International Day of the Midwife was first celebrated May 5, 1991, and has since been observed in over 50 nations around the world.
The idea of having a day to recognize and honor midwives came out of the 1987 International Confederation of Midwives conference in the Netherlands. In 2014 it was celebrated in Iran and New Zealand among other places.
Since 1991 the International Day of the Midwife (IDM) on 5 May has provided an annual focal point for midwives, midwifery associations and partners around the world to raise awareness of midwifery and extend the influence of midwives in order to lobby and advocate for policy changes relating to maternal, newborn and reproductive healthcare nationally and internationally.
When you destroy midwives, you also destroy a body of knowledge that is shared by women, that can’t be put together by a bunch of surgeons or a bunch of male obstetricians, because physiologically, birth doesn’t happen the same way around surgeons, medically trained doctors, as it does around sympathetic women.
Who is a professional? A professional is someone who has a combination of competence, confidence and belief. A water diviner is a professional. A traditional midwife is a professional. A traditional bone setter is a professional. These are professionals all over the world. You find them in any inaccessible village around the world.
Speak tenderly to them. Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of our greeting. Always have a cheerful smile. Don’t only give your care, but give your heart as well.
Good beginnings make a positive difference in the world
Good beginnings make a positive difference in the world, so it is worth our while to provide the best possible care for mothers and babies throughout this extraordinarily influential part of life.