[Peppamint]

I'm attending my first birth workshop next month, put on by a local midwife. For the most part I've envisioned myself learning through apprenticeship and tons of reading/study- and if I understand correctly I could do that and apply through NARM's PEP program to become a CPM if I choose. My interest is piqued by the Michigan School of Traditional Midwifery as well. I'm looking at DEM/CPM practice- no interest whatsoever at this point in being a nurse or CNM.

:

I guess what I'd really like to know, if you don't mind sharing, is which route you chose and are you happy with that choice?

 

[MamaTaraX]

I'm not amidwife but I wanted to share that I am interested in midwifery and would like to be a CM. I have no interest in 8 years of nursing and midwifery school to be a CNM. I would rather be a CM. Hope you get answers, I am very interested to see what the awesome MDC midwives have to say!

Namaste, Tara

 

[minkajane]

I was planning to be a CPM, but I've decided to go the CNM route. I'm working on my Bachelor's degree in Women's Studies right now, then I'll be entering a 3-year graduate-entry CNM program nearby. I chose CNM because I will only have to move an hour away, instead of halfway across the country, I will be legal in all 50 states, and I will be able to build a client base by working at a hospital for a while. Also, I will be able to support women no matter where they choose to birth and I can help make it as natural and beautiful as possible, even in the hospital.

If I had not found a graduate-entry program, I would've gone for the CPM thing, since I didn't want to go to 4 years of nursing school PLUS three years of midwifery. Also, I wouldn't have been able to go to nursing school while working, so I would've had to wait for my military enlistment ends in 2008 before even beginning nursing school. So with this grad-entry thing, it all works out.

 

[Maggi315]

Well, I always thought I would be a CNM and went to nursing school and worked in the hospital. Then I realized I didn't want to work around all the stress, politics, restrictions, etc. Plus CNM's are always having to jump through hoops, etc. We're losing them around here bigtime. If they do have a job, they're being used to do well checks and birth control and their clinical time is being cut. So they end up mostly in the office seeing a million clients a day. No thanks!

So I went the other way and will be sitting for the CPM in February (hopefully, I keep missing the deadlines/etc for various reasons like having a baby, etc.) I like the autonomy, setting up my own practice, having my own protocols, making my own hours, spending an hour with someone if I want to or need to, not intervening just because the "hospital policy states".

Someday I may become a CNM for three reasons: 1. I teach part time at the community college and I could teach classroom with a MSN and influence all those students 2. I would like to teach midwives 3. I would like the flexibility.

But it's hard to justify another 20-30,000 in school debt when I won't be making any more money than I am now. We have a good population for homebirthers in my area and I can make a decent amount of money between that and teaching nursing students. So why kill myself, you know?

It's an individual decision, but I would suggest to speak to some CNM's, ask them what their week is like, shadow them if possible, keep up to date with the issues they deal with to see if it's really for you.

 

[Peppamint]

Thanks Barb and Mandy for sharing!

Tara- to make sure I'm understanding CM correctly it's CNM without the nursing requirements, right?

 

[MamaTaraX]

Yes, it is. I can hook you up with a CNM to talk to, she can describe it in detail for you (detial that my foggy, tired brain cannot give you at the moment) When the liscenscinv and what not goes through in our states, CMs will have hospital privelages, btw.

Namaste, Tara

 

[JunipersMom]

I went through the Michigan Traditional Midwifery school!! Love it. I was living in the Michigan when I signed up... then moved to Texas shortly after. I graduated from MSTM and went on through apprenticeship to the NARM PEP. Worked great for me and I feel very confident in my education. All of my preceptors were inpressed with MSTM curriculum and I passed the NARM ...

I knew I didn't want to complete nursing school to be involved with birth. I really wanted to just concentrate on birth.
Best of luck to you!

 

[maxmama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MamaTaraX Yes, it is. I can hook you up with a CNM to talk to, she can describe it in detail for you (detial that my foggy, tired brain cannot give you at the moment) When the liscenscinv and what not goes through in our states, CMs will have hospital privelages, btw. Namaste, Tara

this isn't necessarily true. Seattle's LMs lost their hospital privileges when one hospital bought another, which had given LMs privileges, and LM has been legal and regulated in Washington for decades. Hospitals aren't required to extend privileges to anyone, regardless of licensure, and since birth is usually one of the money-making aspects of a hospital, they're often reluctant to do so.

 

[fourgrtkidos]

A CM is totally different than a LM. CM fall under ACNM guidelines (American College of Nurse Midwives.) ACNM supports CMs but not DEM LMs..... so confusing.

I am a RN. But, in FLorida VERY FEW CNMs are delivering baby's at all, and none outside BC and hospitals. I want to be an autonomous provider so I am in school as a DEM I will be licensed as a LM by my state and will also take the NARM for CPM.

I do not know if CM are legal in every state. I think only CNMs are legal everywhere.

www.cfmidwifery.org (Citizens for Midwifery website ) has a state by state check.....

 

[Peppamint]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JunipersMom I went through the Michigan Traditional Midwifery school!! Love it. I was living in the Michigan when I signed up... then moved to Texas shortly after. I graduated from MSTM and went on through apprenticeship to the NARM PEP. Worked great for me and I feel very confident in my education. All of my preceptors were inpressed with MSTM curriculum and I passed the NARM ... I knew I didn't want to complete nursing school to be involved with birth. I really wanted to just concentrate on birth. Best of luck to you!

Sounds great!

I'm really not interested in working in hospitals at all. I considered becoming a doula as a first step but I am not a good fit for hospital birth, even as just emotional support. All the protocol etc is just not cool.

I'm anxious to see what the midwifery legislation will be like when it's passed.

 

[maxmama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourgrtkidos A CM is totally different than a LM. CM fall under ACNM guidelines (American College of Nurse Midwives.) ACNM supports CMs but not DEM LMs..... so confusing. I am a RN. But, in FLorida VERY FEW CNMs are delivering baby's at all, and none outside BC and hospitals. I want to be an autonomous provider so I am in school as a DEM I will be licensed as a LM by my state and will also take the NARM for CPM. I do not know if CM are legal in every state. I think only CNMs are legal everywhere. www.cfmidwifery.org (Citizens for Midwifery website ) has a state by state check.....

LM as used in WA means licensed midwife. This state doesn't much care what the ACNM guidelines are, as they consider LMs to be independently licensed providers who must meet their own criteria. Many LMs I know are also CPMs, but that term has no real legal meaning in WA, since it's the licensure that matters, and CPMs are not necessarily licensed.

 

[Peppamint]

So really finding a good fit also means looking at the state laws regarding midwives wherever you are planning to practice.

For example, as of now in Indiana only CNMs are "legal" in Indiana. There are many practicing DEMs/CPMs but they are not licensed by the state. Generally they practice with no problems but earlier this year a local CPM was charged with practicing midwifery without a license and practicing medicine without a license. Until legislation to legalize CPMs is passed I will hold off on my decision to go DEM or CPM... it should change it so that practicing as an unlicensed midwife would be a misdemeanor rather than a felony and CPMs could be licensed by the state and accept Medicaid/Hoosier Healthwise enabling low income families to be able to have homebirths (I qualified for HH to pay for a hospital birth but not homebirth so we paid out of pocket).

 

[stellimamo]

Quote:

I'm attending my first birth workshop next month, put on by a local midwife.

I think I'm going to that same workshop! See you there!

 

[Peppamint]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stellimamo I think I'm going to that same workshop! See you there!

Awesome- Jennifer's workshop? I think there will be 3-4 MDC mamas there.

 

[stellimamo]

Yup if all goes right I'll be at her workshop.

 

[fourgrtkidos]

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxmama LM as used in WA means licensed midwife. This state doesn't much care what the ACNM guidelines are, as they consider LMs to be independently licensed providers who must meet their own criteria. Many LMs I know are also CPMs, but that term has no real legal meaning in WA, since it's the licensure that matters, and CPMs are not necessarily licensed.

Lm in Florida means Licensed Midwife also. CPM is not required but we take the NARM as our state certifying test and you might as well get it and support MANA.

CM are DEM under ACNM and CNM as everyone knows are Certified Nurse Midwives and are advenaced registered nurse practitioners.

Sorry that I was confusing.

I am a RN but will not be a CNM. I went the DEM route to become a LM, even though it is taking more time to become a LM than a CNM....... because CNMs are having a hard time in Florida finding a MD to cover them for delivery and mostly doing clinic, well woman stuff. I wanted to be able to serve women in a way a CNM can not.

: Michelle

 

[CEG]

I am in a direct-entry program to become a CNM. I chose this path because I hope to work with underserved populations. Most of the women I have seen in clinicals have no insurance, no partner support, little education, and little money. Not only do they need all the support they can get, they also can't afford/don't have access to the provider and birthplace of their choice.

I believe at least 99.99999999% of women who choose homebirths are very informed consumers. They know what they want, they have a support system, they have are able to beg, borrow or barter the money they need to pay a midwife who may not be covered by insurance. The underserved populations just don't have these things. And what a difference one caring provider can make in the life of a woman who has never had her health care provider take an active interest in her.

I also want the practicality of being licensed in all states and more easily work overseas when my husband's job moves us. I think LM/CPM/CM all the other names are great, I just don't think it's a good fit for me. And someday I think I will want to do homebirths- I just think it would be wonderful to be a part of that experience. Maybe I can bring about medical reform that would force public assistance to pay for homebirths- think of how much money I could save taxpayers while I was advocating for women and their babies! Best of luck to all on your paths!

 

[fourgrtkidos]

CEG
I haven't heard of any direct entry to CNM except the CMs in some states..... PLEASE, tell us about it.

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[Robin926]

I'm subbing to learn more. I'm currently in school as a nursing major (haven't started clinicals yet though) and working toward CNM. But I'm really wondering lately about re-evaluating that since I what I really want is to be a midwife, not a nurse. The big reason I'm doing this right now is that I can work as a nurse while DH does school in a couple of years, and then finish my MSN after he starts working again.

 

[babycatcher01]

The Michigan School Of Traditional Midwifery I have to say is one of thebest put togather schools that I have seen vocationaly ever. I know the school very well, my teacher and my mother in-law put togather the school with Casey. They are now registered with the state if Michigan and you do get a state diploma for Traditional Midwifery. Last weekend we had our confrence, but I had to sit home on a mamma while everyone went. Casey loves to hear from people interested in the programe and welcomes emails, and letters.
The school is just alot of fun.