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.

This year's theme is: 'Women and Newborns: The Heart of Midwifery.' Midwives around the world work hard every day to ensure women and newborns receive the quality care that they deserve. Every year, millions of women and newborns around the world are cared for by skilled and professional midwives.

the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses in a statement to mark this special day said, "this year's theme clearly states that in the centre of midwifery care, each woman and newborn should have access to the best possible care before, during and after pregnancy and childbirth. Every woman who is pregnant or giving birth must have a better partnership with a professional midwife. This is something that every woman must have access to. The women and newborns of the world need midwives now and in the future."

Midwives have a key role to play as the global community strives to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of reducing maternal and newborn mortality and ensuring universal access to healthcare services. To ensure that there are enough qualified midwives to care for all women and newborns, countries must continue to increase investments in the education of midwives and growing the midwifery workforce, the MUMN said.

"As autonomous practitioners, midwives are specialised in pre-conception, 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. Midwives have also an important task in counselling and education not only for women, but also for the family and the community. 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."

This is the foundation to healthy families which reflects a healthy nation. The MUMN said that "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."

Inherent in this year's theme 'Women and Newborns: The Heart of Midwifery,' 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. Midwives are uniquely positioned to provide respectful, high quality care that places women and newborns in the centre. This professional care is a significant contribution to healthy families and thriving communities. Midwives save lives and promote the health and wellbeing of women and newborns across the entire reproductive, maternal and newborn health continuum.

The MUMN added that "improving maternal health and reducing child mortality are at the core of the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses' (MUMN) vision: every mother and newborn child should receive professional midwifery care!"

The MUMN went on to say 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, on numerous occasions, 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 MUMN Council wished all the Midwives and Midwifery students a Happy Midwives Day and together with other International Midwifery Organisations emphasised 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 reaffirmed 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.

Permalink: Women and Newborns celebrated in International Midwives Day