BirthWise Maternity Care, LC

Gentle Births Happen at Home    

More about Midwives

What are “Lay” Midwives?

Some people refer to any midwife who is not a Certified Nurse-Midwife as a “lay” midwife.  This is not really accurate.  The term “lay” refers to someone who has not received any formal training.  These midwives learn midwifery through experience.  In the old days it was typically an older woman who had raised her children and then worked with the local midwife until she was “on her own”.  These were also known as “granny” midwives. 

In more recent years (60’s and 70’s) there was a resurgence of the “lay” midwife who was simply a woman who was a trusted female friend who had either had a baby herself or had been present at a birth.  These women were pushed into midwifery by their friends who had rejected the hospital/medical model of birth.  Also known as “hippi” midwives, they were the pioneers in the natural birth/homebirth/midwife movement in America.

 

What is a Certified Professional Midwife?

A Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) is a direct-entry midwife who has completed a nationally standardized certification process administered by the North American Registry of Midwives.  This certification documents a midwife’s education (either through an accredited school or through an extensive portfolio evaluation process), clinical experience,  and her skills and knowledge through standardized skills and written examinations.  The Certified Professional Midwife credential is the only nationally administered credential which requires training specific to the out-of-hospital birth.  It is also the basis for licensure in most of the states that license direct-entry midwives.  Recently the largest homebirth study done to date showed that a homebirth attended by a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) was a very safe and satisfying option.

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Phone: 801-928-9089

E-mail: heather@birthwisemc.com