What is the Difference Between a Midwife and a Doula?

It is very important to make a distinction between a midwife and a doula because it can be easy to confuse the two. Doulas are women dedicated to supporting families during the birthing process. A doula is primarily there for your comfort. They are not a “care provider” but can be an important member of the birthing team. 

 

Often, an aspiring midwife will get her start as a doula, but just because someone has attended a few births, gone to a few workshops, or read a few books does not mean that she is a midwife. Although there is always something to take away from every birth regardless of role, births attended as a friend/sister/doula/birth photographer should never be included in the number of births that a person needs in order to call themselves a primary midwife. 

 

As an expecting parent, it is extremely important to look at your midwife’s training and experience as a whole and not just at the letters that follow her name. 

 

The Difference Between Types of Midwives

 

As you begin to research homebirth, you will discover that there are many different types of Midwives and titles are not always standardized. Some titles indicate a particular level or type of education and sometimes they represent choices that were made by that midwife based on her philosophy of care.

 

A CNM is a certified nurse midwife. She’s gone through nursing school and has also completed an additional course of study (Master’s Degree) in Midwifery. Most CNM’s work directly under the supervision of a doctor and have hospital privileges. In Mississippi, CNMs do not attend homebirths.

 

The terms CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) and DEM (Direct Entry Midwife) refer yo Midwives who went directly into the study of midwifery, as opposed to attending nursing school. To qualify as a CPM, a midwife must have attended a certain number of births and sit for an extensive and in-depth written exam. CPMs are certified through the North American Registry of Midwives. 

 

Most Direct-Entry Midwives have graduated from a Midwifery program, in addition to completing a rigorous apprenticeship/academic study model.