Why Midwives?
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For centuries, women have attended and assisted other women during labor and birth.
Midwife means “with woman," yet as modern medicine emerged in the West, birth fell into the realm of the medical. Since women were barred from attending medical schools, men became the birth practitioners. Having never had a baby themselves, they were unable to approach women and childbirth with the inner knowledge and experience of a woman. Childbirth became viewed as pathological rather than natural. Medical techniques and interventions that were unnecessary and often dangerous became commonplace. |
During the 1960s and ’70s, along with the women’s movement and renewed interest in home birth, the midwifery movement rekindled. It has been growing steadily ever since. Midwives are becoming more and more involved with birthing families and have been instrumental in redefining birth as a natural event in women’s lives.
Midwifery empowers women and their families throughout pregnancy and birth.
Midwifery empowers women and their families throughout pregnancy and birth.
Midwives Model of Care™ Is Woman-Centered
The Midwives Model of Care™ is a fundamentally different approach to pregnancy and childbirth than contemporary obstetrics. Midwifery care is uniquely nurturing, hands-on care before, during, and after birth. Midwives are health care professionals specializing in pregnancy
and childbirth who develop a trusting relationship with their clients, which results in confident, supported labor and birth. While there are different types of midwives practicing in various settings, all midwives are trained to provide comprehensive prenatal care and education, guide labor and birth, address complications, and care for newborns.
The Midwives Model of Care™ is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life events. The Midwives Model of Care™ includes:
The application of this model has been proven to reduce to incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.
(Midwives Model of Care™ definition is Copyrighted © by the Midwifery Task Force, all rights reserved)
and childbirth who develop a trusting relationship with their clients, which results in confident, supported labor and birth. While there are different types of midwives practicing in various settings, all midwives are trained to provide comprehensive prenatal care and education, guide labor and birth, address complications, and care for newborns.
The Midwives Model of Care™ is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life events. The Midwives Model of Care™ includes:
- monitoring the physical, psychological and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle
- providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support
- minimizing technological interventions and identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention
The application of this model has been proven to reduce to incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.
(Midwives Model of Care™ definition is Copyrighted © by the Midwifery Task Force, all rights reserved)
Types of Midwives
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
A Certified Nurse-Midwife is a registered nurse who is educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery and has been certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). She may work through a hospital, in a birth center or in an independent home birth practice in collaboration with a physician. Only about 150 CNMs do home births, however, because they are required to have a written collaboration agreement with a physician.
Certified Professional Midwife (CPM)
A CPM is certified by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). She has generally passed both a written test and a skills exam. Her training may be through an academic setting or it may be through the time-honored apprenticeship model, or even a combination of the two.
Apprenticeship is encouraged. CPMs work in birth centers or at home. As of 2007, 24 states regulate the practice of home birth midwifery through either licensure, certification or registration with the state. In 11 states, the practice of direct entry midwifery is illegal (Source:
MANA.org). More complete definitions and explanations can be found in Paths to Becoming a Midwife.
Lay Midwife
A lay midwife is a woman who has apprenticed with an experienced midwife and may have attended school or workshops and classes to supplement her education. She attends births at home or in birth centers. She may be affiliated with a physician, but she is not under the
physician’s directive. She either chooses not to be certified or certification may not be available in her practice region.
A Certified Nurse-Midwife is a registered nurse who is educated in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery and has been certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). She may work through a hospital, in a birth center or in an independent home birth practice in collaboration with a physician. Only about 150 CNMs do home births, however, because they are required to have a written collaboration agreement with a physician.
Certified Professional Midwife (CPM)
A CPM is certified by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). She has generally passed both a written test and a skills exam. Her training may be through an academic setting or it may be through the time-honored apprenticeship model, or even a combination of the two.
Apprenticeship is encouraged. CPMs work in birth centers or at home. As of 2007, 24 states regulate the practice of home birth midwifery through either licensure, certification or registration with the state. In 11 states, the practice of direct entry midwifery is illegal (Source:
MANA.org). More complete definitions and explanations can be found in Paths to Becoming a Midwife.
Lay Midwife
A lay midwife is a woman who has apprenticed with an experienced midwife and may have attended school or workshops and classes to supplement her education. She attends births at home or in birth centers. She may be affiliated with a physician, but she is not under the
physician’s directive. She either chooses not to be certified or certification may not be available in her practice region.