There are two types of midwives recognized in America: a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) and a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). Certified Nurse Midwives are registered nurses who have completed postgraduate training accredited by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). The majority of CNM’s work in a hospital or birth center under the supervision of a physician, tend to follow the medical model of care, and are restricted by the guidelines of their affiliated workplace.

The second type of midwife is the Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) who is certified by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). NARM requires apprenticeship, rigorous exam, and an 8-hour written exam. CPM’s are licensed by the state of Tennessee.

CPM clients consist of low risk, normal and natural births. Most midwives conduct their prenatal visits as follows: once-a-month until the 32nd week of pregnancy, once every-other-week for 32nd to 36th week, and then once-a-week until birth. CPM’s spend up to 11/2 hours per prenatal visit, covering all aspects of care. Most use natural, herbal and holistic remedies for common complaints of pregnancy. With both types of midwives prenatal visits include blood pressure check, fetal palpation (position) and heart tones, urine dip stick test, and Fundus (top of uterus) height check.

However, unlike prenatal visits done by nurse-midwives, CPM prenatal visits are conducted in the mother’s or midwife’s home. There is no hurry. The commotion of a hospital or birth center is nonexistent, allowing the mother to enjoy a relaxed atmosphere where she gains ample time to bond with her caregiver.

CPM’s believe that pregnancy and birth are a natural state, not a pathology or potential disaster to be controlled. Women know their body’s best, therefore a CPM depends on the client for information about her own well being. CPM’s know that the birth process is never the same, even with the same mother and cannot be regulated by an arbitrary time table, but must be allowed to progress in its own natural manner. Most CPM’s trust the birth process and are as non-interventive as possible. CPM’s have the lowest rate of episiotomies, damage to the perineum, vacuum-extraction, forceps delivery, vaginal infections or C-sections. In addition CPM’s are highly trained to recognize and handle normal birth complications without use of invasive procedures.

There are many advantages to having a home birth, not the least of which is that the laboring woman enjoys the indescribable comfort of her own home. In the home, mother and newborn are exposed to less foreign pathogens. Many women deliver their babies on the same bed in which they were conceived. A woman who labors at home can choose to have family members and friends for caregivers and labor support and is not hampered by monitors or IV’s and is free to move around, change positions, take a walk outside, relax or even give birth in the bathtub. In addition, the rate of surgery (C-section) among CPM clients is so low that eating and drinking during labor is not an issue and are allowed to eat what they like to maintain their energy for the hard work before them. The mother is not required to jump into her car in the throws of labor and ride to a birth center or a hospital. Babies born at home are more alert and are ready to nurse within minutes of birth, which helps with the tightening of the mother’s uterus (minimizing bleeding).

For the healthy, low risk mother the advantages of a home birth as well as the most meaningful aspects of the mother/midwife relationship are innumerable. In developed countries, research has proven midwife-attended homebirth to be just as safe as hospital birth.

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Lisa Coomer, CPM is a home birth midwife. She provides complete prenatal, home birth and postpartum services to families who desire to have a gentle and natural birthing experience. She is a Certified Professional Midwife licensed by the state of Tennessee.

Find out more at http://www.knoxvillehomebirth.com/.