Who used a CPM for their homebirth? - Page 2

[Max'sMama]

I think not being a nurse can be a positive, though the mw being a nurse can be positive too! I have a DEM (who is also a nurse, but not 'nursey' at all ) and a CPM for this birth. They seem to balance each other fabulously. I have friends who have used both independantly and everyone will use these women again for homebirth. I don't think that not being a nurse should turn you away from the mw. Talk with her and see if she can alleviate an questions or concerns you may have!

[Arwyn]

Well, I'm an aspiring CPM, so I may be a little biased but I'd absolutely use a CPM. They're trained in all the emergency protocols that a nurse would be, with the advantage that they're trained in how to manage emergencies outside of the hospital (and how best to transport to the hospital when needed), whereas CNMs may have only been trained in dealing with complications in a hospital setting. Plus, they don't have to be trained in out of hospital birth at all in order to be licensed and practicing. Obviously, an experienced homebirth CNM is another matter, but for a homebirth I would trust a homebirth-trained CPM over a hospital-trained CNM any day.

Re: CPM and DEM my understanding is that CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) is the certification created for DEMs (Direct Entry Midwives) by NARM (North American Registry of Midwives), which is an offshoot of MANA (Midwives Alliance of North America). Anyone trained in homebirth can become a CPM, regardless of educational route (CNMs can be, and some have become, CPMs also). As more and more midwifery schools teaching specifically to the NARM/CPM standards open up, there's started to be a tendency for CPM to indicate a school (as well as apprenticeship) trained midwife and DEM to indicate an entirely apprenticeship trained midwife, but all non-nurse CPMs actually are DEMs - direct entry just means without medical training (not nurse first), even though some use it to mean without school-based training.

[BennyPai]

With my younger dd, we used a CPM with a backup CNM for tests. Our backup CNM was pushing me for nonstress testing the very day I was 40 weeks along. CPM was a tremendous support, and I felt dd & I were in very capable hands.

With my older dd, we used a CNM - she was an OB first... We were happy with her. She didn't push any tests, etc. & respected our wishes in general. She was also supportive of our hospital water birth.

No matter which birth attendant you choose, it is important that you feel comfortable with her/him as an individual as well.

[IfMamaAintHappy]

i had a CPM for both of my last two births. The only plus I saw in a CNM (and there's just one where I live that does homebirth) is that she might have priviledges at the hospital you would transfer to in case of an emergency, so some of your care at the hospital would be with the same person.

But that was about it for me.

We are happy to pay out of pocket for a CPM rather than go to a CNM who would take our insurance.

[boscopup]

I use a CPM, and I trust her more than I'd trust the CNM that delivers in hospital here (CNMs can't do homebirths in my state... CPMs can't either, for that matter).

My CPM carries O2 and pitocin with her. She goes to yearly training for newborn resuscitation. She goes to various midwifery conferences, training classes, etc. She's been a midwife for 20+ years and is continually educating herself still. She's handled so many situations including breech birth, shoulder dystocia, PPH, etc. She absolutely can handle anything a CNM would. CPMs are trained to deal with complications of labor/birth. They don't need to be nurses on the side. They just need to know how to handle birth-related issues with mother and baby. And she knows how to deal with alot of those issues in a non-medicalized way (ie, using herbs and other natural means when possible).

[huggerwocky]

CNMs are an invention of the U.S., midwives outside the U.S very rarely are also nurses and we all know the safety outcomes.

I'm not concerned, I'd be MORE concerned if my nurse mom was there for the birth truth be told!

[batsoup]

I was going to go to a birth center staffed by CNMs, and until about 34 weeks, that's where we were. We just switched to a homebirth with a CPM midwife duo, and I feel MUCH safer and better cared for. The CNMs were quite nice, but they still have to practice under an OB, and so they are bound by the OBs rules and policies, which are often dictated by legal fear and malpractice. So they would do routine practices which were NOT the best, healthies thing for mom and babe, which is why we switched. In the beginning, I was a little nervous about the qualifications too, but my CPMs are educated and experienced, just in a different way than CNMs. Good luck with your choice!

[Peppamint]

My midwife is a DEM... because Indiana doesn't recognize CPMs she has not bothered with certification (case in point, a local CPM just took a plea offer [she's now a felon for catching babies ]). My DEM is trained in neonatal resuscitation, I'm happy with her credentials.

Although it is a generalization, I would prefer a DEM/CPM over a CNM. Obviously, a CPM could be more medically minded while a CNM could be less intervention inclined...

[Arwyn]

Oh no! I hadn't heard the results of the trial yet. Do you have any links you can send me please??

[ZeldasMom]

Originally Posted by ladybugchild77

I had a CNM last time (birthed at the hospital). I am a little nervous about this MW not being a nurse "just in case" something goes wrong. Thoughts?

THough I had a CNM for my homebirth, I would say a CPM is typically who you want for a homebirth, not a CNM. Most CNMs don't have adequate training/experience to attend women at home. Remember, Ina May Gaskin is a CPM!

[Peppamint]

Originally Posted by Arwyn

Oh no! I hadn't heard the results of the trial yet. Do you have any links you can send me please??

http://hometown.aol.com/birthroot1/J...lliamsCPM.html

[bradleybirth2mom]

Cpm

I did and was lucky enough to get one that was a CPM and an RN in one. CPMs do just a good a job as CNMs and vice versa. You really can't make a stereotype on one or the other's certification, just interview them and see how they feel about interventions. Here's a tip---where will they attend you when you have the baby? In a hospital, birthing center or at home? You will feel foremost in control and comfortable with refusing interventions if you birth at home, secondmost at a birthing center and thirdmost at a hospital, simply because of the familarity of the respective surroundings. Some midwives are more intervention-prone, some less. Decide on what you want for your birth after good research and stick to it. Present it to the midwife you choose. If she tries to talk you out of it and you feel confident that what you want is based on good research, then change to someone else. Keep this in mind and it will serve you well when deciding on a provider.

[morningloria]

I had a CPM with my last birth and am seeing the same CPM this time around. During my first pregnancy, I saw a CNM, and while they are both highly competent, i am more comfortable with seeing someone who isn't subject to practice/hospital/birth center protocol.

[Butter]

I had a CNM in a birthing center last time due to where I lived. This time I am having a DEM who is halfway to her CPM credential at home. I can honestly say I trust my midwife this time more than last time to handle emergencies. That has more to do with attitudes and beliefs I think. Both are highly competent and have caught tons of babies.

[sskf]

I had a CPM, CMNH for my home waterbirth with #1, and she was amazing!

[SusannahM]

I had a CPM for my homebirth with #1, and I trusted her very much to handle everything. She had done about 100 births, and had had no TEARS at any of her births. She also was very successful at treating pre-eclampsia (had even cured one of her friend's who was a doctor's wife after they had exhausted all medical resources) with herbs and nutrition.

I interviewed a CNM and did find her to be more medically minded.

[cottonwood]

I much prefer that anyone attending my birth *not* be trained in nursing. Not that nurses are all bad but that that type of training (like obstetrical training) is focused on approaching birth as a medical event that needs to be managed and a disaster waiting to happen, not focused on how to facilitate normal birth.

[warrior mama]

For a homebirth I would prefere a CPM - she truely is the expert in homebirth, a CNM I think has been trained in hospital and birth center and are medically-minded. The same way I wouldn't want a CPM at a hospital birth I wouldn't want a CMN at a homebirth.