Midwives as Educators – Part 1: Planting the Seed

Childbirth education serves as a fundamental mechanism for women to comprehensively support their wellbeing during pregnancy, labour and early parenting. The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) advocates for parent-centred antenatal education, positioning midwives as critical educators in maternal healthcare. Despite the significant importance of this educational approach, limited research has systematically explored the integration of adult learning principles specific to childbirth education into pre-registration midwifery curricula. This article aims to explore this concept and discuss the further planned evaluation of midwifery students’ experiences with adult and childbirth education. The follow-up article – Part 2 – to be published in The Practising Midwife Australia Autumn 2026 issue – systematically analyses the innovative childbirth education curriculum’s impact on midwifery student learning outcomes and assess graduates’ perceived preparedness to facilitate childbirth education.