Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) in Southern California
A midwife provides health services to women during pregnancy, labor, and birth. A certified nurse midwife (CNM) is a registered nurse who has completed a midwifery program and passed a national certification exam.
The caring childbirth experts at Dignity Health Southern California hospitals partner with you throughout your pregnancy and personalize care to your needs and preferences. Find a Doctor at one of our hospitals and talk to them about what you would like your childbirth experience to look like, including having a midwife, in Southern California.
Services commonly provided by a midwife include:
- Family planning and contraceptive (birth control)
- Pregnancy care, including nutrition counseling
- Labor support and pain relief
- Birth care
- Breastfeeding support
- Newborn care
- General gynecologic care, including Pap smears and pelvic exams
What a Midwife Offers
Midwives provide care for uncomplicated pregnancies and births. They consider pregnancy and birth normal, natural events that do not require routine medical intervention. A midwife is trained to respond to medical emergencies but cannot perform C-section.
Like a doctor, a midwife attends births in hospitals and birth centers, and sometimes offer home birth services. In 2014, certified nurse midwives attended just over 12 percent of all vaginal births in the U.S. and just over eight percent of all U.S. births.
What to Expect from a CNM at Dignity Health Southern California
Midwives offer a highly individualized approach to your care. When you meet with a midwife, they will get to know your desires and specific needs for your pregnancy, labor, and childbirth. A midwife does not focus on your pregnancy as an isolated event, but considers it in the context of your life.
A midwife explains your options and teaches you more about your body, including how to work with your body during labor and birth — educating and empowering you as a mother-to-be.
Midwifery care is a safe, effective choice for pregnancy, birth, and women’s wellness. Consider having a midwife as part of your birthing team at Dignity Health Southern California.
Your Dignity Health care team can include a certified nurse midwife (CNM) in Southern California during childbirth.