8. Resilience and self-preservation; taking care of one another

Preceptorship is the 15th series of 'Midwifery basics' targeted at practising midwives. The aim of these articles is to provide information to raise awareness of the impact of the work of midwives on women's experience, and encourage midwives to seek further information through a series of activities relating to the topic. In this final article in the preceptorship basics series, Kerry Taylor and Megan Blease look at the importance of resilience, self-preservation and taking care of one another. Embarking on a career in midwifery can be a stressful, isolating and challenging time. This article considers the stresses of providing modern maternity care, taking into consideration personal values, qualities and coping strategies. They address the challenges of workplace culture, the importance of building each other up and of caring for ourselves in order to effectively care for others.