What could be better than working with pregnant women and their newborn babies? You get to experience first-hand the miracle and fragility of life, and you get to help expectant parents through one of the most exciting and happy times of their lives, a time that, for some people, is also one of the more stressful.
When you decide to enter the field of obstetrics, of course, you have to choose a specific job, and there are many jobs to choose from. Now, if you think of medical professionals who work with pregnant women, you might first think of obstetricians, doctors who monitor the health of women during their pregnancies and who also give birth. But they are far from the only people who work with pregnant women. You could be a nurse specialist in obstetrics. You could also work as a counselor, psychologist, or psychiatrist at a pregnancy center or clinic. After all, there are a lot of mental and emotional issues that revolve around pregnancy. Sometimes a new mother or father just needs someone to talk to in order to find coping mechanisms for stress as well as the physical effects of sleepless nights. Sometimes a teen can get pregnant and doesn’t know where to turn. And, of course, there is the tragedy of a miscarriage; many women need therapy to cope with the heartbreak of this situation.
You also have the option to choose where you want to work when you choose to become a working professional. You could work in a bustling urban hospital or a quiet rural doctor’s office. You could also work at a pregnancy center that specializes in crisis pregnancies. There are also nonprofit pregnancy centers that help young or at-risk women. Many of these women are struggling with poverty and are unsure how they will be able to make ends meet and support their new baby.
If you’re preparing to do this type of work, just make sure you know what to expect. Many pregnancy centers, especially those serving underserved populations, are understaffed and those who work there are expected to work long hours. The pay isn’t always great, either. And even if you work in a hospital, you may have to start work late at night; after all, babies are born at all hours of the day. Of course, the rewards that come with this type of work are also great. You can make sure that newborn babies have a grand entrance into this world and you can track a baby’s progress. Many work professionals develop strong bonds with new mothers. You never know, years from now, someone will come up to you somewhere and say, “You helped deliver my baby!” or even “You helped set me free!” There is no feeling like those words will give you.