Midwives and families rally at state capital

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Midwives Expand Pregnancy and Birth Options for Women

ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES, January 30, 2018 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Maryland families are celebrating the one year anniversary of the state’s first Licensed Direct-Entry Midwives (LDEMs). The newly licensed midwives give Maryland citizens increased access to midwife-attended home births. In the past, families seeking home birth midwife care were limited to the few Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) practices offering home birth.

The Maryland General Assembly passed a bill in May of 2015 allowing Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) who practice as Licensed Direct Entry Midwives to legally attend homebirths in the state of Maryland. After the bill passed, regulations were completed making way for the first licenses to be issued in January of 2017. LDEMs scope of practice encompasses the care of women experiencing normal pregnancy who choose to deliver in the safety, comfort, and privacy of their own home. LDEMs offer complete prenatal, birth, postpartum, and initial newborn care.

Hundreds of families spent years advocating for increased access to midwifery care. “For me, birthing at home is about having an intimate experience with my family and avoiding the high rates of medical intervention in the hospital,” says Paige Barocca, a homebirth mother. “With the births of my two older children I had no legal options in my area to birth at home. I had to drive over an hour to access a midwife. Now that I am pregnant again, I am excited to work with an LDEM close to me.”

Over the last 30 years, the number of people in Maryland choosing to birth at home has increased along with the national trend. Maryland is affected by the nationwide shortage of maternity care providers (nearly half of U.S. counties had no maternity care providers at all, as of 2010.)

LDEMs meet strict educational standards in preparation for a certifying exam. Numerous studies demonstrate the safety, excellent outcomes, high rate of client satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness of home birth.

The Association of Independent Midwives of Maryland (AIMM) continues to work on expanding access to birth options for Maryland families. AIMM will attend a gathering in Annapolis on February 7, 2018 hosted by Maryland Families for Safe Birth. All are welcome!

AIMM is the professional organization of home birth midwives in Maryland and supports home birth midwives in every community providing safe, affordable, care to the families they serve.

For more information and a listing of home birth midwives, go to www.aimmidwives.org or the Midwives Alliance of North America.

Dianne Sellers, CPM, LDEM
Association of Independent Midwives of Maryland
(410) 227-6174
email us here

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