What is a midwife?
A Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) is a trained professional who have their Master or Doctorate degree in nursing. They provide primary healthcare to women throughout their lifetime. This includes services like gynecologic exams, preconception care, family planning service, prenatal care, labor and delivery, newborn care, menopausal management, and counseling in disease maintenance and disease prevention. A midwife treats from adolescence through menopause. There are many common misconceptions about midwifery. The following questions answer common myths.
Do midwives only deliver at home or in a birthing center?
CNM’s can choose to deliver at home, in birthing centers, or at the hospital. Each state has different licensing regulations. Most of the CNM’s today deliver in the hospital setting and collaborate with OB/GYNs should any problems arise. The fact is all of these places are options to give birth. It’s your CHOICE. Midwives will always support your right to choose the place of birth—whether it is home, at a birthing center, or in the hospital.
If I have a midwife I can’t have an epidural?
This is false. Choice is one of the cornerstones of midwifery. The midwife is there to inform you of your benefits/risks of all options and counsel you through birth but the pregnant woman is always the primary decision maker. Under the care of a midwife you have a variety of options to choose from including massage, counter pressure techniques, positional assistance, shower/tub availability, as well as IV pain medication and EPIDURALS.
If I go to a midwife my care won’t be as good as a physician?
Patients can expect to receive excellent care from a midwife. In fact, numerous studies have proven that midwifery care can have equal or improved outcomes. Studies show that midwifery clients experience lower rates of forceps and vacuum extractions, Cesarean sections, episiotomies, infections, and babies born requiring resuscitation.
If I have a midwife, I cannot get prenatal tests?
Midwives offer all testing during pregnancy. This includes ultrasounds, blood work, genetic screening, and stress tests for babies. Midwives spend a great deal of time explaining the purpose of each test and the potential outcome of each test before you make the informed decision have the test done.
Are a midwife and a doula are the same thing?
While a doula may offer the same emotional and physical support to a woman during labor as a midwife does, she doesn’t provide medical care or delivery of the baby. The focus of a midwife is the medical side of things including monitoring mom and baby, delivering the baby, and postpartum care. For the doula it’s the non-medical side focusing more on labor support. Midwives highly respect, encourage, and welcome doulas.