Mothercraft nurse
Natural therapist
A midwife is a health professional who specialises in maternity care. Midwives are qualified to take total responsibility for a normal pregnancy, labour and birth and to refer women (or their babies) to other health care professionals if they detect any health concerns. Midwives work extensively throughout all facets of the maternity health care system (both public and private) with most parents coming in contact with a midwife at some point during their journey to parenthood. Increasingly, many women choose to have only midwifery care for their entire pregnancy, labour, birth and postnatal care.
In the past, all midwives had to first qualify as registered nurses before completing a midwifery certificate (or graduate diploma) to specialise in midwifery. (This is why they are generally known as 'certified nurse-midwives' in the USA). In more recent years, 'direct entry' midwifery courses have evolved, meaning that midwifery qualifications can now be gained after a 3 or 4 year degree, without becoming a registered nurse first. The direct entry system is relatively new in Australia, but has been around for several years in New Zealand, the UK and parts of Europe. Presently, most midwives in Australia are also registered nurses.
There are also a few 'lay midwives' who practise homebirth. Lay midwives have no formal qualifications in midwifery but have learnt how to provide a level of maternity care through observation and experience, usually apprenticing with other midwives (lay or qualified). However, in Australia it is presently illegal for lay midwives to practice. In some overseas countries, especially in parts of Asia, South America and Africa, lay midwives are the only available carers for pregnant women, especially in rural areas. Lay midwives in these situations are often referred to as 'traditional birth attendants' or TBA's.