Midwives around the world celebrate the International Day of the Midwife’ on May 5th each year. The aim of the day is to celebrate midwifery and to bring awareness of the importance of the midwives’ work to as many people as possible.

Maria Cutajar President of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses’ in a statement to mark the occasion said, “this year’s theme: ‘Midwives: for a better tomorrow’ is more important than ever before: as the Millennium Development Goals come to an end in September. This is the last chance to shine a spotlight on midwifery before the world enters into a new era. “

“This year’s slogan clearly states that midwives have to be involved in the work to achieve the new set of goals called the Sustainable Development Goals and create a brighter future for mothers, babies, and families. Midwives deliver more than babies: they also provide other life-saving reproductive health information and services, including antenatal, postnatal care and family planning.”

“Midwifery care for women and their babies is an investment in family and community that promotes healthy growth and well-being for present and future generations. Therefore, adequately resourced and educated midwives are crucial to reducing global maternal and neonatal mortality, and substantially improve the experience of childbearing women before, during and after childbirth. Midwives help to build healthy families – in the midwives’ hands is the key to the future,” the MUMN said.

“As autonomous practitioners, midwives are specialised in normal pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period, striving to help women have a healthy pregnancy and a natural birth experience. Moreover they are trained to recognise and deal with deviations from the norm and work in collaboration with other health professionals for the safety of mother and baby.”

The MUMN stated that “midwives have also an important task in counselling and education not only for women, but also for the family and the community. This work includes preconception care, antenatal education and preparation for parenthood, women’s health, sexual or reproductive health and childcare. This is the foundation to healthy families which reflects a healthy nation.”

Inherent in this year’s theme “Midwives: for a better tomorrow,” is that midwives work has such an impact that it changes the world. This year’s theme indicates the important role midwives play in society. “Improving maternal health and reducing child mortality are at the core of Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses’ (MUMN) vision: every mother and newborn child should receive professional midwifery care!”

The MUMN added that it strives to emphasise that the care of the midwife is far more than being hospital based, but suggests that midwifery care should be based in the primary and community health care. “The MUMN lobby for: a) more resources for midwifery, b) midwifery education, and c) recognition of the unique professional role of midwives.”

The MUMN, also said that on numerous occasions, it advised policymakers to implement change by lobbying for adequate midwifery resources and recognition of the unique professional role of midwives.

“MUMN also presented several documents to policymakers to provide a platform for the way forward of the midwifery profession, whereby the midwives’ commitment to families, within a functioning health system and supportive environment, will be a core element of primary and community health care.”

Midwifery care is unique in the way it can influence the health of future generations through giving new parents the physical well-being, confidence and self-esteem that arise from a positive birth experience, through breast-feeding support and nutritional education, through assistance with family planning and spacing, and through encouragement of women’s knowledge of their own bodies, the Union said.

The MUMN Council said that it would like to take this opportunity to wish all the Midwives and Midwifery students a Happy Midwives Day and together with other International Midwifery Organisations “emphasise the importance of the midwives’ role and activities in order to render a quality service to their clients.”

The MUMN concluded by saying that it reaffirms its pledge to support midwives globally and will work towards the goal of ensuring that every pregnancy is safe and that universal access to sexual and reproductive health services is a reality for all.

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