Understanding Who is a Certified Nurse-Midwife?

A certified nurse-midwife is a nurse qualified to provide an expectant mother with compassionate support before conception, throughout pregnancy, during delivery, and postpartum. They can guide the mother through safe and natural birth techniques. She uses a holistic approach and cares for the expecting mother throughout pregnancy. 

Certified midwives can conduct physical examinations, diagnose issues, and treat them. They may even write prescriptions for specific medical conditions. Midwives practice in various settings, including hospitals, OB/GYN clinics, health clinics, birthing centers, and homes.

What Nurse-Midwives Do

If you want to know what nurse-midwives do, we have listed their key duties and responsibilities in the points below. You can scroll down to read them to learn about the offerings of a midwife.

Women’s Health Care

They provide compassionate primary and gynecological care from adolescence to menopause. During this time, midwives conduct annual exams, breast exams, Pap tests, and screenings for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 

Family Planning

Midwives offer comprehensive counselling on contraception methods, fertility, and family planning. If you need it, they also provide birth control and other medications. 

Prenatal Care

Certified midwives thoroughly monitor the health of an expectant mother and fetus. To do this, they conduct regular check-ups and physical examinations and order and interpret diagnostic tests, such as lab work and ultrasounds. Midwives also educate expectant mothers about nutrition, exercise, and overall health during pregnancy. 

Labor & Delivery Support

They provide continuous physical and emotional support during labor, monitor progress, help with pain management, and perform vaginal deliveries. If needed, they can also assist during Cesarean sections. 

Postpartum & Newborn Care

In the following weeks of delivery, midwives monitor the mother’s recovery, provide breastfeeding education and training, conduct initial newborn assessments, and care for up to the first month of life. 

Education & Counselling

Midwives empower new and expectant parents by educating them about infant care and healthy lifestyle choices and helping them build birth plans. They also provide compassionate support and counselling for those coping with miscarriages or stillbirths. 

Collaboration & Referrals

Midwives help mothers by identifying high-risk conditions or complications. Depending on the condition, midwives refer patients to reputable obstetricians, pediatricians, and other specialists.