What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)?
Certified nurse-midwives are registered nurses who have graduated from a nurse-midwifery education program which has been accredited by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Division of Accreditation (DOA) and have passed a national certification examination to receive the professional designation of certified nurse-midwife. The certified nurse-midwife is then eligible to apply for licensure and meet the requirements of the state in which she wishes to practice midwifery. Nurse-midwives have been practicing in the U.S. since the 1920s.
Midwives provide personalized care, focusing on education so you can take a more active role n maintaining a healthy pregnancy. They attend women during labor and birth and are trained and experienced in prenatal, postpartum and normal newborn care. In addition to maternity care, midwives provide primary health care to women including gynecological care, breast examinations, Pap smears, family planning and provide hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women. Midwives provide care that meets the unique physical, spiritual and social needs of women.
Where do midwives practice?
Midwives practice in many settings, including home, birth center and hospital. This practice assists women at Fremont Medical Center. Fremont Medical Center gives you the opportunity to give birth in a hospital LDR where you labor, deliver and recover in the same room and then are transferred to your postpartum room with 24 hour rooming-in available.
Who do midwives care for?
Midwives provide primary health care to women of all ages, from puberty through menopause.
Will my insurance pay for midwifery care?
Yes, most insurance companies reimburse nurse-midwives. In our practice we accept most insurance, including Medi-Cal and self pay.
Will I be able to avoid interventions?
In our practice we support your choices for labor and birth and provide low tech care with the options to labor and give birth in any position, labor in the shower, have light intake of food and drink fluids while there is normal labor progression.
What if I have a problem?
Midwives usually take care of women who are healthy, but are trained to recognize any change from normal. They work in collaboration with a physician should problems develop. In our practice we are part of the Department of Ob/Gyn and have good working relationship with the physicians who are available for consultation 24 hours a day. We are able to manage with the physician women who develop problems.
Who can be with me at my birth?
Women may have two support persons of their choice. Siblings may attend the birth, but will need to have advance preparation and be supervised by a second adult support person.
Will my baby be separated from me at any time?
Traditionally, babies stay with their mothers for the entire hospital stay. 24 hour rooming in allows you and your baby to get to know each other before your return home. However, occasionally it is necessary for the nursery staff or your pediatrician to assess your baby in the nursery.
What options do I have for pain management?
In our practice we encourage and support pregnancy and birth as a normal process and provide women with educational resources to gain knowledge about all the options available. We support every woman's informed choice for pain relief in labor; our only requirement is an informed decision. All methods of pain relief are available including epidurals.
How can I learn more about the midwifery practice?
You can contact us any time by e-mail, telephone or at our address listed below. We invite you come to Meet the Midwife provided the first Thursday of each month 7pm to 8pm for a free orientation to our practice and tour of the labor & delivery rooms and postpartum units. Please email Lori to sign up at yubacitymidwife@comcast.net. Dates to be announced.
