting
• check the health of mother and baby during pregnancy
• check progress when labour starts
• monitor the baby during labour
• give pain relief or advising on ways to manage pain
• deliver the baby
• call a doctor if you notice any problems

After the baby's born, you'll:

• give advice to families on caring for their baby
• visit people's homes to check on mother and baby

You could work at a client's home, at a health centre, at a GP practice or in an NHS or private hospital.

Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.

You may need to wear a uniform.