Careers Week - Rebecca Gray, Midwife

Rebecca Gray, is a Midwife at the South Lakes Birth Centre and Community. She qualified in 2015 and initially worked as a unit midwife. In 2019, she moved into a community role and now works in a split role across both hospital and community.

Here she tells us more about her role.

Tell us how you got your role?
Rebecca said: "I have a BSc (hons) in Midwifery from the University of Cumbria and A Levels in Biology, Sociology, English Language and Media. I completed my midwifery training at the University of Cumbria. The taught aspect of the course was based in Carlisle and my practical training within University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust."

What does your role involve? 

Rebecca said: "Being a midwife is an incredibly varied job and no day is the same. When I am working in community, I am allocated visits each day to see women and babies who have recently discharged from the birth centre. These visits check on the wellbeing of the women who have recently had a baby and help support things like breastfeeding and newborn care.

"I also look after a caseload of women whose care I am responsible for. I hold an antenatal clinic once a week that the pregnant women on my caseload attend throughout their pregnancy. I am also responsible for coordinating care that may be required with other agencies and providing health promotion advice.

"As a community midwife, I am quite often involved in safeguarding and working to support vulnerable women and families and I am also on call for home births."

"Working in the birth centre is just as varied as community midwifery. During a shift, I may be caring for women who are in labour or who have just had a baby. This could range from a pool birth to a caesarean section – no birth is the same! I also might be providing care to babies and women who need extra observation, either before or after birth. Being a midwife you need to expect the unexpected – you never know what is going to come through the door each day."

What have been the best bits and challenges of your role? 
Rebecca said: "The best bits of my job are undoubtedly building relationships with women and supporting them through their pregnancy journey and giving them information to help them make the right decisions and choices for them regarding their pregnancy and birth. Working across both community and the birth centre means that sometimes I am lucky enough to care for the women on my caseload when they have their baby – it is always a privilege to be present at the birth of a baby but to care for someone who you have looked after throughout their whole pregnancy is extra special."

Life outside of work: 
Rebecca said: "I am married with three children and a dog. When we are not in a global pandemic, I enjoy camping, walking in the lakes and going to the beach."

Top tips for people wanting to get into the profession: 
Rebecca said: "Persevere – it can be competitive to get a place on the course. Midwifery is about supporting women more than caring for babies so having a good knowledge of women's health care and issues affecting women can be an advantage."