What does a midwife do?

The word midwife means "with woman." Midwives are skilled care providers who give advice and care to mothers and babies during pregnancy, labor, birth, and after the delivery. Midwives view pregnancy and childbirth as normal states for the healthy mother, and believe that unnecessary interference with the birth process is unwise and can lead to complications.

What types of midwives are there?

There are three main types of midwives: Certified Nurse Midwives, Direct-Entry Midwives, and Certified Professional Midwives. Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) have a bachelor's degree in Nursing and a master's degree in Midwifery. They are state-licensed, can prescribe medication, have hospital privileges, and their fees are covered by most insurance companies. Most CNMs work in the hospital, but some offer homebirth. CNMs are an excellent choice for women wanting a hospital birth.

Direct-Entry Midwives (DEMs) is an inclusive term for any midwife who is not a nurse. These midwives include: traditional midwives, licensed midwives, lay midwives and some Certified Professional Midwives (see the next paragraph). These midwives have received their training by either attending a Direct-Entry School or completing an apprenticeship. Many midwives do a combination of both. If the state where the midwife is practicing offers licensing, the midwife may take the exam. DEMs predominantly assist at homebirths and work at free-standing birth centers. The legality and possibility of licensure for DEMs varies from state to state. In Wisconsin and Minnesota, Direct-Entry Midwives who are CPMs are legal and they can be licensed.

Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) are either CNMs or DEMs who have gone through the certifying system of the North American Registry of Midwives. This is an extensive process that involves documenting a required amount of experience and training and satisfactorily completing a skills exam and a written exam. Many states that license DEMs require that the midwife must become a CPM to get a state license. This is the case in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Licensed midwives in Minnesota are called Licensed Traditional Midwives (LTM). In Wisconsin, licensed midwives are called Licensed Midwives (LM).