St Mary’s College (Ponsonby)
Midwife Tapuhi ā-Whare
Midwives provide care and support to pregnant people, their partners and family/whānau during pregnancy, labour and birth, and for six weeks following the birth.
Midwives need to be registered with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand and have a current annual practising certificate.
Midwives may do some or all of the following:
- support women through the normal physiological processes of pregnancy and childbirth
- support women to maintain good physical, emotional and mental wellbeing throughout pregnancy
- discuss and organise ultrasound, blood and other screening tests during pregnancy
- refer to other health practitioners during the pregnancy, labour, birth and post-birth period
- care for women during labour, birth and the post-birth period, including prescribing medications
- examine the newborn baby
- provide information and support for parents on how to care for and feed their newborn baby.
Physical Requirements
Midwives need to be reasonably fit and healthy, and must have a good level of stamina, as some births may take a long time.
Useful Experience
Useful experience for midwives includes:
- teaching
- counselling
- nursing
- other health-related work.
Personal Qualities
Midwives need to be:
- good at managing their time
- skilled in communicating with people
- patient and caring
- able to work well under pressure
- mature and responsible
- able to remain calm during emergencies
- observant and analytical
- good at making decisions.
Skills
Midwives need to have knowledge of:
- anatomy and physiology of the body, particularly related to pregnancy, birth and the post-birth period
- different cultural beliefs and traditions about pregnancy and childbirth
- development of babies during pregnancy and after birth
- supporting mothers with breastfeeding
- monitoring mothers and babies in pregnancy, labour and birth, including using ultrasound equipment and heart rate monitors.
Conditions
Midwives:
- do shift work, and may be on call for extended periods
- may work in maternity hospitals or birthing units, or in the community
- sometimes work in stressful conditions, as labour can be unpredictable.
Subject Recommendations
NCEA Level 3 is required to enter tertiary training. Useful subjects include biology, chemistry, English, heath education, maths, and te reo Māori.
Related Subjects
Midwifes can earn around $77K-$111K per year.
Chances of getting a job as a Midwife are good due to a shortage of people interested in this type of work.
Pay for midwives employed by Te Whatu Ora Health NZ varies depending on their length of service, seniority, and their shift rosters.
- Registered midwives earn $77,000 to $101,000 a year. ($79,000 to $104,000 from 1 April 2024.)
- Community midwives earn $78,000 to $108,000 a year. ($80,000 to $111,000 from 1 April 2024.
- Senior designated midwives earn $102,000 to $149,000 a year. ($105,000 to $153,000 from 1 April 2024.)
Source: Te Whatu Ora, 'Te Whatu Ora - Health NZ and New Zealand Nurses Organisation, Nursing and Midwifery Collective Agreement 31 March 2023 - 31 October 2024', www.tewhatuora.govt.nz, accessed August 2023.
Midwives may move into management, advisory, training or education roles in midwifery practice.
Years Of Training
3-4 years of training required.To become a midwife you need to complete a Bachelor of Midwifery or a Bachelor of Health Science (Midwifery).
You also need to be registered with the Midwifery Council of New Zealand.
The Vulnerable Children Act 2014 means that if you have certain serious convictions, you can’t be employed in a role where you are responsible for, or work alone with, children.
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