Mason, Andrea, Kalyssa and Kent
About Midwifery:
What is a Midwife?
In the modern American context, midwives are men and women trained in attending and assisting during childbirth, and are experts in women's health. We specialize in normal pregnancy and provide prenatal and postpartum care for parents and infants. Most midwives promote healthy pregnancies, support a
natural childbirth experience, and engage in minimal intervention. Obstetricians are physicians specialized in illnesses related to childbirth and in surgical birthing techniques, and may view birth as a process that requires mangement and more active intervention. Midwives are trained to recognize and to handle certain situations considered abnormal, but also refer to obstetricians when a situation is outside our area of expertise. What is a Midwife?
In the modern American context, midwives are men and women trained in attending and assisting during childbirth, and are experts in women's health. We specialize in normal pregnancy and provide prenatal and postpartum care for parents and infants. Most midwives promote healthy pregnancies, support a
What is a Certified Midwife? Licensed Midwife?
Licensed midwives are typically educated at an accredited 3 year program that includes hands-on clinical experience and are trained to attend cases of normal childbirth in a home, birthing clinic, or hospital environment. To become certified in California, we must successfully complete a comprehensive licensing examination administered by North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). We may then apply for licensure with the Medical Board of California, and are supervised by a practicing physician.
Certified Professional Midwives (CPM) and Licensed Midwives (LM) are different from Certified Nurse Midwives, who are Registered Nurses with additional training in women's health and who are certified by the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM).
Where can I get more information?
California Association of Midwives
http://www.californiamidwives.org/
Midwives of North America
http://www.mana.org/
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