More About Midwives

There are two basic types of midwives. Direct-entry midwives are midwives that learned midwifery without going through nursing school first. Direct entry midwives believe that midwifery is a profession distinct from nursing and that nursing is not a required prerequisite.

In order to obtain my Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) credential, I was required to document my training, including a certain number of prenatal visits, births and postpartums that I attended as a student, and also those where I was the primary midwife but under supervision. I had to pass a skills exam, and a lengthy academic exam.

In order to maintain my credential, I am required to keep my education current as well as attend peer review sessions and maintain CPR and Neonatal Resuscitation certification.

I also have a license from the State of Wisconsin. As of May 1, 2007 anyone practicing midwifery in Wisconsin must have a license, either as a Licensed Midwife, or as a Certified Nurse Midwife.

Because the medical community was not completely supportive of our license, I would encourage to you join Friends of Wisconsin Midwives in order to help ensure continued access to home birth and the Midwives Model of Care.

In Wisconsin you will also find Certified Nurse Midwives. They have completed training as registered nurses and gone on to complete extensive additional training as midwives. Nurse Midwives have a broader scope of practice than Certified Professional Midwives. They may have hospital privileges and prescriptive privileges. They can also provide well woman care throughout a woman's life.

More About Midwives

Will my insurance pay for a midwife?

You will need to check with your insurance company. Ask if they will pay a Licensed Midwife. Some pay well, others pay at a lower out-of-plan rate. Most HMO's and PPO's will not pay me. I cannot accept Badger Care at this time. You can also use your pre-tax medical savings account to pay for your homebirth.

I have contracted with www.larsenbilling.com to handle insurance billing for my clients.

Even if your insurance will not cover my services at home, many women find that my fee is low enough that they are paying less than they would if they paid their deductible and co-pay for a hospital birth covered by their insurance plan.