Midwives have been supporting women through pregnancy, labor and birth for as long as there have been women. When we lived in small communities, every collective had a wise-woman healer who knew about the cycles of nature, the local healing plants and foods, who supported people through birthing, illness and dying, and who served as counselor at challenging times.

In the modern day, midwives are the guardians of our belief that pregnancy and birth are healthy and normal processes for women — not illnesses — and which work best the less you interfere with them.

Midwives…

• are deeply committed to the notion that women should be informed decision-makers about their own health;
• take a whole-person approach to pregnancy, understanding that it’s not just about getting the baby out at the end — nor is it an illness;
• work closely with their clients to stay in touch with the physical and the emotional journey, to make sure everything is going as it should, and to be able to pick up the small early signs that a problem might be brewing;
• believe that it’s better to stay out of trouble than to try to get out of it later.

Many studies demonstrate conclusively that midwifery care is safe and satisfying for women in a variety of health care settings. Midwifery care has been shown to lower the cesarean section rate, and also to reduce the use of potentially harmful interventions, such as labor inductions, strong drugs in labor, episiotomies, and many other things women would prefer to avoid for their own or their baby’s sake.

Midwives have specialized education to take complete care of healthy women through pregnancy, attend the birth, and provide ongoing women’s health care after the pregnancy is over. Most midwives have a physician they can call upon quickly in case medical intervention is necessary. Midwives work in a variety of setting and attend births at home, in birth centers, and in hospitals.

For more information about nurse-midwives, contact the American College of Nurse-Midwives (www.midwife.org) or the Midwives Alliance of North America (www.mana.org). There are thousands of midwives in the United States, and probably one close to you.

Special note: Developed by a Nurse-Midwife, Centering Pregnancy is a new model of prenatal care where women meet in groups through pregnancy, instead of having one-on-one visits as is the current custom. It’s a brilliant way to create long-lasting communities among women, and to support women as they learn and make decisions about their pregnancies. It’s really catching on, all over the world! When you’re looking for a pregnancy provider, ask them if they offer Centering! (www.centeringhealthcare.org)

Copyright 2022 Susan Fekety