How would I go about becoming a midwife?

How do i become a midwife? From scratch?

• i am desperate to become a midwife, i think it would be the most rewarding job in the world. i have 2 children of my own and loved the whole experience. i am wondering how to go about becoming a midwife, but from scratch, i have no nursing degree or anything. just GCSE's highest grade a C (in english) but only 1 C, and i have a NVQ Level 2 in hairdressing. any help would be great thanks x

• Answer:

  It depends on what you want to do. Midwifery in the US is not a regulated profession. Anyone can call themselves a midwife regardless of their education. If you want to actually deliver babies, you have to be a certified nurse midwife (CNM) which requires you to have your RN first. If you want to be a certified midwife (CM), you don't have to be a nurse first, but you do have to be accepted into a midwifery program which is generally a masters degree and requires an under graduate degree first. Also remember you'll be competing against others who may have some level of nursing background so it would be wise to at least get your CNA license first. Be careful though, because midwifery is not well regulated in the US, a lot of states outright ban midwives who aren't CNMs. Do the research first or you may end up wasting your time. You might try getting involved with a doula and learning that end of the business first. It's not a medical role, but rather a supportive role and so you'll have less of a learning curve. Doulas typically learn as apprentices rather than through formal education, so start by contacting doulas near you and ask them the best way to get your foot in the door.