What Is a Midwife? Understanding the Unique Role of Midwives in Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond
When you’re pregnant or planning a baby, it can be confusing to know who does what in maternity care. Between midwives, nurses, doulas, obstetricians and GPs, there are many professionals involved — each playing a unique role.
At Dial-A-Midwife, one of the most common questions we’re asked is:
👉 “What exactly does a midwife do — and how are they different from other maternity care providers?”
It’s a great question — because understanding each role helps you make informed choices about your pregnancy, birth and postnatal care.
Let’s take a closer look at what makes midwives distinct, how their approach differs from others, and why every woman across Australia is attended by a midwife in birth.
🌿 What Is a Midwife?
A midwife is a qualified and registered health practitioner who cares for women during pregnancy, labour, birth and the postnatal period (the first few weeks after a baby is born).
The word midwife literally means “with woman” — and that phrase perfectly captures what midwives do. They provide continuity of care, supporting women and families through one of life’s most transformative experiences.
Midwives are registered health practitioners in Australia, regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA). To practise, midwives must hold an approved bachelor’s degree in midwifery (or a Graduate Diploma or Master’s Degree), maintain ongoing professional development and be insured for clinical care.
The Midwife’s Scope of Practice
Midwives are trained to provide comprehensive, evidence-based care for women during pregnancy, birth and in the postnatal period, including:
Autonomous care of women with low-risk pregnancies and births
Collaborative care of women with high-risk pregnancies and births
Conducting antenatal assessments and monitoring the health of mother and baby
Providing education and counselling on pregnancy, birth and early parenting
Supporting women emotionally and physically through labour and birth
Providing birth care in hospitals, birth centres and in homebirths
Conducting postnatal checks for mother and baby, including breastfeeding support and mental health screening.
In addition to caring for low-risk pregnancies, midwives are also trained to recognise when complications arise and to refer to or collaborate with obstetricians, paediatricians or other specialists when medical intervention is needed.
In short, midwives are the experts in normal pregnancy and birth — offering safe, evidence-based care while promoting a woman’s confidence, autonomy, and trust in her body. They recognise when a pregnancy / birth deviates from normal and obtain the additional care that is needed.
🩺 How Are Midwives Different from Nurses?
Many people assume midwives and nurses are the same — but while there is some overlap between all health practitioners, their education, registration and clinical focus differ significantly.
Nurses
A registered nurse (RN) is trained in general healthcare, working across a wide range of clinical settings — from emergency departments and intensive care units to community health, aged care, operating theatres and surgical wards.
Nurses study a Bachelor of Nursing and are registered with the NMBA. Their focus is on treating illness, maintaining health and supporting recovery from medical conditions.
Nursing is a profession in its own right - alongside physiotherapy, dental, chiropractic and pharmacy - and nursing education itself doesn’t include educational preparation for nurses to work in other professions - even though all professionals have some overlap, particularly in certain skills, for example:
Doctors, dentists, midwives, paramedics and nurses can all check blood pressure
Doctors, pharmacists, endorsed midwives and nurse practitioners may prescribe medication
Only midwives have extensive training in pregnancy, labour, birth and newborn care.
Midwives
A midwife, by contrast, works solely in maternity care.
Midwifery covers:
Physiology and pathophysiology of pregnancy and birth
Antenatal and postnatal assessment
Newborn health and adaptation
Breastfeeding and maternal mental health
Emergency management in childbirth
Some midwives are also registered as paramedics, psychologists and nurses, but these all represent distinct professions with their own entry requirements and continuing registration requirements.
In summary:
Nurses care for patients across all health disciplines. They are not educationally prepared to provide autonomous care for women from conception through to the early postnatal period.
Midwives care exclusively for women and babies during the reproductive journey — from conception through to the early postnatal period. They are not educationally prepared to look after people more generally.
👩⚕️ Midwives vs. Obstetricians: What’s the Difference?
The distinction between midwives and obstetricians is one of education, registration, philosophy and scope.
Obstetricians
An obstetrician is a medical doctor who has completed specialist training in obstetrics and gynaecology (O&G). They complete a 4-6 year medical degree and then a further 6 years specialising. Their focus is on the medical and surgical aspects of pregnancy, birth and women’s reproductive health.
Obstetricians are experts in managing complex or high-risk pregnancies, performing caesarean sections and assisted births and addressing complications such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes or fetal distress.
Their role is invaluable when medical issues arise — but their approach tends to be clinical and intervention-focused, as they are trained to identify and manage risk. It’s not uncommon for a private obstetrician to have up to 30 women on their books each month, whilst hospital-employed obstetricians care for entire wards of women - including presentations to the emergency department.
Midwives
Midwives, by contrast, are experts in normal physiological birth and in identifying when things are deviating from normal.
They promote, support and protect the natural process of labour and birth, helping women feel safe, confident and in control. Their care is continuity-based and relationship-driven. Midwives:
Monitor and assess normal progress.
Detect early signs of complications.
Escalate care and collaborate with obstetricians and paediatricians when necessary.
Where obstetricians are specialists in medical management, midwives are specialists in supporting and facilitating natural healthy birth.
The two professions often work in partnership — particularly in hospital settings and with women who have risk-associated pregnancies and births — to provide women with both safety and holistic support.
🤱 Midwives vs. Doulas: What’s the Difference?
The rise of doulas has led to another common misconception — that midwives and doulas perform similar roles. In reality, their focus and qualifications are quite distinct.
Doulas
A doula is a non-midwifery and non-medical companion who provides emotional and physical support before, during and after birth.
Doulas are not registered health professionals. They do not provide clinical care such as examinations, fetal monitoring or midwifery/medical advice. There are no required educational standards to meet - it is an unregulated industry.
Instead, doulas focus on:
Emotional reassurance and birth preparation.
Practical preparation for a new baby.
Comfort measures during labour (like massage, positioning, breathing).
Practical postnatal help such household help, meal preparation, help with siblings.
While doulas can be a wonderful addition to a birth team (especially for emotional support) their scope is complementary rather than clinical.
Midwives
Midwives, on the other hand, provide both emotional and midwifery care. They can:
Assess fetal growth and wellbeing.
Monitor vital signs.
Perform vaginal examinations and assist birth.
Administer medications.
Order and interpret test results and ultraound reports.
Manage emergencies such as haemorrhage or shoulder dystocia.
Many midwives also provide the same nurturing, woman-centred approach that doulas offer — but with the added safety of professional education, training and registration.
At Dial a Midwife, we’re proud to combine that holistic support with the clinical knowledge and experience that ensures your care is always evidence-based and safe.
📚 Education and Registration: How Midwives Are Trained
In Australia, to become a midwife, a midwifery student must complete:
A Bachelor of Midwifery (3 years full-time), or
A Graduate Diploma or Master of Midwifery
All midwives must be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) and meet ongoing continuing professional development (CPD) and recency of practice requirements.
They are bound by the Midwife Standards for Practice, Cofe of Ethics and Code of Conduct which outline their responsibility to provide woman-centred, evidence-based care, promote health and uphold safety.
At Dial a Midwife, every midwife you speak with is an Australian-registered, university-qualified endorsed midwife with years of clinical experience. Many have worked across hospital, community and continuity models of care — meaning they understand the system, and how to help you navigate it.
💬 How Dial a Midwife Fits Into Your Care
Our service is designed to complement your existing maternity care, not replace it. Women use Dial a Midwife for many reasons:
To ask questions they didn’t get to raise, or thought of after their appointment.
To understand test results or care recommendations in plain English.
To seek a second opinion or discuss alternative care options.
To get reassurance when feeling anxious or uncertain — especially in early pregnancy.
To debrief after birth, or prepare mentally and emotionally for the next one.
Because we’re available 7 days a week, until 9 pm, Australia-wide and bulk-billed with a Medicare card, we provide accessible, professional midwifery support when women need it most — from the comfort of home.
🌼 Why Midwifery Care Matters
Research consistently shows that continuity of midwifery care — where the same midwife supports a woman throughout pregnancy, birth and postnatal — leads to:
Lower rates of preterm birth and intervention.
Higher breastfeeding success.
Greater satisfaction and emotional wellbeing.
Stronger maternal-infant bonding.
Midwifery care is built on trust, relationship and respect — values that can transform the entire pregnancy and birth experience.
That’s why at Dial a Midwife, we encourage ongoing, regular appointments. Over time, we get to know you — your hopes, concerns, health history and preferences. This continuity allows us to tailor care, anticipate needs and support you holistically — not just medically.
✨ The Dial a Midwife Difference
At Dial a Midwife, we combine the clinical expertise of midwives with the accessibility of telehealth.
We understand the questions, worries, and emotions that come with pregnancy — and we believe that every woman deserves professional, compassionate, evidence-based support whenever she needs it.
Whether you’re in early pregnancy and feeling anxious, preparing for birth, or navigating the newborn phase, our midwives are just a call away.
We’re here to listen, guide, reassure and empower — so you can approach your journey with calm confidence.
Dial a Midwife — Australia’s online midwifery service.
🩺 Bulk-billed with a Medicare card
📞 Available 7 days a week, until 9 pm
🌏 Accessible Australia-wide
Because every woman deserves a midwife — one who listens, informs, and truly cares. 💗