[Armygirl7]

Hey Mslinzyann!
I had both my sons at home attended by a CNM who has never had children. There was never a question in my mind about her ability as a midwife.

This woman CHANGED MY LIFE!

Having a homebirth with a CNM forces you to take responsibility for your health, both mental and physical. My midwife jolted me into a way of thinking/eating/exercising/managing stress and illness, that sustains me and my family to this day (16 years after the birth of my first son).

I realize your post is a bit old (I am a nursing student new to this forum) but I just want to encourage you to be what you want to be, and be it completely!

Whenever I would go for my prenatals and walk into my CNM's office and see the walls covered in snapshots of smiling babies and families that she delivered into this world (she has done home birth for over 20 years now!!) I would just look at her and think wow she is the spiritual mother to all these families! Seriously. I hope you become a CNM - you will have the power to change lives (now that's a MOTHER of a job!!!) She still does all my well-woman gynecology and I really look forward to those pap smears because I love seeing her! The new photos of tiny newborns keep appearing on the walls every year. What an amazing, important life this Nurse-Midwife has had.

I wish you all the best - do not doubt yourself!

"Our doubts are traitors
And make us lose the good we oft might win
by fearing to attempt"

Shakespeare "Measure for Measure"

[clhRN2b2010]

I ditto what others have said. I think so many other factors matter more. My last birth was with a Male CNM and he was wonderful, very experianced, excellent manner. It also eliminates that hurdle that I have heard some have with getting over their own births as the "standard" by which all others are judged.

I might suggest, just as another woman, that you are sure you have worked through your own emotions with your not having children. Those feeling may creep up on you and weight you down if you haven't already put them in perspective.

Best wishes!

[HeartsOpenWide]

Have you heard of Penny Armstrong? She is a well know midwife. She has written several book "A Wise Birth" and "A Midwife's Story" She is the midwife that works with the Amish. She can not have children either and she has helped women deliver over 1200 babies.

I want to become a CNM too and I have not had children; and do not plan on having them until I am done with school. My Ob instructor who is a midwife who adopted both of her children told me (I was worried about not having children yet while doing OB rotation; and a male student who was worried about educating a new mom on breastfeeding) said, "Do all cardiologists have heart attacks? Does that mean they are not qualified to be cardiologists?".....

[mslinzyann]

I haven't checked this thread in a long time, but I've recieved some great replies here! I felt a sort of...intrinsic problem with not having kids and helping other women bring children into the world. I don't know if I mentioned this in my original post or not, but I have bipolar disorder and I will need to be on medication to treat it indefinitely. I thought this meant I could never have children, but since my psychiatrist had explained to me that there are options for becoming pregnant that we can discuss when the time comes. So, I feel good about that.
Still, the point that various medical practitioners haven't experienced what they are treating makes a lot of sense, suprised I've never thought of it. And there are a lot of male OB/GYNs, too.
Thanks for the very supportive post.

[naynaycat]

Originally Posted by mslinzyann

I am unable to have children due to a variety of factors, but I am intensely interested in women's health and health promotion. I've thought a great deal about becoming a CNM, but I feel like because I will never give birth, I wouldn't be qualified to do the job. What do you think? I can't help but feel like without the experience of having had a child, I won't be equipped to advise others.

Hey, i don't have to kill someone to know that it's bad, what i'm saying is, just because you've never experienced, doesn't mean you don't know how beautiful it is, go for your dreams, you only live once!!!!!