The Midwifery Crisis: Who Will Catch Our Babies If This Continues?
Midwifery is a calling—a profession rooted in compassion, care, and an unshakable commitment to supporting families through one of the most profound moments of their lives. But right now, midwives across the UK are leaving the NHS in droves, and the impact is heartbreaking.
The truth is stark:
Newly qualified midwives are walking away before they even reach five years in practice.
Applications to study midwifery are plummeting, down 10% in just a year.
UK-trained midwives joining the register has dropped by 12.5%, and fewer are entering the profession at a time when they’re needed more than ever.
This isn’t just a workforce issue. It’s a crisis of care, of trust, and of hope for the future of maternity services.
Why Are Midwives Walking Away?
Ask any midwife, and they’ll tell you they didn’t choose this path for an easy life. Midwifery is demanding—it’s long hours, emotional labour, and physical exhaustion. But it’s also life-affirming, filled with the kind of moments that stay etched in your heart forever: a baby’s first cry, a parent’s tears of joy, the quiet intimacy of birth.
So why are so many midwives saying, “I can’t do this anymore”?
Burnout From Unrelenting Pressure
Midwives are stretched too thin. Chronic understaffing means they’re running from one labour room to the next, barely able to catch their breath. They’re expected to do more with less, and it’s leaving them physically and emotionally drained.
“I wanted to give every woman my full attention, but I was so busy I felt like I was failing them all,” one midwife confessed.
Pay That Doesn’t Reflect the Role
Midwives are some of the most skilled professionals in the NHS, yet their pay barely reflects the life-changing work they do. When combined with rising living costs and student loan debts, many midwives simply can’t afford to stay.
A Loss of Trust and Respect
Midwives used to be seen as pillars of care and expertise, but rising birth trauma rates and overstretched services have damaged public trust. Midwives often find themselves blamed for systemic failings, and it’s eroding their morale.
An Unbearable Emotional Toll
Midwifery is about connection, but when midwives are too rushed to hold someone’s hand or offer words of reassurance, it’s devastating. Many leave because the emotional weight of not being able to give the care they know families deserve is simply too much to bear.
The Cost of Losing Midwives
Every midwife who leaves isn’t just a number. They’re someone’s guide through labour, someone’s advocate during a challenging birth, someone’s calm voice in the storm. When midwives leave, it’s families who suffer.
Without enough midwives:
Women are left waiting for care when they need it most.
Birth experiences become rushed, clinical, and impersonal.
The risks of trauma, both physical and emotional, increase for families and midwives alike.
How Do We Fix This?
The answer isn’t simple, but it’s clear: we need to fight for the midwives who have always fought for us.
Give Midwives the Support They Deserve
Midwives need manageable workloads, mental health resources, and time to truly connect with the families they care for.Pay Midwives What They’re Worth
It’s time to value midwifery as the skilled, critical profession it is. Fair pay isn’t just about retention—it’s about recognising the incredible work midwives do every single day.Attract the Next Generation of Midwives
We need to make midwifery a career people want to pursue, not one they shy away from. That means reducing barriers like student debt and offering clear paths for career growth.Rebuild Public Trust
Midwives need the resources to deliver the kind of care that builds trust and strengthens relationships with families.
Midwifery: A Job Like No Other
Midwifery is about more than catching babies. It’s about holding space for families during their most vulnerable moments. It’s about being a guide, a comfort, and an anchor when things feel overwhelming.
But midwives can’t do this alone. They need us to stand with them, to fight for a system that values their work and respects the families they serve.
A Call to Action
The midwifery crisis isn’t just a “healthcare problem.” It’s a deeply human issue that affects us all. Every family deserves to feel safe, supported, and cared for during pregnancy and birth—and that starts with protecting our midwives.
What can we do? Advocate. Speak up. Demand better. Because without midwives, who will be there to guide the next generation into the world?
Let’s fight for a future where midwives can thrive, and every family receives the care they deserve.
What are your thoughts? Have you or someone you know felt the impact of this crisis? Let’s keep the conversation going—midwives need our voices now more than ever.