What is A Midwife?

Midwifery week just came and went and it is just dawning on me to write a blurb about midwives! Where is my brain? 
People ask this questions a lot. The term midwifery means "with woman". Midwives have been present to assist with birth since the beginning of time. Historically, midwives were merely women who had given childbirth themselves and were handed down knowledge from their mothers and grandmothers to guide the laboring woman towards delivery. As time went on and we as a society put value in medicine and science, so midwives had to evolve. Now midwives are professionally trained with the science background similar to that of all other providers. Midwives are not the oil lamp holding, bicycle riding, labor coaches as portrayed in the media. We (by "we" in this blurb I am referring to Certified Nurse Midwives) are modern day medical providers who provide care to women across their entire lifespan. We counsel women about their bodies, provide annual GYN exams, offer family planning services including all forms of birth control, treat a variety of illnesses including sexually transmitted diseases, provide prenatal care, manage laboring women, attend deliveries in a hospital, and provide post partum support including breastfeeding counseling and post partum depression risk assessment.

Midwives have many faces which can be confusing..Here are the different types of midwives that currently practice.

First, there are Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM). These are registered nurses who went back to school for additional midwifery training at a Master's degree level and are certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board. These midwives often split their time between office and in-hospital settings providing gynecological, prenatal, and labor & delivery care. These midwives can deliver your baby and follow you through the post partum period. They work closely with other midwives and physicians to provide comprehensive care, however the only time you may need to be seen by a physician is if you develop medical complications, need a cesarean section, or require repair of an extensive laceration. All other aspects of your care can be provided by your midwife. CNM's can safely prescribe a full range of medications, treatments, and family planning methods including all methods of birth control.

Second, there are Certified Midwives (CM). These midwives have graduated from a Master's level midwifery education program just as CNM's do, however their bachelor's degree was not necessarily in nursing. Like CNMs, they have passed the national certification exam of the AMCB. CMs provide the same services as CNMs, practice in the same settings, and receive the same preparation as CNMs.

Third, there are Certified Professional Midwives (CPM) who are also independent practitioners. The main difference between a CPM and a CNM is that the do not need a college degree prior to their training. CPM's are certified by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). Their training is focused on out of hospital midwifery care i.e. some birthing centers and home deliveries. They cannot provide family planning services or prescribe medications.

When choosing a midwife it is important to understand what type of care you are looking for in addition to what your state's legal requirements are.

Where can I find more information on midwives???
Our Moment of Truth Campaign
Midwife.org