Occupation Thesaurus Entry: Midwife

Jobs are as important for our characters as they are for real people. A character’s career might be their dream job or one they’ve chosen due to necessity. In your story, they might be trying to get that job or are already working in the field. Whatever the situation, as with any defining aspect for your character, you’ll need to do the proper research to be able to write that career knowledgeably.

Enter the Occupation Thesaurus. Here, you’ll find important background information on a variety of career options for your character. In addition to the basics, we’ll also be covering related info that relates to character arc and story planning, such as sources of conflict (internal and external) and how the job might impact basic human needs, thereby affecting the character’s goals. 

We hope the sample list of ideas below will show you how to choose and use your character’s occupation to do more than simply reference a day job. For the full entry for this career and over 120 other ideas, check into our bestselling resource, The Occupation Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Jobs, Vocations, and Careers.

Midwife

Overview: Midwives have been a pillar of women’s health for thousands of years, and while techniques and perceptions have changed, the midwife’s role remains largely the same: providing prenatal medical support, assistance during labor, and care for both the mother and infant in the postnatal period. They also provide advice on…

Necessary Training: There are different midwifery certifications that vary from country to country in regard to the necessary levels of training. Some midwives must obtain a higher level of education, such as a graduate or …

Useful Skills, Talents, or Abilities: Basic first aid, empathy, gaining the trust of others, good listening skills, herbalism, hospitality, multitasking

Helpful Character Traits: Adaptable, affectionate, alert, analytical, calm, confident, courteous, decisive, diplomatic, disciplined, discreet, empathetic…

Sources of Friction: Prejudice from other healthcare officials or hospital administrations who harbor misperceptions about midwives and the midwifery career, unforeseen circumstances during a delivery that cause complications, failing a recertification, having to keep up with new certifications and course work, trouble at home fueled by long hours on the job, the death of a baby, being unfairly blamed for…

People They Might Interact With: pregnant women, women seeking gynecological care, the patient’s family members …

How This Occupation Might Impact One’s Basic Needs:

• Esteem and Recognition: Outdated perceptions and stereotypes about midwifery still exist in some places. Someone who is accused of quackery or being  “less than” other industry professionals will lack the esteem…
• Love and Belonging: Midwives are typically passionate about their careers and their patients. Combine this passion with the odd hours and level of responsibility required in this profession, and some midwives could find it difficult to maintain the healthy work/life balance…
• Safety and Security: This need wouldn’t typically be impacted in the midwifery career, but for fictional purposes, certain scenarios could be created that would create a void in this area. For instance, if the patient was secretly carrying the child of a dangerous person (such as a mafia don, unstable stalker, or powerful politician), agreeing to treat her could put the midwife in danger as well.
• Physiological Needs: Again, extraordinary circumstances can be fabricated to put a midwife’s very life at risk…

Common Work-Related Settings: herbalist’s shop (speculative), hospital (interior), hospital room, living room, medieval village (speculative), nursery

Twisting the Stereotype: Midwives are, almost without exception, female. How about a man working in this field?

Visit the other Occupations in our collection HERE.

How will your character’s occupation help reveal their innermost layers?

Much of your character’s life will revolve around their work, and whether they love it or hate it, their job is a great way to show, not tell, their personality traits, skills, work ethic, worldview and beliefs, and more, so we should choose it with care.

To learn more, we recommend The Occupation Thesaurus book. Explore 120+ jobs to choose a profession for your character that showcases who they are, what they want, and what they believe in. Then learn how that career choice can characterize, drive the plot, infuse scenes with conflict, and get readers on the character’s side through the relatable pressures, responsibilities, and stakes inherent with work.

You can find this bestselling thesaurus writing guide in print, ebook, and PDF formats. To see what other authors think of the book, read its reviews at Goodreads.