Certified Professional Midwife vs Certified Nurse Midwife
The practice of midwifery has long been known. At one point almost forgotten, but midwifery is quickly making a comeback as more mothers option for out-of-hospital births in a variety of settings such as a birth center setting and home birth settings.
Whether you’re just a curious mother to be, trying to decide what healthcare professional would be the best for you during your pregnancy, labor and birth and prenatal and postnatal period, or whether you’re wanting to qualify as a midwife, doing your research and getting all the information is essential in the choice you’ll make.
What is a midwife?
Midwifery is an ancient practice that dates back to at least 40,000 B.C. It has evolved alongside medicine and technology to what it is today. In general, a midwife is a trained professional who assists women during pregnancy and labor. Midwives may also assist during the postpartum period (6 weeks after childbirth) and with newborn care.
What does a midwife do?
Midwives provide personalized care to moms and babies by monitoring their physical, psychological, and social well-being before, during, and after birth. Midwives minimize the need for medical interventions by providing moms with education, counselling, prenatal care, and hands-on assistance.
The benefits of having a midwife
- Decreased chance of induced labor and anesthesiaÂ
- Lower chance of preterm birth and caesarean deliveryÂ
- Lower infection ratesÂ
- Lower infant mortality rateÂ
- Fewer overall complications
What are the different types of midwives?
There are five types of midwives – each offering a different level of care to moms and babies:
1. Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNM)Â
2. Certified Midwives (CM)Â
3. Certified Professional Midwives (CPM)Â
4. Direct-Entry Midwives
5. Lay Midwives
What is a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)?
A certified nurse-midwife is a highly trained healthcare professional who have completed a degree in nursing before training as a midwife. CNMs have a wide scope of practice due to additional training, as they care for women throughout adolescence to the end of life and are not only involved during pregnancy and birth.
However, CNMs play a crucial role during labor and will most likely spend more time with you during childbirth than your doctor. CNMs can coach you through labor but can’t perform C-sections or deliveries via vacuum or forceps.
What is a Certified Midwife or a certified Professional Midwife (CM/CPM)?
CPMs are midwives who have not completed nursing training before completing training as a midwife. They monitor women’s complete pre- and postnatal well-being and refer women to an obstetrician if needed.
CPMs provide moms with education, counselling, prenatal care, assistance during labor and delivery as well as support, but use as few technological interventions as possible.
What are the similarities between a CNM and a CPM?
Training to acquire the CNM or CPM credential requires formal education, completing a certain number of clinical training hours, attending a certain number of births, as well as registration with professional healthcare bodies.
As such, they are both considered healthcare professionals. A CNM can provide all the care (and more) a CPM can provide, which includes prenatal care, managing labor, attending vaginal deliveries, repairing vaginal lacerations, and providing postpartum care.
What are the differences between a CNM and a CPM?
A CPM focuses on pregnancy and birth while the scope of practice of a CNM extends from adolescence to the end of life. As such, CNMs can also perform procedures for women’s health such as wellness exams, pap smears, sexual health, inserting birth control, colposcopies, and endometrial biopsies.
A CNM can also prescribe medication in some cases, whereas a CPM cannot. CPMs generally assist women during home births or at a birthing clinic and cannot practice in hospitals. CNMs can work in hospitals, birth centers, at home, offices, and clinics.
Should I have a CNM or a CPM?
In general, both CNMs and CPMs assist low-risk women during pregnancy and childbirth and will refer a woman to a doctor if need be. When choosing between a CNM and CPM, it is important to take into account the setting of your birth and the level of care you would like to receive. Either way, studies have shown that having a midwife present during childbirth improves the overall health of both mother and baby.
What is a lay midwife?
Traditional Midwives, sometimes referred to as lay midwives or community midwives, are uncertified or unlicensed midwives who often have informal education, such as apprenticeships or self-study, rather than a formal education from accredited institutions.
The legal status of lay midwives in the health care setting differs between countries, each will have their own requirements and laws regarding working in the profession, whether qualified or unqualified.
Are doulas the same as midwives?
Doulas are similar to midwives in that they offer emotional and physical support to moms but are different from midwives as they cannot offer any medical care.
Doulas are not medically or clinically trained and are not licensed to offer medical services. But doulas make an excellent additional to the collaborative care team, ensuring a mom has the best support in achieving her birthing goals.
Prenatal, labor and delivery and postpartum professionals to have on your team
Childbirth educators
Childbirth Educators play a crucial role in preparing expectant parents for labor and delivery. They provide information on what to expect during childbirth, pain management options, and newborn care. Their educational sessions help alleviate fears, clarify medical procedures, and empower parents to make informed decisions.
Doulas
Doulas offer continuous emotional and physical support throughout pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period. They are trained to provide comfort measures, advocate for the birthing person’s preferences, and assist with basic needs during labor. Their presence has been shown to reduce stress and improve overall satisfaction with the birth experience.
Midwives
Midwives are skilled professionals who offer prenatal, birth, and postpartum care, often focusing on natural childbirth and a personalized approach. They monitor the health of both the parent and baby, provide prenatal check-ups, assist with labor and delivery, and offer postpartum support. Midwives can work in various settings, including homes, birthing centers, and hospitals, and are known for fostering a supportive and collaborative birth environment.
Lactation consultants
Lactation Consultants specialize in supporting breastfeeding and lactation. They assist with latching issues, milk supply concerns, and feeding techniques, helping new parents overcome challenges and establish a successful breastfeeding routine. Their expertise is crucial for addressing common breastfeeding difficulties and ensuring the baby’s nutritional needs are met.
Important notes on midwife led births
We all the benefits of natural vaginal birth, and what better way to achieve this the with the help of a certified midwife?
Midwife led births are usually suited for low-risk people. If you need specialized gynecological care for whatever reason, an Obstetrician may be the best option for you. Remember, you can still have a natural vaginal birth under the care of a doctor when medically possible.
The specific options that you’ll have will depend on the country that you live in as each country will have their own requirements and laws regarding the midwifery practice and the different birth settings.
For the best possible information regarding labor and birth is to contact a midwife near you.
Additional information and resources
Certified Nurse Midwife vs. Certified Professional Midwife: Why I Chose to Become a CNM
