The scoop on midwifery in Hawaii

[islandmidwife]

Aloha island mamas! (or those who hope to soon be :)  I am a midwife in Hawaii. as well as the mama of my 5 and 3 year old.  I was surfing the internet last night, googled hawaii midwife and came across this forum.  After reading quite a few posts I see that many of you have discovered that there isn't much information out there about midwifery in Hawaii.  I had the same experience when I was looking to move here from Idaho.   I couldn't find anything about midwifery in Hawaii!  Anything I did find was completely outdated.  Now that I live here I know why.... no one is on the computer much, the weather is too beautiful! 

Anyway, I did end up moving here and currently have a home birth midwifery practice on the Big Island in North Kohala (islandmamasmidwifery.com).  I also created a website for the Midwives Alliance of Hawaii (www.midwiveshawaii.com), and wanted to open this thread so that I can answer any questions you might have about birth in Hawaii.

-Dani Kennedy, CPM, LM

MAH Secretary

[roadfamily6now]

Thank you!

[amberskyfire]

Thanks!  I'm currently studying midwifery, not for a career in midwifery, just so there is one more midwife for the low-income mamas in the Hilo/Pahoa area. A lot of  moms down here are put in a position of either go to Hilo Med or have an unassisted birth when they don't want one because they aren't able to pay midwife fees. There's Waimea, but it's a 3 hour drive. My last labor was 2 hours and I ended up going unassisted, even though I wanted a midwife.

Thanks for the resources!

[summerdarling]

Hi there!

Thank you so much for starting this thread! I am a CPM licensed in the state of Texas and my husband and I have been planning to move to Hawaii to years. I got quite discouraged though when I started reading online about the state of midwifery in Hawaii. Could you shed light on a few details for me?

1. Midwifery there is "a-legal" correct? What does that mean for you as far as obtaining and administering meds like Pitocin, Methergine, Oxygen, Erythromycin or Vitamin K?

2. On that same note, what is it like when you have to transport a client to the hospital? Are you met with hostility or welcome or somewhere in between?

3. Is it very difficult to make a living as a midwife in Hawaii? Is there an average cost for a home birth there?

4. What is the community of midwives like there? Are they a close and supportive community? Would I be welcomed as a new midwife to the community?

Thank you so much for answering these questions! I have been looking for these answers for years!

xx

[amberskyfire]

I'm not yet a midwife, but have friends that are and one friend that is a doula.

1. Yes, midwifery here is pretty much a-legal. I heard that only CNMs can practice legally. There are practicing midwives up at the hospital in Waimea. My midwife is a CPM and I'm not sure how she gets it, but she does carry some medicines. She administered anesthetics when suturing my tear at my first birth.

2. If you transfer to Hilo medical, yes, they are pretty hostile. They are quite against home birth and midwives at Hilo Medical Center. For non-emergency, most midwives transfer to Waimea, I think. It's a long drive, but the staff are more pro-midwife there.

3. Sorry, I have no idea. I do know a lot of mothers can't pay and some midwives end up taking things in trade like chickens, etc.

4. I am unsure of how the midwives are with each other, but I have heard that it's pretty catty here. A friend of mine became a practicing midwife, but quit after just one birth because she couldn't take the stress of working with the other midwives in the community. Apparently it's not that welcoming, but I only know her perspective.

[islandmidwife]

Aloha Summerdarling,

I would love to talk to you more about what it is like for CPMs here in Hawaii.  I love practicing midwifery here, and have felt very welcomed since opening my home birth practice a year ago.  I am able to make a decent living (though I work hard for it!) and feel like we are at a turning point for midwifery on the islands.  I will be ready for a midwifery partner soon, as my practice is growing quickly.  I work with another wonderful midwife who lives an hour away, but would ideally like to have a partner right in my town.  I have had great transport experiences with the hospital close to me, North Hawaii Community Hospital, and yes they are very pro-midwife.  I have not heard the same thing about Hilo or Kona, but that might be changing too!  More and more women here are saying that they want midwives, and it's a small enough place that their voices are being heard.  We need more midwives here!

[summerdarling]

Hi islandmidwife,
Thanks for the reply--I've found it has been nearly impossible for me to find someone to talk with about their experiences as a midwife in Hawaii and I appreciate you being a resource to me! My husband and I feel deeply called to the islands and plan to make the move as soon as possible; hopefully within the next year. We are undecided yet as to which island best suits our needs. Where do you practice? Do you find much difference in the climate for midwifery between the islands? We will be visiting the islands in August and then possibly again in October for the conference with Michael Odent (do you think that conference will be worth attending? Sounds pretty great to me!). Perhaps we could meet up sometime when I am there and talk in greater detail about a midwife's life in Hawaii.

Cheers!

[ChozzyD]

Morning!

This is really interesting to read, I am a student midwife in UK and also feel drawn to midwifery in Hawaii after qualification - but fear my degree in Midwifery isnt recognised in Hawaii, the same way it isn't in USA.  Very frustrating! I am searching and searching for information on how or if I can study further to be able to move.

Oh and Michel Odent spoke at our University in February - excellent!

Many thanks!

[islandmidwife]

Aloha Summerdarling,

I look forward to possibly meeting you in the future.  I am planning on attending the Odent conference in October.  I live on the Big Island, specifically in North Kohala.  It's about 30 minutes from Waimea, which has the best hospital on the island.  I live in a pretty rural community, Hawi is a really special place.  I love it here and really love having a home birth practice!  As far as the climate of midwifery on different islands, I keep up with midwives on the other islands and it seems that we are all in the same boat... working hard for our money, but rewarded and cared for by our communities.  If you would like to talk about specific locations or islands I will get you connected with midwives and let you know more details.  Big Island is great, we could really use more midwives in Hilo and South Point.  I would love to have a partner in my area.  Also Maui and Oahu could use more CPMs too....

[Devahuti]

If your frustrated with the lack of Midwives and Evidensed Based Maternity Care in Hawaii's Hospitals, please sign this stae wide petition asking for change!!

Please let your friends know!  thank you!

GOTO:

http://www.change.org/petitions/birthing-rights-for-hawaii-families

[criswells4]

Hello Islandmidwife,

I was born and raised on the BIg Island, but about 5 years ago my husband and I moved to the mainland, where we've completed school. Next year we are moving back to the Big Island where all our family is. I just became a CPM this past year. I only know one midwife on the Big Island well, and she is knew there as well, and I haven't talked to any other midwives there in quite a few years. Now that I am actually a practicing midwife, I have similar questions to what was already asked. Mostly about transfers, medications, etc. Here where I am currently practice, CPM's are legal, so transferring back to Hawaii is going to be different for me, and I am hoping to find some answers before I move. Is there a way I can contact you separately to ask these questions? Also I am trying to find any laws regarding home birth there. I had always heard it was "a-legal", but someone just told me that she had read that you must be a CNM, MD, or ND to attend a home birth there, so by default a CPM attending one would be considered illegal. I'm confused, and trying to figure it all out.

Thank you for your help!

[roadfamily6now]

I also have a question. If I was a License Midwife from another state, can I legally (or shall I say not illegally) attend a homebirth there?

Would I be governed by the rules of hawaii or those of the state I was licensed in?

I'm an apprentice right now, but the group of CDM's I work with would like to open a Birth Center in Hawaii (they already have 2 here in Alaska).

[amberskyfire]

Are you a CNM or CPM? As I understand it, only CNMs work under the law here. A CPM would be working outside of the law and not governed by any midwifery rules, like a lay midwife. A-legal. You can get in trouble for doing it, but my midwife says that no one has. You'd have to make a huge mistake and be litigated either by the client or by the state and I haven't heard of that happening on our island, but I have only lived here for 7 years.