Webster's Dictionary defines respect as holding in high esteem, treating with deference or dutiful regard.  There are many facets to that definition that I consider a requirement in my midwifery practice.

I value each of my clients, and one way I show how much I value my clients is to treat them respectfully.   I respect my clients for doing the research and understanding what is involved in having a home birth.  Deciding home birth is best for their family means doing birth differently than how over 98% of births happen in the US and that in and of itself demands respect.  I love getting to know each of my clients, thier unique needs, wants and desires.  Learning about thier concerns and helping them get information to address the concerns is another way I can show respect.  I do not tell my clients what they have to do, instead I share resources that help them investigate all the options, risks and benefits of each.  I am delighted when my clients bring new resources to my attention.   My clients decide what is best for thier individual situation and I do my best to ensure that what they decide is what we do.  I enjoy getting to know my client's values, and learn about thier culture.  I have served Amish clients, military clients, Catholic clients, clients who are business owners etc.  I have learned so much and have a greater appreciation for the issues my clients navigate.  I am richer for serving such a diverse clientele.

I get frustrated when I hear about medical providers who do not provide respectful care.  Attempting to coerce someone to agree to medical care, not providing fully informed consent, threatening that insurance won't pay because someone does not agree to the provider's recommendations are all disrespectful.  Not listening to someone's concerns and issues, and not answering questions is also disrespectful.

I allow time during my appointments for not only making clinical assessments but discussion as well.  I want to know and understand my client's concerns and any issues that they may be having.  I want to work with them to address those things in the manner they are most comfortable with.  I want my clients to ask questions and I want to have the time to fully answer those questions.  By limiting the number of clients I serve, I am able to have the time (I plan for one hour) at appointments for questions, discussions and education.  I also have the freedom to take longer at appointments or schedule time for a phone call or another appointment if needed.  Clients need to be heard, valued and able to participate in thier health care.  Having a small midiwfery practice lets me take the time my clients need and gives me the opportunity to treat my clients respectfully in every aspect of their care. Respectful care should be a minimum standard for all care providers, but sadly it is not. In my midwifery practice, I treat my clients with utmost respect.  They are entitled to nothing less.

When I was considering becoming a midwife, there was more than one path I could take.  As a doula, I had attended births where hands on skills were vital to a safe birth so I wanted to learn and feel proficient in those skills. I also knew I needed to have a much wider knowledge base to feel comfortable attending births.  I had completed all the courses required to start nursing clinicals when I attended Kansas State University, and I had worked as a Certified Nurse's Aide so I had some basic health care skills and knowledge.  That was a head start in being a midwife but it wasn't enough.  I considered going back to college to become a Certified Nurse Midwife.  That did not appeal to me at all.  First, I had (and still have) serious reservations about having to comply with hospital and insurance constraints when serving women and thier babies during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.  Second, I had no desire to spend years of my life attending college when I could be learning and working with women right away.  Third, I wanted to focus more on hands on practice and experience to compliment the abstract knowledge I would need to serve women well.

Apprenticing to become a Certified Professional Midwife was the right path for me. I loved that I could immediately begin developing and honing skills while learning the abstract knowledge I needed to understand pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Working in a home birth practice let me see the beauty and wisdom of natural birth.  It also gave me the experience to become familiar with normal pregnancy, birth and postpartum which makes me better able to recognize when things fall outside of normal.  My apprenticeship let me experience the true continuity of midwifery care, in real world practice, which semesters and a standardized curriculum cannot replicate. My apprenticeship was one of the most challenging and fulfilling things I have ever done. My apprenticeship didn't just help me become a midwife, it helped me grow as a person.  That personal growth has served me well as a midwife.

Since Kansas does not have any credentialing for direct entry midwives, there is no test or assessment of skills to determine competency at the state level. I wanted something that showed I had met a baseline standard for midwifery care.  I wanted my clients to know that I had taken on the responsibility to learn the skills and knowledge needed to be a midwife and that I had shown competence in them. I use the knowledge and skills I learned every time I serve a client and I still hear my preceptor's voice as I use those skills.  I continue to learn and refine my current skills as well as add new skills. I am proud to have earned the national credential of CPM and I am proud to serve my clients within the framework of client centered, evidence based care that aligns with the Midwives Model of Care.
​