Six months qualified

Each day at work, I introduce myself: ‘Hello, my name is Claire. I'm one of the midwives and I'm going to be looking after you today.’ This is something I say all the time; however, there is still a mental pause before the word ‘midwife’, where I have to remind myself that I'm no longer a student. It still slips out occasionally, if I'm being honest.

Studies into newly qualified midwives' transition from student to qualification show common themes, demonstrating that it is a time of anxiety; that they feel out of their depth (Hughes and Fraser, 2011); and that the work environment can either help them to thrive or cause them to struggle, depending on their experience (Fenwick et al, 2012).

I will admit that I spent the first few months of being qualified mentally holding on for dear life. I had moved to a new unit, knew hardly anyone and was trying to consolidate my own practice as well as pick up the new unit's quirks.