By: Charlie Lose-Frahn

Charlie Lose-Frahn — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:09:20 +0000

I’m a licensed midwife in South Carolina and also a CPM. First , I’d like to comment on the term “lay midwife”
In the dictionary the term Lay is to have no body of knowledge and the term was deemed by the medical profession to refer to people who assisted in birth that were not physicians. Unfortunately this term has STUCK and does not really describe the different types of midwives out there. If you are a Direct Entry midwife, meaning you do not have a nursing degree first, you can still be unlicensed and yet still have didactic training as well as apprenticeship. In some states in the US, a venue for licensure is provided. However, each states licensure process differs along with the states regulation on practice.
So… to answer the question “should midwives be licensed?’ Personally, I have extensive training and experience as a practicing Direct Entry Licensed Midwife. However, my state regs, don’t allow me to practice what I have been trained to do. Not to mention, that I believe every woman has the right to a homebirth with a trained professional of their choice. This should include V-bacs, twins, breeches, anyone who is having an uncomplicated pregnancy. There are times, when I wish I wasn’t licensed so that I could provide the services that my regs prevent me from doing. So I’m glad there are direct entry midwives that are not licensed that are willing to serve all womens needs without restriction, other than possible prosecution as most of these restrictions have been handed down by ACOG, not a body affiliate of midwifery practice. Ideally, all midwives should work together to ensure that our profession is considered safe , no matter what your title. I know that some consumers think, if your licensed, that makes you a good midwife. Is the same true for doctors? It’s up to the women in our country to set the standard of care for birth in this nation. Educate yourselves and then decide the best course of action. It is your body and child after all. The women who have been practicing midwifery legally or illegally are truly courageous individuals who have been fighting the system along time to give women the right to birth as they choose.

By: Brit

Brit — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:55:41 +0000

Are you on FaceBook? I would love my midwife (who is on my page) to be able to comment to what you wrote. I believe that she is a CPM but I would have to double check that. Otherwise, I LOVED reading your thoughts. Wish that I had some strong ones of my own but since I am new to this, I don’t have a very *sound* opinion, just my own personal preference. Which was that I thoroughly enjoyed having Cailyn’s birth at home with a midwife and would NEVER go back to the more standard western practice… even if midwifery were deemed illegal.

Comments on: Should Midwives be Licensed?

By: Charlie Lose-Frahn

By: Brit