The pressures of midwifery practice are well documented now. But what of the impact of the attitudes of others toward you or yours towards others? Could making small changes make a difference to how we feel? Karen Gasper Midwife, founder of Flourish For Birth & Beyond, Artist and Life Coach addresses the question and provides suggestions to make a difference in the work place.
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Have you ever had a day when you got up for work with that “ugh, here we go again” feeling? You arrive at work, mentally downloading the plethora of tasks ahead. Then, someone greets you with a warm smile and light-hearted banter. What impact did that have on you for the rest of the day? Now, imagine the opposite scenario—being met with moans and complaints. Did it set the tone for your shift? Whether we define our job as work, toil, labour a vocation, or a purpose, for many of us, it is where we spend the majority of our lives.
A recent BBC News article highlighted the issues of burnout and low morale experienced by many NHS employees (BBC News 2025). The impact of Covid-19 on mental health has been significant, and NHS staff are not only working in demanding and often stressful environments but also balancing personal responsibilities, financial pressures and global uncertainties.
As midwives, student midwives, and birth workers, we often feel the weight of those demands. We strive to remain dynamic, compassionate, and innovative, constantly working to improve the maternity experience and birth outcomes. Yet, reading through audits, confronting the stark realities in MBRRACE reports, or absorbing the statistics from campaigns like Five X More can be deeply disheartening. While these reports are vital tools for improving safety and best practice, they can also weigh heavily on our hearts. We feel this way because we care deeply, we are compassionate, nurturing, hardworking and we want our birthing community to have a positive experience with good outcomes in whatever sphere of practice we are in. By acknowledging what needs to change, and also celebrating our wins, we create a culture that motivates, inspires, uplifts morale and enables a more positive approach to the tasks ahead.
Many NHS Trusts now offer wellbeing hubs to improve staff health and the quality of care. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) stresses the importance of self-care for nurses and midwives, whilst the Royal College of Nursing Self-Care section and the Royal College of Midwives ‘Caring for You’ Campaign, provides resources on stress management and resilience. The World Health Organisation (WHO) ‘Global Plan of Action on Workers Health’ highlights the need for a supportive and healthy work environment to optimise physical and mental health wellbeing.
Oxygen Masks and Self-Care
On a recent flight, we were instructed to put our own oxygen mask on first before assisting others in the event of a drop in cabin pressure. Instinctively, my first thought was to prioritise my daughter, but the message was clear: we must care for ourselves before we can effectively care for others. This principle is often used to encourage self-care, but as midwives, we sometimes neglect to apply it to our own lives, when caught up in the demands of our busy work. In reality, prioritising our own wellbeing is essential for maintaining holistic health and can transform our outlook on both work and life.
I recall the wise words of a very senior experienced nurse I met during my nurse training at the tender age of eighteen. She advised, “Pay yourself first when you get your wages,” before heading off to M&S and our local spa for pampering. That advice has never left me, and as I have grown older, I realise the value of her wise words and that she was not so senior in age after all!
My Caribbean parents were part of the Windrush generation. Their generation were hardworking and resilient but rarely prioritised taking time out for themselves. This may resonate with some of you and some of you may already be embracing the gift of self-care. Whilst we increasingly recognise and embrace it’s importance, and work-life-balance, some may argue that our stress levels are higher than ever due to demands from work, family, communities, and social media and therefore may sometimes overlook the wins and the positive elements in the work that we do.
Finding the Positive in Challenging Times
Can we truly cultivate joy in a high-pressure environment? I believe so.
Reflective practice is pivotal to healthcare and serves to enhance professional development and maintain high standards of care, but are we intentional about reflecting more on the positive and what went well? It is human nature to sometimes gravitate towards the negative but let us shift that. We could aim for a “full glass” mindset. On difficult days, we could pour a little out, but we can begin from a place of abundance.
As an artist, I have experienced the benefits of infusing creative expressions into my practice. It refreshes the mind, body, and spirit and provides a holistic sense of renewal. Creativity can help us reflect on challenges from fresh perspectives. One of the workshops that I run through Flourish for Birth & Beyond (Colour your birth story) invites parents to reflect on and express their pregnancy and birth story through colour using arts and crafts. It’s not about erasing difficult memories, but reframing them through a creative, cathartic process. Not all stories are joyful, but creativity offers fun and healing. Some parents even recognise the need for further support as a result. Others find clarity, peace, or celebration in their journey.
The Power of Storytelling and Shared Moments
In my 25 years as a midwife, I feel blessed and grateful for a career filled with cherished moments. It is heartwarming when parents remind me years later and share their positive encounters that they had with me on their birth journey—one I might have forgotten, but they never did. These are the stories that make me proud and I’m reminded of the deep, lasting impact of our work. We all have them. But how often do we share and celebrate them?
Whilst we should celebrate the achievements of others, sometimes their success can make us feel as though their ceiling is set so high that it’s almost unreachable. Whether it’s accolades for strategic leadership, transformation of maternity services, campaigns for better birth outcomes, or impactful community and humanitarian projects, these accomplishments remind us of the positive change we can make in the lives of those we serve. Nevertheless, someone else’s ceiling can be the foundation for you to build your own achievements, inspiring you to set and reach your personal goals and be a positive influencer in your community.
Earlier this year, I had the privilege of joining 33 members of my church on a mission trip to a Watoto Village in Uganda. We helped renovate three buildings in a village that supports vulnerable women and orphans. Listening to and sharing stories with the community was humbling; we were deeply moved by the beauty and resilience of the Ugandan people. Giving back in this way reminded us of the compassion and kindness that connects us all. It was a life-changing experience. Sharing that experience brought joy and inspiration to others. We often underestimate the importance of storytelling and how much our stories matter.
The ancient cultural tradition of storytelling is a powerful tool for fellowship and learning. We tune into TED talks, podcasts, webinars, blogs, social media and online communities because we want to be inspired, learn and establish communities. Midwives are natural storytellers. We have a library of some moments that are hilarious, heart warming, heart-wrenching, and all are valuable.
Finding Humour in Midwifery
Did you know that if you smile in the mirror, your brain can not differentiate between a fake smile and a real one? This enables the release of our happy hormones, endorphins and serotonin which can help shift our mindset in tough moments (Iriyea, et al 2020)
Midwifery is full of surprises with moments of joy and laughter. Like the dad who asked if the baby feeds by “nibbling the placenta,” or the expectant mum who thought a membrane sweep meant dusting the cervix with a tiny brush. Once, after explaining cervical dilation, a dad (who was a builder) said, “Well, your fingers don’t look 10cm long to me!” And who could forget the homebirth dad who handed me bright yellow Marigolds as mum neared second stage? These moments are golden.
In one of my former roles, leading several teams through challenging periods, I learned that focusing on things that are lovely, praiseworthy, and commendable was the perfect antidote to negativity (Phil, 4:8). Positivity, like laughter, is contagious and uplifting. Let it spread.
Research shows that positive and therapeutic relationships between maternity staff and women improve outcomes and fosters trust and confidence in care (Almorbaty, et al 2022). Whilst we may feel that we are too busy to engage in activities that may benefit us, just applying a few simple changes can make a meaningful difference.
Practical Steps to Boost Joy at Work
- Debrief after challenging shifts
- Engage in team-building activities
- Attend midwifery forums and support networks
- Be a positive mentor and role model to your students and colleagues
- Utilise well being hubs
- Practice gratitude and relaxation
- Engage in creativity
- Actively listen to one another
- Share stories and laughter
- Celebrate achievements -no matter how small
- Replace compliments with positive responses
- End your day by cherry-picking the best moments
A Joyful Legacy
Can you picture a media headline?
“Midwives and Birth Workers are amongst the happiest people in the world because…”
Wouldn’t that be inspiring? What would your headline say? How could you leave a legacy of joy, resilience, and creativity for our students, newly qualified midwives and birth workers? This is how we support retention and build a lasting, positive culture.
Conclusion
Midwifery is demanding but also truly fulfilling. Sometimes, we need to pause, reflect, and uncover the hidden treasures within our profession—and within ourselves. One of those treasures is joy at work. Joy at work does not mean ignoring the difficulties and stressors. It means choosing to seek out the light in the middle of the tunnel.
So let’s keep that glass full, foster a nurturing culture, share our stories, and embrace creativity as we aim for excellence. We can transform our workplaces into spaces where we flourish and leave a joyful legacy for those who follow.
This will improve the experience for ourselves, our peers and ultimately enhance the care that we give. You are more of a world-changer than you realise. Your work is a gift to the world. Let us celebrate our wins, laugh a little louder, and find joy in this incredible journey that we are on together.
References
Almorbaty, H., Ebert, L., Dowse, E. and Chan, S.W.C., 2022: An integrative review of supportive relationships between child‐bearing women and midwives. Nursing Open, 10(1), pp.6–20. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1276
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) 2025 Stress Burnout And Hope: NHS workers speak out. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy9dygz1vgxo
Iriyea, H & St. Jacques, P L (2020): Your Face and Moves Seem Happier When I Smile Facial Action Influences the Perception of Emotional Faces and Biological Motion Stimuli. Experimental Psychology. doi.org/10.1027/1618-3169/a000470.
Five X More. (n.d.). Five X More: Amplifying the voices of Black women. [online] Available at: https://fivexmore.org/
MBRRACE-UK: Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK. https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk
Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC): The Code Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates. https://www.nmc.org.uk/globalassets/sitedocuments/nmc-publications/nmc-code.pdf
Royal College of Midwives (RCM) Caring For You Campaign. https://rcm-production.azurewebsites.net/media/2898/rcm-campaign-for-healthy-workplaces-delivering-high-quality-care-caring-for-you-survey-results.pdf
Royal college of Nursing (RCN) Self-Care https://www.rcn.org.uk/employment-and-pay/Health-safety-and-wellbeing/Self-care
The Holy Bible, New International Version. (2011). London: Hodder & Stoughton. Philippians Ch 4 V 8.
The World Health Organisation (WHO): Global Plan of Action on Workers’ Health (2008-2017): baseline for implementation: global country survey 2008/2009: executive summary and survey findings. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-FWC-PHE-2013-01
Karen Gasper RM, founder of Flourish For Birth & Beyond, Artist and Life Coach.
https://www.flourish4birthandbeyond.com
April 2025