midwife228

I have worked in small community hospitals and large teaching hospitals, in L&D, Postpartum and NICU as a nurse for 18 years and 19 years as a midwife, so these are collective statistics from all of those: Largest set of multiples: triplets Long...

Beautifully said, Lampritl! And so very true.

In the practice that I previously worked in, we had women insert 3000-4000 mg. of primrose oil capsules vaginally at bedtime, starting at 36-37 weeks, for cervical ripening. I have read since then that some practices use primrose oil capsules orally...

I can't answer for employers as a group but I can tell you that my degree is from Stony Brook and I was never questioned about it in job interviews. I have worked in private practices and now am in a hospital L&D staff position; matter of fact, ...

It's interesting that Medicaid requires the use of CNMs for low-risk pregnancies where you are; what a great idea! Midwives have a proven record of effectiveness with at-risk populations. I hope that health care reform will lead to more widespread ...

Ask your nursing professor what she means by that comment. Is she referring to the cost of malpractice insurance? If so, that cost is usually paid by your employer as part of your contract as a nurse-midwife. It could be an issue in a home birth p...

As an RN, you have the degree requirement to pursue a CNM. You would now need to apply to a university-based CNM program. Some require L&D experience as an RN and I would recommend this; the instincts you will develop will be very valuable in yo...

I would agree with all of the above suggestions, as well as "Sisters on a Journey"

If being a midwife is your passion, it's about more than the salary. I have taken pay cuts for jobs I really wanted as a CNM. But the availability of midwife jobs is another issue to look at. I live in a state where malpractice is very high and I ...

It is ridiculously high - around $25,000 per year for midwives in private practice. Compare that to $2500 which is what it was when I started my first CNM job just 10 years ago. I work for a health care system so they pay our malpractice as part of...

I have worked in 2 private practices, one in a large suburban practice and the other in a small community hospital-owned practice, and now am working on-staff for a large health care provider so I have seen a variety of salaries and schedules. Don't...

I am a Stony Brook grad, though I will say that I have utmost respect for the Frontier program. Since I am a NY resident, Stony Brook had the advantage of NY state resident tuition, though I came very close to transfer to Frontier. That said... I d...

The oldest I've seen personally was 47 - but hey, that's only 2 years different! How are you feeling? What kind of OB provider do you have? They would likely consider you high risk based on age but is there a group you can go to that has midwives?...

Hi Nate, I also say "go for it"! One of my best instructors in Midwifery School was a male CNM. I also know many nurses who worked with him when he was doing clinical midwifery and they all said he was great. (Actually, parteiranaqua, we may be...

Anybody going to the 2010 MANA Conference? I am hoping to, (waiting to see if my employer still has Continuing Education money that will pay for part of it).

Near Nashville, Tennessee. They're doing a "roast" of The Farm Midwives, along with lots of good conference content. I'm really hoping I can go!

I agree with Joyrochelle - it's better to experience some of those bad things that can happen in labor while you're in a hospital where you have a support team (of sorts, at least) before you are out there on your own. When I went (over a weekend) f...

It's difficult for sure. I actually did my clinical midwifery training in the same unit where I was also working as an L&D nurse at the time and that was hard too. I have worked on that same unit since then so have been there over 20 years all ...

Congratulations!! I'm so glad you had the birth you wanted! I wish your birth experience were an option for more women. I think the only way things change is from consumer demand and if you think your former OB would be open to hearing about your ...

I have had 3 very different employment experiences and I will try to share them briefly. I am certainly willing to share more details by PM if you want; I have not tried that from this site either but am willing to. My first midwifery position was i...

I am sure that any local midwives you contact will be willing to give you information. I am a practicing CNM and would also be willing to answer whatever questions I can. I am currently a staff midwife in a large hospital but have previously worked...

Has anyone else read "Lady's Hands, Lion's Heart: a Midwife's Saga" by Carol Leonard? It was given to me as a birthday gift by one of my closest midwife friends and it is great! I think I identified with it even more than with other midwife storie...

I'm another practicing CNM here. It would be nice to have conversations with other practicing midwives about what we do. How do you get to be part of the Sage Femmes group? I used to be on a list-serve for midwives when I was in school but somehow...

It does take lots and lots of exams to feel like you really "get it". And then there are still those posterior cervixes!! I, too, have short fingers and often use the bedpan or fists-under-the-hips trick. Please believe me, docs have the same prob...

I went directly to L&D as a new grad - to a high-risk L&D unit no less! I didn't even know what questions to ask but I have never had any regrets. Actually I learned so much in that unit that it really worked in my favor when I later went t...