American Women Opinions.

[SLCMommy]

Hey fellow American Women

Okay so right now I live in Utah. I am thinking of going to school for Midwifery. There is a school here that is expensive, but their midwife programs are Associates, Bachelors and Masters, but again...they are not cheap.

Another school here doesn't award an Associates, Bachelors or Masters. My assumption is you end up getting a certificate. It's a three year program. It costs about $20,000 LESS than the first school.

Neither of these schools are available for federal financial aid. I'd have to get a private loan, or pay monthly and I'm not quite sure if I can swing the first school for an associate or bachelors.

I would "like" to be able to say I have an AS or a BA in midwifery, because I feel like it would show that I am a professional about this and I feel like it would give my future patients more comfort.

However, some people may feel like as long as a person has gone through a good midwifery program, all those extra classes truly don't matter.

So, my question to you.........

Would you only hire a midwife with a Associate or Bachelors? Would you care if a midwife only had a three year certificate? Would you care about anything beyond formal "midwife" training? To you, does it matter or does it matter more if you just jive with your midwife? Please let me know your opinions. I am trying to make a choice as to which school I should go to and I am very confused - I'm not sure exactly what future mommy's would want.

 

[chicka.chicka]

The midwife that I have seen for my last 6 kids and currently seeing for this one is a CNM (certified nurse midwife) as well as an RN and has delivered babies for nearly 30 years. There are other midwives that have assisted and trained with her who are now officially deemed trained enough to deliver on their own but don't have any necessarily formal training or college degrees. I would be comfortable with any of them attending to my pregnancy and delivery, mostly because I know the quality of training that they have received from my midwife.

When it comes to someone I don't know personally, though, I would be comfortable with someone who has been through a formal midwifery training program even if wasn't accompanied by a degree. It will depend more on her personality, experience, and the level of confidence vibes I get from her when we meet.

 

[Tigerlily01]

My insurance only covers certified nurse midwives...just something to think about. If your program doesn't result in you being a CNM, some people may not be able to use you simply due to insurance reasons.

 

[SLCMommy]

My insurance only covers certified nurse midwives...just something to think about. If your program doesn't result in you being a CNM, some people may not be able to use you simply due to insurance reasons.

Yeah, I wouldn't be a CNM. Just a CPM. Cert. Professional Midwife, and they can work in some birthing centers (which some insurances cover) but mostly do home births, and almost all home births are not covered by insurance.

 

[MindUtopia]

I don't live in the U.S. anymore, but am American and have several midwife friends there. My suggestion would be to do whatever is financially best for you, both in terms of what you can afford now and also what will be best for your career, taking into account where you want to practice. CPMs have more difficulty getting work because they are more tightly regulated in some states and like you said, not all insurances will reimburse for them (nor will all practices or birth centers hire them for that reason). If you primarily want to work for yourself, not for a midwifery practice or hospital, then being a CPM is probably fine. Me personally, I would care a lot more about someone's experience and skills, particularly experience with home birth (I birthed at home myself) than I would about someone's degrees. If you think you'll be able to provide the same level of care, have the same quality of clinical skills and get the same quality of experience during your training as a CPM, then there's nothing bad about that. I would certainly hire a CPM if they had the same or more experience as a CNM, assuming the bond was there from our first visit.

 

[amjon]

Have you looked into the tax difference? I think there is a big difference if you are in a degree seeking program vs. a technical certificate program in what you can deduct on your taxes. It may make up the difference.

 

[MrsWhite]

Id look into which insurance covers. I couldn't have a waterbirth because the only midwife at the birthing center I was looking at that my insurance would cover was on maternity leave, so I went with a hospital birth with a CNM.

 

[krysb]

I'm in PA and all the CNMs around here have Masters degrees.

 

[SLCMommy]

Yeah. A CNM and a CPM are two different things though, with similar duties. CPM's usually just do births at birthing centers & home. CNM mostly are midwives in the hospitals. Not looking to go the hospital route.

 

[chicka.chicka]

If you're looking to do mostly home births with perhaps privileges with a birthing center, then I would say CPM is a good way to go, especially in Utah. My CNM does home births (along with a team) and is also the local OB's (small town) nurse/assistant, and even though she is a CNM instead of CPM she still can't administer pitocin or things like that for home births, so it's not like having the one certification over the other will give you more authority on what you can or can't do in the home birth setting.

 

[SLCMommy]

Haha, I didn't even see you were also from Utah! Where do you live? I'm over in West Valley.

 

[chicka.chicka]

I used to live in West Valley. We're now down in Sanpete County for the last 2-1/2 years.

 

[SLCMommy]

chicka- Are you having your 10th child?

 

[chicka.chicka]

Yes I am, if it stays sticky this time, God willing. So far so good!

 

[SLCMommy]

That's fantastic. I hope everything works out for you! I've had two losses, one at 14 weeks and one at 16 weeks. :/ Delivered the 16 weeker at IHC in Riverton in September

 

[chicka.chicka]

I'm terribly sorry for your losses. My first miscarriage was at 13 weeks last November, but I hadn't even heard a heartbeat yet - didn't have my first prenatal until 12 weeks and we weren't able to find a heartbeat - so I have no idea at what point the baby passed, although my pregnancy symptoms shut off like a switch at 10 weeks (usually last until at least 14 weeks). I hope this one is your rainbow, too! You're just a week and a half behind me.

My 3-y/o was born at Jordan Valley Hospital. The four before him were at home, and my last one was born at the hospital in Nephi. I was living in Southern Utah for the first three. I'm hoping for another home birth this time around, but if not I will deliver at the hospital here in Mount Pleasant most likely.

 

[MrsStutler]

I would definitely look into what the demand is in your area (or where you want to practice). Research things like insurance requirements, insurance for you, state regulations, scope of practice for CPMs in your state etc. and compare. Honestly as long as somebody has gone through a formal training program and has some kind of certification it would not matter to me.

I'm in the middle of nursing school going concurrently for my AAS and BSN with the intention of becoming a CNM. I chose CNM because of the demand in our area. We do not have any birthing centers nearby and the insurance/liability to do homebirth was just WAY too much for me. Plus, I'm just more comfortable working in a hospital (blame it on being raised in a medical family).

Do what works for you and your family above all else! Good Luck!!

 

[krysb]

Yeah. A CNM and a CPM are two different things though, with similar duties. CPM's usually just do births at birthing centers & home. CNM mostly are midwives in the hospitals. Not looking to go the hospital route.

Not really true around here, though it may be in other parts of the country. The free-standing birth center where I'm receiving my care is staffed by all CNMs, and all of the home birth midwives I considered are also CNMs.

 

[Anthrogirl]

I have birthed with CNMs, CPM, and now this one is a un-certified DEM. The nurse (actually there were several) were traditionally trained and employed in a hospital L&D unit (Canadian), the second CPM was birth center/homebirth and had done a 3 year course (including clinical hours), and my current MW did all apprenticeship and attended births with a couple of different senior midwives for 3.5 years. She incidentally, also has 2 years of a nursing degree. In the U.S. and to a much lesser degree, Canada (I've birthed and researched in both countries) midwifery is a highly politically charged livelihood. Tensions can flow pretty high even between different midwives. My current MW, for example is actually anti-certification. It's not that she doesn't believe there should be standards and controls in place, more specifically that she doesn't want the medical boards telling her who she can and cannot take on as clients. Often risk assessments are highly subjective and not overly evidence-based. However, in reality, even if she wanted to certify, she couldn't where we are as midwifery is illegal.

 

[Dtswife]

My midwives (mother and daughter) are CPM's and I am extremely comfortable with them. the mom has over 30 years of experience and has caught thousands of babies. I think the amount of experience she can pass on and teach is more valuable than a degree of any kind in midwifery.