Who Is a Student Midwife?
October 29, 2025
Pregnancy is an extraordinary chapter, filled with change, curiosity, and new faces joining your care journey. One of those faces may be a student midwife.
But who are student midwives, really? And how do they fit into your pregnancy experience?
Let’s make it simple.
A Student Midwife Is a Future Midwife in Training
A student midwife is someone studying midwifery at an accredited Australian university. They’re learning not only the science of pregnancy and birth, but also the art of care, communication, compassion, and continuity.
Throughout their degree, student midwives complete placements in hospitals, clinics, and community settings. They work alongside registered midwives and healthcare teams, always under supervision.
Their role is to learn through participation while supporting women and families through pregnancy, birth, and the early postnatal period.
The Continuity of Care Experience (CoCE)
Every midwifery student in Australia takes part in a Continuity of Care Experience, often called the CoCE or CoC.
This program requires each student to follow and support a number of women (usually around 10–15) throughout their pregnancy journey. It’s a chance for the student to understand the full scope of maternity care, not just the clinical moments, but the emotional and relational ones too.
For the mum, it means having a consistent, caring presence throughout their pregnancy. For the student, it’s an invaluable experience that brings their studies to life.
“Pregnancy is the only time in life when you’ll fall in love with someone you haven’t met.”
Kristen Proby
How Student Midwives Support You
Student midwives can play a supportive role at different stages of your journey — always at your comfort level and with your consent.
They might:
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Attend antenatal appointments
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Offer emotional support and reassurance
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Be present during labour and birth (if invited)
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Visit you and your baby postnatally
Their involvement is guided by university requirements and professional supervision – but above all, by you.
Why Student Midwives Matter
Having a student midwife involved in your care brings more than just an extra set of hands.
It creates space for connection, learning, and continuity – all shown to improve birth experiences and outcomes.
For students, it’s about more than completing a degree. It’s about developing the empathy, skill, and understanding that define great midwives.
And for you, it can mean one more familiar face, one more listener, and one more person who genuinely cares about your journey.
The Future of Maternity Support
Continuity of care models, where women are supported by the same midwife or small team throughout pregnancy, are proven to reduce interventions, increase satisfaction, and improve outcomes. Yet in Australia, fewer than 10% of women currently have access to this kind of support.
Student midwives are helping bridge that gap, and platforms like MidwithMe make those connections easier and safer than ever.
Through MidwithMe, mums-to-be can search for student midwives, learn about their background and hospital placement, chat directly, and decide who feels like the right fit.
It’s a small change that makes a big difference, helping women feel supported, and helping future midwives learn through meaningful relationships.
In Summary
A student midwife is a learner, a listener, and a bridge between the next generation of midwives and the women they’ll one day serve.
They’re guided by compassion, driven by curiosity, and supported every step of the way by their educators and care teams.
For mums-to-be, welcoming a student midwife isn’t just an act of generosity, it’s a chance to experience continuity of care in its most human form.
Explore more about MidwithMe: midwithme.com.au
Join as a Mum-to-Be: app.midwithme.com.au/register
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