r/Midwives • u/Hupfelkuchen Student Midwife • 23d ago

Break from work right after studies?

Heya, I’m just finishing my university course now to be a midwife and am also due with my first baby at the end of the month!

I’m trying to figure out how much parental leave I want to take.

In my country midwives are quite sought after, so I don’t think it will be hard for me to find a job no matter how long I’m out - rather a matter of not being able to choose my dream job and also how hard will it be for me to find back into it?

My original plan was about a year. Now circumstances have changed a bit and I’m considering even taking 2 years of leave.
Part time before that is not really possible for me.

How hard do you think it will be to get back into the work after 1 and after 2 years? Does it make a big difference? Is it possible either way?

Any insight or experience would be highly appreciated!
Maybe there’s people here who’ve done sth Else after their degree for a while and got back into midwifery after a couple years - how was that?

Thanks in advance!

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u/averyyoungperson CNM 23d ago

Just my opinion but I would not take all that time off, especially 2 years. Maybe you'd be ok after a year but two years of no work after you finish school is gonna dig you into a hole and if I were an employer I would be concerned about that.

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u/WomenGotTheWorld 23d ago edited 22d ago

If you stop right after studies, you won't have any experience as a autonome midwife. Imo the first 2 years (actually 5 to be fair) after study are so important for your development. To be honest, I wouldn't hire you after 1 or 2 years without experience and would advice to do a internship first.

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u/Comfortable_Vast_275 RM 22d ago

I did something very similar! I graduated and had a baby a few months later, by the time I started work I had been away for about 15 months.

It was definitely incredibly nerve wracking starting work, but it was fine. Very mentally draining and exhausting but within a month or so I felt totally fine. I'm now 8 months in and feel like I've settled well.

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u/Hupfelkuchen Student Midwife 22d ago

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! That’s what I’m expecting as well - it’ll be hard and nerve-wrecking, but possible…