Your Midwifery Options:

 
At Feels Like Home Birth Suites you have many options to choose from. We have a small group practice that you may choose for your care, or individual care from different independent midwives. Each have their own advantages and practice styles. We encourage you to look carefully for a practice that meets your needs and desires for a safe and satisfying birth.

There are 3 types of midwives in Utah that can all practice legally:

  1. LDEM- Licensed Direct Entry Midwife. This is someone who went straight into midwifery and is licensed by the state. He or She is a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife), having met the requirements with NARM (North American Registry of Midwives). LDEMs are licensed with the State of Utah and can carry oxygen, lidocaine (for stitching up your perineum in the case of tears), Rhogam for Rh- mothers, pitocin for a hemorrhage, vitamin K for baby, eye ointment for baby, and with a physicians approval, IV’s if needed, more medications for hemorrhage, and certain antibiotics for labor. They are not under the supervision of a doctor but practice independently.
  2. CPM or DEM- Certified Professional Midwife or Direct Entry Midwife. In Utah no certification or licensure is required to call oneself a midwife. Therefore it is up to you the consumer to determine the skill level and capability of anyone calling themself a midwife. Therefore this midwife may or may not have the CPM credential. Many midwives in this category are very skilled, but once again it is up to the consumer to determine the knowledge and skill level of this midwife. This midwife can carry oxygen, but cannot carry any other medications.
  3. CNM- Certified Nurse Midwife. This midwife has gone through formal nurse’s training and certification as well as midwifery training. Most CNM’s work in the hospital, they can carry medications, and write prescriptions. They are under the supervision of a doctor.

Please be aware that birthing at the suites does not mean that you will have access to medications of any kind if needed. The medications available to you is determined my the license that your midwife may or may not hold. If you would like access to hemorrhage medications you MUST choose a licensed midwife (LDEM) or practice.