What Is Midwifery?

The traditional and historic care of women throughout their pregnancy, birth and postpartum is midwifery care. Though the last 100 years saw a transfer of the process from homes into hospitals and from midwifes to doctors, midwifery never disappeared from the scene. Studies continually declare the safety and satisfaction of midwifery care and homebirth for women who are low risk.

Certified Professional Midwives , CPMs, are autonomous providers who abide by the laws of their state and the guidelines of MANA ( Midwives Association of North America). Midwives oversee the healthy pregnancy by providing education along the process of pregnancy in the preparation for labor and birth. Testing, ultrasounds and options in care are offered and explained while incorporating the desires, beliefs and needs of the family . We come alongside the family in a partnership while offering guidance with respect to the families wishes. We offer consult to other care professionals when needed or desired by the family. There is a continuation of care ensuring the person coming into your home to assist you through your labor and birth is someone you know.

This century has been a reclaiming of pregnancy, labor and birth as well as lactation and early child care by the women who no longer will accept the status quo. Technology has allowed all of us the access to the secrets. We can watch videos from the moment of conception through fetal development, then view the labor and birth of a baby. Women began to understand that this was not something they needed rescue from and once again started to request a midwife to care for them. From the state level to nationwide midwives have united to create standards and collect statistical data. New forms of licensing and certification assure clients of the training and education their chosen midwife has achieved. There remains a vast array of people who use the term midwife for the care they provide. By meeting with and interviewing midwives a family can find the care giver best suited to their family . Midwifery Care and homebirth should not be thought of as a new and trendy experience but as the time tested standard of care for families who want to retain a voice and be a part of the choices in their pregnancy and birth while desires and needs are respected and met.