liability

Yes and no. It's not cheap to get malpractice insurance in the OB world (either for an OB/GYN or a CNM). However, you'll find most employers pay this expense for you so it's not generally something you carry and pay for yourself.

I have also heard these statements coming from other nurses. I think it is more from a lack of understanding about the midwifery profession. Research supports the midwifery model of care for birth. I have witnessed poor outcomes many times from ob/gyn practice and unneccessary intervention. More nurses need to support their profession and use evidenced based research in their practice. Women desperately need midwives to advocate for them and create a safer birth environment.

I have also heard these statements coming from other nurses. I think it is more from a lack of understanding about the midwifery profession. Research supports the midwifery model of care for birth. I have witnessed poor outcomes many times from ob/gyn practice and unneccessary intervention. More nurses need to support their profession and use evidenced based research in their practice. Women desperately need midwives to advocate for them and create a safer birth environment.

Off topic, just want to shine the light on a different perspective on you said - women need to advocate for themselves and for midwives, too. Many of us become midwives because we believe in the woman's right to have a natural birth. By virtue of own survival we DO advocate for women's rights. Read the ACNM website, and you'll see what we try to do at all levels. But we can't clap with one hand.

Women need to educate themselves on their bodies, on their rights, on pregnancy, and ask the right questions and not leave it till the last minute when they trapped in their most vulnerable moment - in a hospital bed laboring.

I agree with you 100 percent. I think women need midwives in places where there are none because without midwives I think the philosophy of normal birth is lost and we begin to see more complications and interventions. On the other hand as you said, midwives can only do so much and women should be their own advocate first. I have seen many women who come to the hospital to have their babies who have no clue about labor and birth which makes them even more vulnerable than they already are. Others are not even open to midwives and trust only their doctor because they don't understand what research supports. Many ldr nurses even have no comprehension about what midwives are about. Atleast here in Kansas, everyone is so against midwives. Hmm according to the latest stats...the infant mortality rate is 11 per 100 and black infant mortality rate is 19 per 100. I wonder if maybe a lack of midwives is the reason? I think we need more education about the maternity care system before it gets any worse than it already is.

Sorta off the post topic, but in response to the last few posts. Women are their own worst enemy. L&D has followed trends, just like fashion, how sad is that? Not what is best for the mother & infant, but: OOOHHH, she had an epidural? I want and epidural!!! You didnt' have any pain @ all? What did you have??? Twilight sleep? OOHHH I want that!!! (New mother doesn't mention she was restrained the whole time, cussing & spiting & biting, because she doesn't remember!!) And the medical community went along with this!!! Why? because it was what women wanted!! This has gone all the way back to when ether was first put on a rag, and inhaled to knock one unconcious. Crazy. The question is: How do we get women to consider natural childbirth, fashionable? If we did that, OB/GYN's would be in the poor house. :icon_roll