Midwives Are not doulas
As a birth doula, whenever I have the opportunity to work alongside a midwife, I never fail to notice the personal connection and care they have with their clients. Midwives not only ask medical questions about their client's pregnancy, but also questions about their personal life. By doing so I find that midwives formulate personalized care based on their clients physical, spiritual, and emotional needs. Their goal is to empower women so that they feel confident in their own body. This is a key piece that I find is missing from the modern birth experience. This is for a variety of reasons such as: racial biases, overworked staff, and the list goes on.
Today I am going to answer 3 questions on how you can tap into midwifery care for yourself and your community:
What midwifery options do I have in my state?
What types of midwives are out there?
What are some hospital alternatives?
What midwifery options do I have in my state?
Check out Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) to see what your local options are. Each state has its own laws on midwifery.
What types of midwives are out there?
Nurse Midwives are licensed through the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) and are allowed to practice in and outside of hospital settings (clinics, birth centers, and homes). Nurse Midwives can do both Obstetrics (pregnancy and vaginal births) and Gynecological care for non pregnant women. Some Nurse midwives can even prescribe medications. Since Nurse midwives have more funding and access to clients, you will likely see them work alongside teams of other healthcare providers.
Certified Professional (CPM) /Direct-Entry Midwives are certified through North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) and are only allowed to practice in out-of-hospital settings. Their focus is solely on pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. If given permission by the state some CPM's are able to prescribe certain medications during and or after birth. (I.e. Laughing gas for contractions)
Each route to becoming a Midwife varies yet the goal is to provide holistic, safe, and personalized care.
What are some hospital Alternatives?
Home Birth:
This is an option for "healthy" pregnancies. There are certain blood tests and numbers you must have in order to be cleared to plan a homebirth. Home Births give pregnant people the option to labor in their own space. Being relaxed during birth makes the process less strenuous on your mind, body, and baby. There is prep work that goes into having all the equipment necessary for a safe, clean home birth. Your midwife goes over all these fun details with you months in advance.
Birth Center:
Birth Centers are the happy medium. You don't have to deal with the stress that comes with going to the hospital and you don't have to worry about prepping and/or cleaning up your home birth. Birthing centers are like staying at a hotel catered to making your birth experience as safe and relaxing as possible. Each birthing center is different from how they look to how they are ran. Some birth centers are ran through hospitals while others are run privately by OB-Gyn’s, Midwives, and or Nurse Practitioners. Depending on who is in charge will determine what protocol is for various pregnancy and birth scenarios.
When researching your in and out of hospital options it is important to find out what protocol is. (i.e. If labor stalls will I need to be transported to the hospital? ). Knowledge gives you the power to make informed decisions not fear-based.
Quick history lesson
Midwives (formerly known as Lay Midwives) in the US was a profession done by mainly black women. In the 1920s white male doctors realized there was a monopoly in birth. Articles were published by state officials stating that home births were deemed unsafe and unclean. Anyone who had home births was breaking the law and Midwives were treated like outcasts. In the 1940s going to the hospital became a trend amongst Caucasians and over time our society has adopted going to the hospital for healthy pregnancies as "normal".
Hospitals serve their purpose for high-risk pregnancies and or emergency situations. A healthy pregnancy is not a sickness and more women and families should have access to other alternatives. The birth community is on a mission to reclaiming birth as something natural, communal, and beautiful! Join us by sharing this article with others, knowledge is power.