CNM or OB/GYN

midwife228 · Feb 21, 2009

About the term "medwife" - in my experience it is used to describe a midwife who is considered to be a "doctor-wannabe", whose "management" of labor is no different from that of a physician - ie. elective induction, lots of intervention, etc. While I am not Pollyanna and realize that labor sometimes goes in unexpected directions and may occasionally need assistance of some sort, the term "management" of labor bothers me - why do physicians feel it necessary to manage a process that has gone on naturally for thousands of years?! (as you may be able to tell, I am more of what is considered to be the "granola-type" midwife who believes in treating labor as normal unless the evidence otherwise is unarguable.)

CLC172 · Feb 28, 2009

This is probably a little OT of the OP, but I know a lot of people use the term "medwife" in a derogatory sense and I just don't get why. Isn't there room for that type of provider? I mean, when I was pg, a "medwife" was exactly what I wanted. I wanted someone that would allow me to labor how I wanted to which was different than they way most OB's want their patients during labor, but at the same time I wanted the hospital setting, some of the monitoring and pain meds if I decided to use them. So I was thrilled that I found a midwife (or medwife if you want) that was somewhat of a hybrid between a midwife and OB.
I think too many women are scared away from using midwifes and having the birth exeperience that they want because they think the only way to use a midwife is in a birthcenter w/ a monitor free and drug free delivery. Some women just aren't comfortable with that.

Ok, you just made me feel better. I would like to be a midwife, and I'm a nursing student now. I always wanted to be a midwife, but after doing my L&D rotation, I just KNOW it's my calling to help other women have babies! And to have them how THEY WANT TO, even if that means they need some pain meds here and there. I love nursing, I love that with midwifery you tend to get patients who prefer to make their own choices and be active participants in their birthing experience, and are interested in natural childbirth practices. But like you said, you wanted the options available to you, such as monitoring and pain meds, just in case.

I had a really tough delivery with my own child, and it wasn't expected that there would be cord prolapse, of course. I had my heart set on a drug-free delivery, so an emergency C-section was heartbreaking at first to me. Of course, afterward I was just happy to have a healthy baby girl! But I'm thankful medical and surgical interventions were available to me, because I learned first-hand that ANYTHING can happen, even in the seemingly best of circumstances and if I do end up practicing as a nurse-midwife, I will want to know, for my own sake and for the sake of my patients, that those interventions are available to them as well. It has nothing to do with not wanting to deal with the schooling of an MD, but it has to do with the fact that my heart is in nursing, and my own philosophies are more in-line with the nurse-midwife model.

Sheri FNP-C · Mar 29, 2009

I had a physician that was trained by midwives deliver my second daughter. He was amazing and actually much better than the midwife I had for my first delivery. There a good and bad practitioners regardless of their title.

I love being a nurse, however if I was starting over I would go to medical school. Better pay and more respect would be the top two reasons. You can be a holistic physician if that is what you choose. Remember, you will go to the same medical school as others who want to practice other areas of medicine. You are not locked into OB/GYN ever. Even if you finished residency, you could complete another residency in another specialty. Plus, you can just do your job, no state or organizational limits on what you can/can't do without a physician.

I think midwives are awesome, but you are so young and can do anything with your excellent grades...go for the MD!

MomWifeNursePractioner, ASN, BSN, MSN · Mar 30, 2009

I had a physician that was trained by midwives deliver my second daughter. He was amazing and actually much better than the midwife I had for my first delivery. There a good and bad practitioners regardless of their title.
I love being a nurse, however if I was starting over I would go to medical school. Better pay and more respect would be the top two reasons. You can be a holistic physician if that is what you choose. Remember, you will go to the same medical school as others who want to practice other areas of medicine. You are not locked into OB/GYN ever. Even if you finished residency, you could complete another residency in another specialty. Plus, you can just do your job, no state or organizational limits on what you can/can't do without a physician.
I think midwives are awesome, but you are so young and can do anything with your excellent grades...go for the MD!

Definitely! I couldn't have said it better!

Many people believe that 'doctor' means you have to be the same person we invision, but it's not true! You can definitely do a D.O. Instead of MD they tend to be more hollistic. Also, the difference in salary is HUGE! You can give the same care as a doctor that a midwife does! Good luck!

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Mar 30, 2009

I completely support the midwifery model of care, because I really believe it's the best way to care for healthy women with healthy pregnancies.

That said, I SO wish there were more OB/GYNs with the heart of midwives. I can't be the one to tell which dream to pursue, but if there were more doctors that let women's bodies do what they know how to do, the world would be a better place. You sound like you will do excellently no matter which path you take, but in terms of ability to make a bigger difference, I think that (at least at this time in the US) the OB/Gyn path would be the way.

:redbeathe

(All THAT said, I get my well-woman care from a CNM that my OB's office hired a couple years ago!)