Midwifery Training
Midwifery is a health care profession in which practitioners offer care to women during pregnancy, childbirth and immediately after delivery. Midwives provide care to women during standard pregnancies and deliveries. If complications develop, patients are referred to obstetricians or other doctors. Midwives work closely with pregnant women and their families, striving to reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy. There are several ways to train to become a midwife.
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Types
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There are two types of midwives in the United States, those that are trained in nursing before becoming midwives and those that are not. Certified nurse-midwives are registered nurses who have obtained additional training and certification in midwifery. Direct-entry midwives are trained to become midwives without becoming nurses first. According to MySmallBiz.com, in some states, people who are already in the medical profession can become midwives by enrolling in midwifery programs accredited by the American College of Nurse Midwives. Their title after graduating and passing the national certification exam is Certified Midwife (CM).
Certified Nurse-Midwives
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In order to become a nurse-midwife, you must first become a registered nurse. Training to become a registered nurse can be done through associate's degree programs, diploma programs in hospitals or bachelor's degree programs. Most nurse-midwifery programs require candidates to be RNs and some require a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Most programs accredited by the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM) lead to a master's degree. Courses studied usually include management of pregnancy and the postpartum phase, wellness care, newborn care, pharmacology, management of psychiatric symptoms and management of complications.
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Direct-Entry Midwives
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Training to become a direct-entry midwife can be done by attending accredited midwifery schools or through an apprenticeship. Direct-entry midwives sometimes complete their training through self-study. Some states regulate midwives and require certification, but not all states recognize midwives that have completed direct-entry programs. Check with your state's department of health to find out the requirements to become a midwife in your state.
Certified Professional Midwives
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The Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) and the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) have together created a certification credential to aid midwives who are not nurses. Students who graduate from MEAC-accredited schools may be deemed a certified professional midwife (CPM). Students may also receive this credential by completing NARM's competency-based portfolio evaluation process. See NARM requirements to become a CPM under Resources.
Considerations
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Midwives are specialists in standard birth. They are trained to thoroughly understand birth and to minimize the use of technology. Midwives encourage family participation during pregnancy and birth, and they give each mother personal attention and respectful treatment. They are taught to recognize that each woman and each pregnancy is different.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit pregnant woman image by TEA from Fotolia.com
