The Benefits of Midwifery
Claire Olsen
Composition 1
Paper 5
MW 2:50pm
The Benefits of Midwifery,
Or Why You Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Doctor
We often look at forward progress as the most beneficial direction to take in life. That which is newer is seen as “better.” We’re reaching a point where cell phones are getting so small, that a phone’s buttons are often too small for those with larger fingers. We so often convince ourselves that we must have the newest and the latest, and that that which is antiquated is inferior, when it often isn’t. Sometimes, a regression to the past is a step forward. Midwifery is, simply put, the act of old-fashioned assisted newborn delivery, and has been practiced since babies were being born. Many people assume that you need a doctor to carry out a successful delivery and have a healthy baby, when all you need is a well-trained and caring hand. There are many forms of midwives, both trained and untrained, but by today’s legal standards, a trained midwife is, “…A trained professional with special expertise in supporting women to maintain a healthy pregnancy birth, offering expert individualized care, education, counseling and support to a woman and her newborn throughout the childbearing cycle,” (Citizens for Midwifery).
The Certified Nurse Midwife, the most highly-trained midwife, is often the best choice for a soon-to-be mother, as they arguably have the most vast and functional knowledge and ability in birthing, helping a mother’s newborn be born as healthily as possible. CNM’s attain their Bachelor’s in Registered Nursing and have at least a few years’ experience as a Registered Nurse before progressing on to a Midwifery graduate program. The program typically lasts several years, and then the CNM candidate must pass a rigorous national certification exam to practice throughout the United States (AllNursingSchools.com). Most midwives don’t reach certification until their mid-thirties, as it takes nearly as long to become one as it
Composition 1
Paper 5
MW 2:50pm
The Benefits of Midwifery,
Or Why You Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Doctor
We often look at forward progress as the most beneficial direction to take in life. That which is newer is seen as “better.” We’re reaching a point where cell phones are getting so small, that a phone’s buttons are often too small for those with larger fingers. We so often convince ourselves that we must have the newest and the latest, and that that which is antiquated is inferior, when it often isn’t. Sometimes, a regression to the past is a step forward. Midwifery is, simply put, the act of old-fashioned assisted newborn delivery, and has been practiced since babies were being born. Many people assume that you need a doctor to carry out a successful delivery and have a healthy baby, when all you need is a well-trained and caring hand. There are many forms of midwives, both trained and untrained, but by today’s legal standards, a trained midwife is, “…A trained professional with special expertise in supporting women to maintain a healthy pregnancy birth, offering expert individualized care, education, counseling and support to a woman and her newborn throughout the childbearing cycle,” (Citizens for Midwifery).
The Certified Nurse Midwife, the most highly-trained midwife, is often the best choice for a soon-to-be mother, as they arguably have the most vast and functional knowledge and ability in birthing, helping a mother’s newborn be born as healthily as possible. CNM’s attain their Bachelor’s in Registered Nursing and have at least a few years’ experience as a Registered Nurse before progressing on to a Midwifery graduate program. The program typically lasts several years, and then the CNM candidate must pass a rigorous national certification exam to practice throughout the United States (AllNursingSchools.com). Most midwives don’t reach certification until their mid-thirties, as it takes nearly as long to become one as it
Cited: Periodical 1. Graninger, Elizabeth M. CNM, MSN; McCool, William P. PhD, CNM. "Nurse-midwives’ use of and attitudes toward epidural analgesia." Journal of Nurse Midwifery 43.4 (1998): 250-261. ScienceDirect. Web. 5 May. 2010. Book 2. Vincent, Peggy. Baby Catcher: Chronicles of a Modern Midwife. New York: Scribner, 2002. Print. Website 3. "Frequently Asked Questions About Midwives and Midwifery." Citizens for Midwifery. Web. 5 May. 2010. 4. "Become A Certified Nurse Midwife." AllNursingSchools.com. Web. 5 May. 2010. 5. Sonnenstuhl, Pat. "What Can Midwives Do?" Stason.org. Web. 5 May. 2010. 6. "Pregnancy and Prenatal Care: Midwives, Childbirth, Natural Birth, Homebirth.”Epigee Women’s Health and Fitness. Web. 5 May. 2010.