It’s an industry that’s still very much in its infancy.
There are just too many unknowns, too many variables, and too much uncertainty.
So we asked midwives who practice in the ACT and WA to name their top midwives in each state.
What you need to know about midwifery in Western Australia: The Midwives of Western Australia are a diverse group, with an array of practices in WA, SA and NT.
The state has one of the highest rates of maternal deaths in the country.
The midwives we spoke to said they were all volunteers and that they didn’t have a specific practice to fit in.
They were just trying to be as good as they could.
But they all agreed that one thing they could all agree on is the importance of maternal health.
“It’s important for us to be able to see a baby that is viable and is happy, healthy and well cared for,” one midwife said.
“Maternal mortality is a major issue in Western Australian, and if we don’t do our jobs we will have this issue going for years.”
Another midwife who practices in Western Victoria said the midwives she works with are not in it to make money, but to be good.
“I’m really into giving birth and helping to make the baby happy, and this is the way I do it,” she said.
“I have a great relationship with my midwives and I don’t have any issues with them.”
Midwives in WA and SA can also be a little more formal.
Midwives from the Western WA Midwives Association say they are in it for the money, not for the prestige.
“We do it because we love it, because we want to,” one of them said.
The WA midwives, like their WA counterparts, are more than just midwives.
They work with people who are in their own circumstances and for whom midwiring can be a real source of support.
Midwifers are paid a lot more than midwives from WA and other states because midwives do more than hold hands, feed babies, check up on their health and make sure the baby is feeding well.
The midwives also work to provide a home for a baby in need.
Maternal health is a big issue in WA.
In the past five years, the state has recorded one of every seven maternal deaths.
If you or anyone you know needs help with a health problem, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit a local hospital.