|
Today's Midwife.
We are nationally certified, state licensed, educated, equipped and woman-centered.
|
|
Being a midwife today requires not only good clinical skills but also a broad understanding of
the social and emotional adaptation to birth, which a woman must go through. A midwife must
be clinically skilled and able to bring "woman-centered" practice to life.
Building on changes which have occurred in midwifery in the past decade, "the new midwife" is
a trained professional who specializes in normal childbirth. She offers expert care, education,
counseling and support to a woman and her newborn during the childbearing cycle.
|
| |
|
|
Nationally Certified
State Licensed
|
|
Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) are midwives with formal training who
have met a specific standard for education and who have documented a minimum
number of experiential hours in prenatal, delivery and postpartum care. They have
attained competency in various areas considered "core competencies" for midwifery
practice and have passed a standardized examination on these topics. National
Certification takes, on average, about three years to complete. CPMs qualify for
licensing in states that offer licensing options. Tennessee, along with about 22 other
states, offers Licensure to practice midwifery. Georgia and Alabama do not offer
Licensure at this time. Continuing education is required to maintain certification.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
- Midwives working in a home setting are well outfitted with essential childbirth equipment,
instruments, sterile supplies and medications. A sample of the midwife's bag includes:
electronic fetal doppler, fetoscope, stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, birth and suturing
instruments, thermometer, portable suction equipment, newborn resuscitation bag and
mask, baby scale, and sterile supplies such as syringes, needles, gloves, suture
material and urinary catheters.
- Midwives also carry and administer medications such as Oxytocic drugs for hemorrhage,
local anesthesia for suturing, oxygen, eye prophylaxis and Vitamin K.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
- The hallmark of midwifery is the time they spend with a woman.
- The national average time that a woman spends with her obstetrician in a prenatal
visit is 10 minutes.
- The average prenatal visit with a midwife is one hour.
- The value of spending time with a woman during a prenatal visit cannot be
- overemphasized. It lays the foundation for providing support, education and
- information. The concept of education and providing complete information is based on
the principle that parents are qualified to make decisions concerning their pregnancy
and birth. Midwives encourage women to be involved in active, ongoing participation and
decision making in all aspects of their pregnancy and birth. They are committed to
helping women identify areas where they can help themselves to have the healthiest
possible pregnancy and birth experience. Concurrently, the time that a midwife spends
with a woman plays a vital role in building trust and mutual respect. This important part
of the relationship contributes to an atmosphere of comfort during the birth process and
diminishes unwarranted anxiety of both parents-to-be.
|
| |
|
|
|
