Offering Phoenix families
EMPOWERING AND EXPERIENCED
HOME BIRTH MIDWIFERY CARE
SINCE 1981
FAQs
WHAT IS A MIDWIFE?
“Midwives are the traditional care providers for mothers and infants. Midwives are trained professionals with expertise and skills in supporting women to maintain healthy pregnancies and have optimal births and recoveries during the postpartum period.
Midwives provide women with individualized care uniquely suited to their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs.
Midwifery is a woman-centered empowering model of maternity care that is utilized in all of the countries of the world with the best maternal and infant outcomes such as The Netherlands, United Kingdom and Canada.”
(from: http://www.mana.org/about-midwives/what-is-a-midwife)
WHAT IS A CPM? OR LM?
CPM stands for Certified Professional Midwife. A CPM is an independent midwifery practitioner who has met the standards for certification set by the North American Registry of Midwives. The CPM is the only international credential that requires knowledge about and experience in out of hospital births. (http://narm.org/)
The state of Arizona regulates the practice of midwifery through a process of licensure. In order to receive licensure (LM) in Arizona, a midwife must meet requirements determined by the state including holding a CPM (certified professional midwife), current CPR and NRP (neonatal resuscitation), as well as the passing of a state administered examination. (www.azdhs.gov/als/midwife)
IS A MIDWIFE LIKE A DOULA?
Not really. Doulas are trained support professionals. Doulas provide physical and emotional support to mothers before, during and after birth.
Doulas, unlike midwives, are not health care providers and do not provide clinical care.
We love doulas at labors though! “Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.” (from: www.dona.org/mothers)
WHAT ABOUT PAIN IN LABOR?
In your home environment, you are naturally in a more relaxed state than a woman who has moved from her comfort zone to a foreign environment. This simple and all important difference in and of itself reduces your discomfort during labor as you move freely the way your body tells you to do.
In over 2000 births and over 40 years of collective homebirth experience, only a handful of women have requested to be transported to a hospital for pain relief.
Your birth attendants are skilled in supporting you during labor by suggesting changes or additions you can make to ease discomfort. You might also consider hiring a doula.
Many refer to water as “nature's epidural”, don’t underestimate the relaxing effects of immersing yourself in the warm water of the labor pool.
Your body was made to do the work of labor and birthing babies!
WHAT IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG?
"Throughout your pregnancy, labor and birth your midwife will regularly assess you and your baby's health. If you begin labor healthy, you should expect to have a normal, natural childbirth.
Midwives are experts in normal, natural childbirth. They have been trained to recognize the early signs of medical complications that may occasionally arise. In the rare circumstance a complication occurs, midwives are prepared with oxygen, neo-natal resuscitation equipment, anti-hemorrhagic methods as well as a transport plan should something arise that cannot or should not be handled at home. In that case she will transport to your local hospital and stay with you throughout your birth as your advocate."