What is a midwife?
Our certified nurse-midwives provide everything from routine wellness care to support at every stage of pregnancy.
What does a midwife do?
Certified nurse-midwives make sure you get care that’s in tune with your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs.
And our midwifery team isn’t just here to help you deliver your baby. They also offer:
- Prenatal care
- Delivery and postpartum care
- Birth control
- Routine wellness care
- Annual exams
- PAP smears
- Breast exams
- Hormone therapy
5 myths about midwives
Myth #1: Midwives aren’t extensively trained
Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) are registered nurses with a bachelor’s degree in nursing and a master’s degree in midwifery. To become certified, they must pass a national certification examination.
Myth #2: Midwives only attend births at home
More than 94 percent of births attended by CNMs occur in hospitals, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics.
Myth #3: Midwives can’t prescribe medications and order tests
CNMs are fully licensed to prescribe medication including pain medication and birth control. They can also order lab tests, diagnose conditions and counsel patients.
Myth #4: Midwives only deliver babies
As advanced practice nurses, CNMs are primary care providers who offer a full spectrum of prenatal care including labor, delivery and postpartum. They also provide gynecological care for women from adolescence through menopause, as well as screenings and annual exams.
Myth #5: Midwives don’t offer pain relief during labor
As a healthcare partner, CNMs work with their patients to develop a birth plan based around each person’s unique needs and wishes. That might include relaxation techniques, or IV or epidural medications during labor, if that’s what you want.
If you want or need to change your birth plan, they’ll talk with you about different options and resources.