In the healthcare industry in Australia, a doula and a midwife play differing, but important roles in pregnancy and childbirth. Learn about the differences between a doula and a midwife to understand which role you may want to consider as your future career path.
The role of a doula
A doula is there to be the emotional support network for expectant mothers. Knowledgeable of the birthing process, from the start of pregnancy through to aftercare, a doula is there to ensure the mother always feels comfortable. There are many different circumstances where a doula is needed.
A birth doula
The most common type of doula, a birth doula is responsible for supporting mothers during delivery. Part of a birth doula's role is to formulate a birth plan, taking into consideration the mother's and partner’s needs and requests.
Included in a birthing plan will be:
- The mother's medical history
- Pain management preferences – stating whether medications are desired and if so, what medications
- Birthing positions
- Key people in the support network
- Any cultural factors to be considered
- Immediate aftercare when the baby is born, such as breastfeeding, skin-to-skin contact and care, and who will transport the baby home alongside the mother
A birth doula will act as an advocate for the mother and baby, keeping preferences and best intentions at heart.
A postpartum doula
A postpartum doula helps the parents adapt to their new roles. They are there to give advice, reduce stress and offer a holistic approach to care. They may also offer help in other ways, such as household maintenance, running errands, and taking care of other children they may have.
Their end goal is to ensure the mother and partner settle into parenthood well, and the whole process runs smoothly.
A bereavement doula
This type of doula helps navigate the process of loss. They offer support for parents to grieve and to work through grief. If this loss is occurring during stillbirth or after birth, the bereavement doula will be present during delivery.
Similarly, abortion doulas specialise in providing support without judgement during the abortion process. They give mothers the space to grieve in a way that works for them.
An antepartum doula
These doulas are used for high-risk pregnancies and those who are likely to experience complications. As a lot of these are pre-empted before delivery, this type of doula will be present during the pregnancy stage.
They excel in being able to reduce stress and anxiety through preparing women for childbirth, whilst considering the risks they may face.
Adoption doula
An adoption doula specialises in ensuring the adoption process runs smoothly, and may offer a helping hand to the birth mother and adopting family. They can be present both during pregnancy, birth, and afterwards.
It’s important to note that doulas do not have any medical qualifications and therefore cannot act as a substitute for a midwife.
What does a midwife do?
A midwife is a clinically trained professional who is responsible for supporting mothers before, during and after the birth of their child. They are there to educate and provide care to ensure the mother adjusts to her new role and the child gets the best possible start in life.
The role of a midwife
A midwife's key roles and responsibilities include:
- Antenatal care – performing regular checkups throughout pregnancy, monitoring the health and well-being of the mother and child and educating on the stages the mother will go through
- Labour and delivery – through monitoring vital signs, administering pain relief and medical and acting as part of their emotional support network, a midwife or team of healthcare professionals will deliver the child
- Postpartum – after delivery, a midwife will check the health of the mother and baby and provide guidance on caring for the child. This will include assistance with breastfeeding, newborn care and allowing the mother to recover fully from childbirth.
- Acting in an emergency – they are responsible for managing complications and responding to emergencies with a calm attitude, care and precision
- One-on-one care – midwives may attend the mother's home after delivery to perform checkups on the baby and to make sure the mother is coping and adapting well
What are the benefits of doulas and midwives?
Some mothers will choose to have a doula, but all will need a midwife. As a midwife has studied and obtained a Bachelor of Nursing plus a Graduate Diploma in Midwifery (or equivalent), they are medical professionals who are vital to the pregnancy and birthing process.
A doula can offer complete one-on-one support on all levels, whereas a midwife may have multiple patients to attend to at once. Having a doula present at medical appointments and during birth may put expectant mothers at ease, and studies have shown that doulas help to reduce the rate of caesareans, amongst other benefits to mothers and children.
Doulas are chosen by the mother, so they have control over who will assist them through the process. Having this support network is often a desired choice for many going through pregnancy.
How do I become a doula or a midwife?
In Australia, doulas do not need any formal qualifications; however, many do seek to obtain a certified qualification to increase career opportunities. A short course doula qualification can be studied online at no cost. Alternatively, training can be done in person in the form of workshops, and lasts one to two weeks, depending on the intensity of the workshop. The cost of these courses’ ranges from $2000 - $2500. Some educational institutions will offer a Certificate IV in Doula Support Services, and this typically lasts 12 – 18 months.
Midwives are medically trained and therefore need to obtain an undergraduate degree in a relevant field before qualifying. Examples of degrees you can take to become a midwife include:
- Bachelor of Midwifery
- Bachelor of Nursing followed by a certification to upskill into midwifery, such as a Midwifery (Graduate) Program
These typically last three years studied on a full-time basis, or four if including a post-graduate qualification. All midwives need to be registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) board to practice in Australia. This ensures that all individuals working in a position of delivering medical services are safe to work in their designated occupation. This registration needs to be renewed on an annual basis.
Midwife opportunities with Pulse
If you’re considering a midwifery career, Pulse is here to help. Experts in the healthcare industry, our nationwide connections mean we can offer you job opportunities tailored to your needs, requirements and career goals.
Speak to our team today or head to our jobs board to apply today.