They work with physicians when medical attention is warranted. There is a 75-year history of safe, satisfying and personalized care by CNMs in this country. In addition, most insurance policies and Medicaid cover Nurse Midwifery services. Each state and province has its own laws in regards to the regulating, licensing and credentialling of midwives. Midwives are educated in a variety of ways, including apprenticeships and formal education programs.
All midwives offer prenatal care to nourish and celebrate childbearing.
Homebirth is a Licensed Midwife's area of specialty of supporting the natural process of childbirth. She is trained to recognize abnormal conditions and provide stabilizing care until additional help is available or hospital transfer can occur. Both CNMs and LMs are able to help most women avoid the use of routine obstetric interventions such as induction of labor, IV's, anesthetics and episiotomies. Regardless of the place of births, all midwives foster birth as a joyous celebration for the whole family. During the postpartum period, the Midwife supports the family process of bonding, breastfeeding and transition of the mother from pregnancy and birth to motherhood.