Exciting news! Your pregnancy test is positive. Now it\u2019s time to choose a clinician to care for you throughout pregnancy. There are several options to consider, including doctors (MD or DO), nurse practitioners (NPs), and certified nurse midwives (CNMs).<\/p>\n
When people hear that I\u2019m a midwife, they often assume I deliver babies at home. I love to use these opportunities to explain what I do as a certified nurse midwife (CNM). Let\u2019s dive in, and I\u2019ll explain what we are all about!<\/p>\n
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) are experts in low-risk prenatal care and birth. They independently care for women with low-risk pregnancies. A midwife can also collaborate with an obstetrician to care for women with high-risk pregnancies. If you have a pregnancy complicated by conditions like high blood pressure, multiple fetuses, diabetes, or seizures, you will need to have an obstetrician take care of you, but in many cases you can also partner with a midwife for additional support.<\/p>\n
A midwife can assist you in keeping you and your baby as healthy as possible. Most work with a group of midwives.\u00a0 Each day one is on call for labor and births, and the others see families in the clinic or run group prenatal visits. You may not be able to choose which midwife is at your delivery, but by meeting multiple midwives in the practice during your prenatal care, you\u2019ll probably have met the one who is at your birth.<\/p>\n
There are several types of midwives. CNMs are the most highly trained type of midwife. They\u2019re registered nurses with an additional graduate-level nurse-midwifery degree and a general nursing degree. They must pass the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) national certification exam.<\/p>\n
CNMs can care for women from their teenage years through menopause. Their training is typically in a hospital setting, but CNMs can practice in any birth location. With their licensing, CNMs can prescribe medications in all 50 states.<\/p>\n
The term \u201cmidwife\u201d includes several types besides certified nurse midwives. It\u2019s essential to understand the differences so you can make the best choice for your care.<\/p>\n
CNMs provide different types of care depending on the practice setting. In some locations, CNMs care for women throughout their lifespan. In others, they only care for women during pregnancy, birth, and the first few weeks after giving birth. Their scope of practice can include:<\/p>\n
Healthcare provided by educated, trained, regulated, and licensed certified nurse midwives has many benefits, including the following:<\/p>\n
There are many reasons to choose a CNM as your care partner. As a CNM, I am passionate about providing excellent, evidence-based, compassionate, and supportive\u00a0care. I want you to be empowered to speak up, share your wishes and concerns, and feel confident in making healthcare choices and decisions.<\/p>\n
When parents choose nurse midwives, I see them actively involved in their pregnancies. It brings me joy to receive feedback from families about the wonderful care they experienced. Even more important, it\u2019s rewarding to see the safe and excellent outcomes midwifery care provides.<\/p>\n\n