How to find a good midwife

To become a certified nurse-midwife CNM , they must also pass the national midwifery certification board exam and hold state licensure. In many places around the world, midwives, rather than doctors, are the most frequent birth attendant. A common misconception is that midwives only care for pregnant women, but in fact, you can see a midwife through many stages of your life. Midwives are growing in popularity across the U. In addition to pregnancy, birth and postpartum care, they also commonly provide annual exams, educational support, birth control, sexually transmitted infection STI screenings and more.

SEE VIDEO BY TOPIC: How to Find a Certified Midwife

Content:

• How to Find a Midwife for a Hospital Birth
• 9 questions to ask before choosing a midwife
• How do I choose a midwife?
• Choosing a midwife or specialist doctor
• How To Choose A Midwife
• How do I find a midwife?
• The 4 Kinds of Midwives and How to Choose the Best One for You

SEE VIDEO BY TOPIC: What is a midwife: Expert Q&A

How to Find a Midwife for a Hospital Birth

This page has a list of questions that you can ask that may help you to choose your midwife or specialist doctor. This is important for your health and for your baby. Most women choose a midwife but you may wish to choose a specialist doctor an obstetrician.

In some places a general practitioner a GP who has been specially trained to care for pregnant women may be available. Specialist care will be provided if you need it at any stage, no matter who your lead maternity carer is. Visit Find Your Midwife or talk to your doctor or nurse about choosing a midwife or specialist doctor.

Maternity care is a partnership between you and the midwife or specialist doctor whom you have chosen. You should also be clear about sharing your preferences, health history and any ongoing concerns with your midwife or specialist doctor. We've provided a list of questions you can ask before you choose your midwife or specialist doctor. Skip to main content. Home Your health Pregnancy and kids Services and support during pregnancy Choosing a midwife or specialist doctor.

Choosing a midwife or specialist doctor. Questions to ask your midwife or specialist doctor We've provided a list of questions you can ask before you choose your midwife or specialist doctor. Questions about maternity care Will you be my only carer, or will others be involved? Many midwives work in teams. If your main carer is a specialist doctor you will see a midwife as well while you are in labour and giving birth, and in the early weeks after giving birth.

See the questions below if you are choosing a specialist doctor. How can I contact you if I need help or advice in and out of normal working hours? Are you taking leave in the month or months before or after my baby is due? What choices do you offer for where I give birth eg, hospital, maternity unit, birthing unit, home birth, water birth?

Where will I see you for my pregnancy check-up visits? Will you visit me in my home? Will I go to a clinic? How many visits can I expect to have? Will you visit me at home in early labour? What happens if you are away or with someone else when I go into labour?

Will I be able to meet your backup midwife or doctor? What happens if I need specialist care during my pregnancy or my labour? If this happens, will you continue to care for me? Who will be caring for me after the birth — in hospital and when I go home? If I stay in hospital, what will your role be? After baby is born, how many visits can I expect, both in hospital and at home, and for how many weeks? Between visits, are you available for me to phone you for advice?

Can I give feedback on the care you give? How would you describe the maternity care that you give in pregnancy, labour and birth? What is your philosophy about childbirth? How many other women have you got booked who are due about the same time as me? Further questions if you are choosing a specialist doctor to provide your care Will I have to pay — and if so, for what, how much and when?

Who will be my midwife during labour? Can I meet the midwife who will care for me during labour? Who will visit me at home when I go home from hospital?

Call Healthline on for health advice. You choose who provides your maternity care. You might also be interested in Common complaints during pregnancy Your body will change — find out what to expect. Helpful advice during pregnancy Here is helpful advice to help answer some of the questions you may have about being pregnant. And once your baby is born Safe sleep Find out how to keep your baby safe in bed. Breastfeeding Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby.

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9 questions to ask before choosing a midwife

Updated: March 29, References. Once you have decided to select a midwife to consult during pregnancy and to deliver your baby, you must work to choose the best one for you. Many women choose midwives because of their increased focus on the individual during pregnancy with the minimum amount of medical intervention. Typically, midwives offer a personal, holistic approach to pregnancy and childbirth that some women feel many obstetricians and hospitals lack. When considering your options, keep in mind that there are different types of midwives with different sets of expertise.

It is a good idea to try to contact a midwife clinic as early in the pregnancy as possible to ensure that they have space for you. If you need help your family doctor may be able to give you the names midwifery clinics in your area. The demand for midwives is larger than the number of midwives available. You may be placed on a wait list; you can put your name on a few lists to ensure you get a midwife as soon as a place becomes available.

How do I choose a midwife?

One of the many decisions that a mother-to-be may consider is whether or not she will choose to have a midwife. A midwife plays many roles during pregnancy, but primarily acts as a personal coach for the future mother. A midwife provides emotional support and offers advice for any questions the mother may have. A midwife also aids in preparing the mother for labor and birth, and usually stays with the mother immediately after the birth. A CNM assists women through all aspects of pregnancy. In addition to emotional support and guidance, a CNM can perform routine gynecological procedures, educate parents about nutrition and exercise, family planning services, and deliver babies. A certified nurse midwife is one of several types of midwives.

Choosing a midwife or specialist doctor

Midwives have been around for centuries, and historically, it was common practice for midwives to attend most births. Although today more than 90 percent of women opt for an obstetrician-gynecologist OB-GYN during pregnancy and at birth, some may prefer the mom-centered care that comes with choosing a midwife. So when is hiring a midwife a good option, and is it something you should consider? No, a midwife is not a doctor. They can prescribe epidurals and labor-inducing drugs, but they are less likely to do so compared to doctors.

A: Many women in the U. Some moms-to-be choose a midwife because they want to deliver at home or in a birthing center, while others may decide to deliver in a hospital but want to avoid many of the medical interventions that tend to occur more often during physician-assisted births, like fetal monitoring, internal exams, drugs such as Pitocin, and episiotomies. If you decide to deliver with a midwife, it's important to find someone you're comfortable with and whose personality you mesh with, since this person will be helping you through one of life's most exciting, intimate and, yes, painful moments. But before you begin your search, remember that not all midwives have the same credentials.

How To Choose A Midwife

When you first look for a midwife, it can be confusing as midwives are all different. However, there are certain qualities that you should look for in a midwife and these are described below. You can find out about midwives available in your area by visiting the Find Your Midwife website. What to look for in a midwife.

The percentage of births in the United States attended by certified midwives or nurse-midwives has risen annually since , according to the National Center for Health Statistics. That number lags significantly behind other parts of the world; in the Netherlands, for example, midwives attend 22 percent of births. Midwives are often the caregiver of choice for women who are open to proceeding through pregnancy with minimal or no medical intervention or treatment. They are also usually chosen by women who want to give birth at a birthing center — a cozier alternative to a hospital, though often attached to or affiliated with a hospital — or at home. But what are all the factors to consider? First, a word about terminology.

How do I find a midwife?

Choosing a new health care provider is rarely a simple task. There are finances to consider, as well as site location, after-hours accessibility, philosophy on wellness, and what services the provider is permitted to offer. Add in a brand-new-to-you condition—say, a pregnancy—and things can get even more complicated. So how do you know which provider is right for you, right from the start? Not all midwives have the same training and qualifications. You may also ask to whom your midwife would refer you, should circumstances out of her expertise come to pass. Thankfully, the International Confederation of Midwives has developed minimum education and training standards for midwives everywhere in the world. Here is a list of the four different kinds of midwives and their qualifications.

Before you hire the midwife nearest to you, you should take a few things into account. Below are 7 tips to help you find the perfect midwife for your pregnancy. Although they might seem similar, they are vastly different. A midwife is a health practitioner who can often replace a doctor in labor.

The 4 Kinds of Midwives and How to Choose the Best One for You

Want to ensure you choose the right person to deliver your baby? Asking a midwife about these key issues will ensure you find a good fit. By Daniela Payne February 15,

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