Midwifery Mentorship in the Netherlands

Midwifery education in the Netherlands prepares student-midwives for their work in a unique maternity care system, where midwives work in the community offering the complete scope of midwifery practice as autonomous professionals. This includes the option of home birth for women with uncomplicated pregnancy, which is well integrated in the maternity care system. More recently, student-midwives are also prepared to be part of a hospital obstetric team and be guardians of physiological childbirth within that setting. Over time, midwives have always had a significant role in educating and mentoring their future colleagues and will remain in that role with a greater need to also support new midwives in their transition from student to professional in the complexity of present and future maternity care.