Abstract
Midwives in private practice at birthing homes are independent professionals who operate their own businesses or are employed in these settings, in contrast to those employed in conventional settings, such as hospitals and rural health facilities. The purpose of this novel type of study is to explore the lived experiences of midwives working in a birthing home in private practice. The majority of them are employed in unfavorable conditions that harm their career growth. Five themes emerged from the study: challenges, coping mechanisms, desires, fears, and realizations. The study employed a qualitative research method, using an unstructured interview anchored in the theory of Perceived Organizational Support. Purposive sampling was used to select participants based on predefined criteria established by the researchers. The study had 27 participants, of whom 2 were from La Union and the rest from Pangasinan. The analysis of their responses was conducted using hermeneutic phenomenology, specifically the Ricœur approach. The findings suggest that numerous obstacles are encountered when working as a privately practicing midwife. Their working environment is filled with numerous negatives rather than positives. Regarding their viewpoints, the adverse experiences had a significant impact on their perceptions of their occupation. Private practice may not be a highly profitable career, but insights from personal experience can reveal necessary changes within the profession. This research suggests that additional studies should be conducted to better confirm the concerns expressed by these midwives and to investigate private birthing centers in other regions of the country. With backing from both government and private sectors, particularly from multiple midwifery organizations, along with fair compensation and excellent working conditions, these midwives will have a bright future in their careers.
