The modern midwife is a caregiver who works with healthy women and newborns. Focusing on the natural processes of pregnancy, labor and birth she combines traditional skills and modern clinical techniques to safeguard normal childbirth. The midwife works autonomously and maintains associations with physicians and other health care providers to ensure that mother and child have access to the best knowledge and technology available.

Direct-Entry Midwives (DEM)
Direct entry midwives create a viable alternative for women interested in a more natural birth experience and homebirth. A direct-entry midwife is an independent practitioner educated in the discipline of midwifery, distinct from the discipline of nursing, and trained to provide the Midwives Model of Care to healthy women and newborns primarily in out-of hospital settings.

Certified Professional Midwife (CPM)
A Certified Professional Midwife is a knowledgeable, skilled and professional independent midwifery practitioner who has met the standards for certification set by the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) and is qualified to provide the Midwives Model of Care. The CPM is the only international credential that requires knowledge about and experience in out-of-hospital settings.

Midwives understand that pregnancy and birth are normal, healthy processes and provide women with encouragement and guidance to promote a healthy pregnancy, labor and delivery with minimal intervention. If complications develop women are referred to medical care.

Midwives are often called “Guardians of normal birth”. Midwives know that “normal” can vary from woman to woman and so they provide individualized care suited to each woman’s rhythms and needs.

Women receive continuous care from the same midwife throughout the prenatal, labor, birth and postpartum periods, facilitating trust and decision making.
Midwifery is based on a strong belief in partnership with childbearing women and respect for birth as a normal life event. Midwives strive to empower parents with knowledge and support their right to create the birth experience that is best for them.

Midwives trust the birth process and affirm each individual woman’s ability to give birth.

Midwives are recognized throughout the world as the most appropriate maternity care providers for most women.

Midwifery is alegal in the State of Hawaii, meaning it is legal but unregulated. As there is no law regarding the practice of direct-entry midwifery, there is no licensure of midwives and no coverage of midwifery fees by health insurance companies.

Homebirth allows women to be in control of their birthing experience and for the birth of their baby to truly be an empowering and joyous event.

At the least, 90% of all women will have normal, low risk pregnancies and births. The safety of homebirth is well documented for low risk women. Research indicates that outcomes for midwife attended births, including planned, out of hospital births, are as good as or better than outcomes for physician supervised hospital deliveries.

Related Links
Homebirth: Why Would Anyone Do It?
Gentle Birth Homebirth Safety Articles
Summary of Critical Points from Safety of Alternative Approaches to Childbirth
Safety of Out-of-Hospital Birth in Industrial Nations: A Review
Is Homebirth Safe?
Homebirth: Is it Really a Safe Option?

I loved being in my own bed, in my own home and having an excellent midwife with me the whole birth. MARY

MAHALO NUI for guiding me through one of the most important experiences of my life. I felt completely empowered. KATIE

My midwives exceeded my expectations of a healthy safe and happy birth. They knew me on a more personal level than my doctor and this gave me confidence. When I have my next child I will definitely choose a midwife and a homebirth again. LISA

At this very transitional time in my life, all the support I needed I got. Awesome. RENEE

My labor was really long but my baby was perfect. I had some trouble with the placenta but the midwife knew exactly what to do It was great. DIANE