Midwifery Week

Every year from October 5-11 is Midwifery Week. This year I started getting announcements and posts on facebook and I was sad that I wasn't delivering babies right now. Then I started to realize that it was bad that I was sad because I am still a midwife.  So I wrote this letter to other midwives out there like me.

This letter is to wish those midwives, who aren’t practicing, a happy midwifery week.

I decided to write this, because as I sit here with my toddler asleep and the big girls still at school  I was looking at facebook posts wishing me a happy midwifery week. And as I sat there and read it, I felt like I didn’t really earn that this week. It doesn’t apply to me. I am not practicing.

There, I said it, I am not a practicing midwife. Maybe this is hard for me because it is so fresh. Maybe as the years go on I won’t miss it so bad. It has been 2 months since I caught my last baby, 2 months since I saw my last patient in the office, 2 months since I wrote that last prescription, wore scrubs, and snuggled a sweet new life that I helped make a safe entrance into the world. Two long months of no Leopold maneuvers, listening with a Doppler and watching the joy on a mom’s face as she was able to express how exciting it was to feel those very first movements of her baby inside of her.

But this letter isn’t just for me… the sad midwife who hasn’t been practicing for 2 months. It is for those midwives who haven’t caught a baby in years. Who only work in the office because that is what is best for their family. Who don’t work at all while their children are young. Those midwives who are in a refresher course because it has been so long since they have practiced that they legally can’t anymore. It is also for those of you who have retired and are now supposed to put that in the past and enjoy your new adventure. It is for those who were burnt out. If you aren’t practicing, for whatever reason, this letter is for you. This letter is to make remember that this week is still for you!!! This letter is to remind you how important you are, how many lives you have touched, and for all the sacrifices you have made.

Once a midwife always a midwife.

Midwifery is HARD. It is a calling and a passion and sometimes just a job, but it is hard. It is hard on your emotions, body, sleep, diet, exercise routine, and especially hard on your  family. I always praise midwife spouses and children. They have to support us when we are practicing and even when we aren’t practicing. Remember those days where you would come home after that amazing VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), or when you came home with nothing left after a baby came into the world too soon. Your heart and soul was there. Your heart and soul are still there.

Do you remember that first baby you caught? Did your hands shake as your prayed she wouldn’t need stiches?  What about the 100th?  What about the 1000th? Did you write them down? If not that’s okay. I wrote them down and I still don’t remember most of them. But I do remember how I felt. I remember how I always cried when a dad cried tears of joy. I couldn’t help it. Thankfully it eased up after the first couple hundred births. As the numbers grew so did my heart. I never knew how many babies I could love without even being able to watch them grow.

What about that first mom who came to you as a repeat client? Did you ever get a third or a forth?  How about that mom who came to you in tears because now her 16 year old was going to have a baby with you. Do you remember her?  Guess what, she remembers you.

There is a time and a season. While I am not practicing today that could change tomorrow. Do not feel bad to celebrate midwifery week because you aren’t a “full scope midwife” at this time in your life. This time in your life is why we teach our young. This is why we have students. So that there will be someone to serve these families when we are absent. For any reason you are not practicing, it is a valid one. You are still a midwife and you still deserve to be celebrated.

Remember, there are days we all want to be back with women, but there is a greater plan for us and don’t ever think that just because you aren’t there, you aren’t making a difference.


You are a midwife. You are loved. You have touched more hearts that you can imagine.