Midwifery Resources and Web Links

Midwives Alliance of North America - "In 1982, the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) was established as a professional organization for all midwives, recognizing the diversity of educational backgrounds and practice styles within the profession. Its goal is to unify and strengthen the profession of midwifery, thereby improving the quality of health care for women, babies, and communities."

Citizens for Midwifery - "Citizens for Midwifery is a non-profit, volunteer, grassroots organization. Founded by several mothers in 1996, it is the only national consumer-based group promoting the Midwives Model of Care."

Coalition for Improved Maternity Services - "The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) is a coalition of individuals and national organizations with concern for the care and well-being of mothers, babies, and families. Our mission is to promote a wellness model of maternity care that will improve birth outcomes and substantially reduce costs. This evidence-based mother-, baby-, and family-friendly model focuses on prevention and wellness as the alternatives to high-cost screening, diagnosis, and treatment programs."

Foundation for the Advancement of Midwifery - "The Foundation for the Advancement of Midwifery (FAM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to midwifery in North America through education, research and public policy. Consistent independent research shows that expanding the midwives model of care in North America improves maternal and infant health outcomes, reduces unnecessary and costly medical interventions, and increases patient satisfaction. FAM receives its support from foundations, midwives, and those individuals who embrace the midwives model of care."

Mothers Naturally - "Mothers Naturally is a public education program from the Midwives Alliance of North America. The goal of Mothers Naturally is to increase the number of safe and positive births by educating and informing the public about natural birth options and empowering women to make pregnancy and birth choices appropriate for their lives."

The North American Registry of Midwives - "The North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) is an international certification agency whose mission is to establish and administer certification for the credential "Certified Professional Midwife" (CPM). CPM certification validates entry-level knowledge, skills, and experience vital to responsible midwifery practice. This international certification process encompasses multiple educational routes of entry including apprenticeship, self-study, private midwifery schools, college- and university- based midwifery programs, and nurse-midwifery. Created in 1987 by the Midwives' Alliance of North America (MANA), NARM is committed to identifying standards and practices that reflect the excellence and diversity of the independent midwifery community in order to set the standard for North American midwifery."

More Midwifery Links

The Midwifery Model of Care

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will instruct his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease."

- Thomas Alva Edison

For me, this statement embodies the midwifery model of care.

Midwives generally approach birth from the perspective that if it's not broken, don't fix it. Midwives help women approach pregnancy in a holistic fashion: taking into account diet, lifestyle, personal and emotional well-being, and more in helping a pregnant woman stay healthy and low-risk and avoid complications rather than expect them and react to them.

This isn't to say that midwives are ill-equipped to handle problems. They are trained to know what to watch for, and when transfer of care may be needed if something is beyond their scope of practice. Even home birth midwives come to a birth equipped with knowledge as well as tools in case there is a need for it. I was a little surprised when I was in labor with my planned home birth and my midwife showed up with an oxygen tank along with her other tools. She set it aside and never needed to use it, but it was there just in case.

Birth is a natural process, not inherently dangerous

Yes, there are complications that can come up in birth, and there are times when medical intervention is definitely needed. The majority of the time, however, no such intervention is warranted.

According to Grantly Dick-Read in his book "Childbirth Without Fear" 95% of all births are low-risk and require no medical intervention whatsoever.

The Midwives Model of Care™ is based on the fact that pregnancy and birth are normal life events.

The Midwives Model of Care includes:

• monitoring the physical, psychological and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle
• providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support
• minimizing technological interventions and;
• identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention
  

The application of this model has been proven to reduce the incidence of birth injury, trauma, and cesarean section.

The Midwives Model of Care definition above is Copyright © 1996-2001, Midwifery Task Force, All Rights Reserved.

I've written many times before about midwives. Here is an older blog post that might be of interest:
Differences Between Physician and Midwife - My Personal Reflections

In the coming weeks I will be posting a series of blog posts about midwives, along with some personal experiences and advice from some of my friends. If you have any questions or comments, or would like to share your own experience, please feel free to post a comment below.

Women Seek Humanistic Care in Pregnancy, Labor & Birth

"Women are not seeking “designer” births. They are looking for humanistic care during pregnancy, labor and birth and are increasingly having difficulty finding that in many hospitals."

Media out of focus on Midwifery - The New Haven Register