Becoming a Midwife in Mississippi – MS

Now that you are interested in becoming a midwife in Mississippi, you may be interested in learning what the future of this career field is going to be like. Without a doubt, midwifery careers are among some of the fastest growing in the state. In fact, recent reports indicate that the need for midwives in Mississippi should increase by at least 21%, and as much as 35%, by 2018. On the flipside, there is currently a shortage of qualified individuals entering this field, so this is really a good time to pursue formal education and position yourself to become a midwife.

In 2007, about 46,491 babies were born in Mississippi, accounting for roughly 1.1% of the total population, with 52.5% being breastfed. Nationally, breastfed babies account for about 75% of all children, so there is a lot of work to be done in Mississippi to get this percentage up. Because midwives play a key role in promoting the natural aspects of childrearing, postpartum care, and newborn care, professionals in this field can certainly be beneficial to helping newborns get the best start in life.

In Mississippi, midwifery training typically consists of at least 6-12 months of on-the-job, in-the-field clinical training. Although recent legislation has been under discussion, there are currently no licensing laws that exist for midwives in Mississippi, so technically there is no training requirement from the state. However, the educational institution you attend will enforce both clinical and didactic training.