What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife?
10/3/2018
By Samantha Corral*, Certified Nurse Midwife, DNP
Oftentimes, when someone hears of a midwife, the first thing that comes to mind is a water birth, a home birth, and/or a natural approach to childbirth. While all of these have some validity, it is not the whole story of a certified nurse-midwife (CNM).
A certified nurse-midwife cares for women across the lifespan – from puberty to menopause. That means patients can see their midwife for birth control counseling, period problems, infertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding support, hormone therapy, and so much more. Certified nurse-midwives are a kind of advanced practice nurse, just like a nurse practitioner. All CNMs have a bachelor's degree in nursing and, at a minimum, a master’s degree in nursing practice. They can see patients independently and prescribe medications. While some CNMs choose to deliver in a home-setting or a birth center, most CNMs (94.3%) deliver in the hospital setting.
CNMs are skilled at physiologic birth, advocating that pregnancy and birth is a natural human process. In the absence of maternal or fetal complications, CNMs typically practice by the philosophy of minimal intervention. The “Midwife Model of Care” focuses on promoting a continuous and compassionate partnership, acknowledging a person’s life experiences and knowledge, including individualized methods of care and healing guided by the best evidence available, and involving therapeutic use of human presence and skillful communication.
However, midwife patients may just as readily have an epidural in labor as any other patient. Ultimately, the goal of a midwife is not to convince someone not to have an epidural. Rather, the goal is to aid women in achieving the best and most healthy pregnancy and delivery possible – and that will look different for different mothers. The CNM aims to arm women with coping skills and the confidence necessary for any birth, whether that’s a “natural birth” or otherwise.
About the Author: Samantha Corral is a CNM working with Creekside Center for Women and attending births at Willow Creek Women’s Hospital. She attended the University of Arkansas for her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor’s in Spanish Language. She then went on to earn her Master of Science in nursing at Oregon Health & Science University, followed by her Doctorate of nursing practice. She is currently pursuing a lactation consultant certification to better serve her postpartum mothers through breastfeeding challenges.
*Independent member of the medical staff
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