Insights To Be With Woman: Midwifery & Maternal Mental Health

Following International Day of the Midwife (5 May) and World Maternal Mental Health Day (6 May), it is a moment to reflect on what it truly means to be a midwife: to be with woman.

Being a midwife is about presence in life’s most profound moments, in the quiet hours just after a baby is born, in distant villages where resources are scarce, and in auditoriums filled with peers sharing knowledge, hope, and innovation.

It is a role that asks one to hold life and loss, joy and grief, emergencies and celebrations all at once. It is both deeply personal and profoundly connected to the broader health of families, communities, and healthcare systems.

Midwives care for mothers and babies while supporting families through moments of uncertainty, heartbreak, strength, and joy. They guide, assess, advocate, and protect, often becoming a steady presence during one of the most transformative periods in a person’s life.

The moment captured in this photo tells a story without words: the intimacy of bedside care, the universality of birth, and the shared commitment of a profession that shapes lives and communities. It reflects the quiet but powerful impact of care that is relational, evidence-based, and centred on the needs of women and families.

Through continuity of care via caseload midwifery and specialisation in perinatal mental health screening and support, the profound difference of relationship-based care becomes clear.

When women are supported by the same midwife or small team throughout pregnancy, birth, and postnatal care, trust and connection strengthen. Early risk factors can be identified, timely interventions delivered, and parents can feel genuinely seen, heard, and supported.

Research shows that continuity of midwifery care significantly improves maternal mental health outcomes, helping reduce anxiety and depression during the perinatal period (Sandall et al., 2016).

Midwifery-led interventions, including psychosocial support, education, and counselling, enhance maternal wellbeing, confidence, and satisfaction with care (Nasir et al., 2023).

For women experiencing perinatal mental health conditions, caseload and continuity models provide relationship-based support that strengthens outcomes for both mother and baby (Dawson et al., 2023).

Supporting maternal mental health is not separate from maternity care; it is central to it. Perinatal mental health remains one of the leading contributors to maternal morbidity globally, and early identification, continuity, and compassionate intervention are essential to improving outcomes across the lifespan - for women, infants, and families.

Walking alongside families, learning from women, contributing to systems that protect maternal and infant wellbeing, and witnessing resilience and humanity in every parent served is a privilege.

Midwives hold a unique position at the intersection of clinical care, prevention, advocacy, and public health. Their impact extends well beyond birth - shaping early parenting experiences, strengthening family wellbeing, and influencing the long-term health trajectory of communities.

To all midwives and maternity teams — in wards, homes, clinics, offices, and beyond — thank you.

Whether through bedside care or leadership beyond the clinical setting, empowering women and supporting families creates ripple effects that extend far beyond birth itself. Every moment of care matters. Every relationship matters. And every investment in midwifery is an investment in healthier futures for women, babies, families, and communities.