Training to be a midwife

Being a midwife is the "best job in the world" - according to midwife Karen Lynch. NHS local headed to Warwick Hospital maternity unit to spend time with a recently-qualified midwife, a first year student midwife and a student mentor. •Andrea Darnell was already a nurse when she decided to retain as a midwife after the birth of her own children •Becky Aston is a student midwife from Coventry University and is in the first year of a three-year course •Karen Lynch, an experienced midwife at Warwick, is Becky's mentor. There are a number of pathways for midwifery training. An 18-month course is available for qualified nurses, while three-year courses are available for those with no previous nursing experience. Four-year courses also exist. This is a hugely rewarding profession for dedicated and focused professionals. Enthusiasm and commitment are two essential qualities: hours can be long and it can be difficult to juggle practical and theory work with home life.