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 in 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. At our practice we assist women to give birth in a hospital LDR where you labor, deliver and recover in the same room and then are transferred to your private 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 and beyond.

Will my insurance pay for midwifery care?
Yes, most insurance companies reimburse nurse-midwives. In our practice we accept most insurances, Medicaid and Medicare 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 wear your own clothing, 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. IVs and continuous monitoring are not routine in our practice can be avoided if desired, unless deemed medically necessary.

What if I have a problem?
Midwives usually take 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 Dept 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. In addition if they choose they may have a Doula. Children two years old or more 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?
Traditional hospital routine usually necessitate separation of mom and baby for a short time while baby is assessed and bathed by the nursery staff. Women wanting total non separation from their babies, from birth till discharge, have that option in our practice and may request Baby's Bonus Program.

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.

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 midwives 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.
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