A certified nurse midwife, or CNM, is a health health professional with training and licensing in both nursing and midwifery. These highly skilled women and men must have, at minimum, a bachelor's degree at an institution of higher education...
If you're pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the near future, one of the first decisions you will need to make concerns the type of health care you will receive. While many women seek the services of a traditional obstetrician, certified...
A birth certificate is a common form of identification your child will use throughout his life. The process of getting a birth certificate for your newborn begins at the hospital when you provide information to a nurse or midwife so she can...
During pregnancy, you have plenty of reasons to exercise, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Keeping active helps you sleep better, gain the right amount of weight and helps prevent aches and pain. It may even help speed up...
To earn a master's degree in nursing, you must attend schooling through an accredited college or university. Having a master's degree in nursing gives you the skills, educational background and training to become successful in the nursing field....
Care from midwives can very greatly. A certified nurse midwife working in a hospital with an obstetrician will use medically minded induction methods, such as Pitocin, artificial rupture of the membranes and vaginal prostaglandin preparations....
Stretch marks form on the belly, upper arms, thighs, and chest as a result of rapid weight gain, often from pregnancy. The skin stretches, leaving unsightly red and purple scars. Not only are there modern creams and processes for getting rid of...
Achieving healthy weight loss is an investment in long-term lifestyle changes, according to Doria Keesling, a certified nurse midwife at St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center's Women's Care Center in Missouri. After all, many of us who...
A doctor who delivers babies is usually licensed as an obstetrician/gynecologist, or Ob/Gyn, a specialty that involves training in pregnancy, birth and the reproductive systems of women. Different obstetricians have different philosophies, with...
Most women will suffer form external vaginal itching at some point in life. It is a common problem with many different causes. Many women feel embarrassment over external vaginal itching and may hesitate to seek help for it from their doctor or...
Pregnancy is a special process, and in your eighth month, you are probably getting excited about meeting your new baby. It's important to maintain your health throughout your entire pregnancy; however, it is particularly important in the eighth...
Your baby spends nine months swimming in a warm, watery environment. Home birth supporters feel that transitioning the bay from one warm, wet environment to another is more calming and soothing and thus helps to prevent complications, according to...
Milk provides calcium, the most prevalent mineral in the human body and the building block for healthy teeth and bones. Pregnant women need at least four servings of milk or other calcium-rich foods daily. Women who don't get enough calcium during...
Women should have a Pap smear test done at least once per year. A doctor, physician assistant, nurse midwife or nurse practitioner administers the exam. Women are asked to remove their clothing or at least undress from the waist down and cover up...
If you have a disorder that causes your blood to develop clots, you may need to take low-dose baby aspirin during pregnancy. Often prescribed in conjunction with heparin, another drug that prevents clotting, baby aspirin reduces the ability of...
It is not uncommon for many women to remain pregnant after their due date, especially for first time moms. Most obstetricians and midwives will give mom until 42 weeks to go into labor naturally, though you may be monitored more after you have...
Preeclampsia affects 5 to 7 percent of women in pregnancy. It will be diagnosed if your blood pressure exceeds 140/90. Left untreated, preeclampsia can damage your kidneys, cause clotting disorders and lead to seizures or even death. It also...
If you are looking to improve your overall health, look no further than your kitchen cupboard. Walnuts and almonds aren't just a delicious snack, but for some individuals, they may also be an effective home remedy for a variety of health...
Nausea with or without vomiting in pregnancy is commonly referred to as morning sickness. American Family Physician, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Family Physicians, reports that about 80 percent of pregnant women are affected...
Maintaining optimal health throughout a pregnancy is essential in making sure mom and baby are getting proper care. Pregnancy care should include doctor checkups as soon as the mother realizes she may be pregnant. Early care will help detect...
If you are pregnant, you may be confused as to whether it is safe to take medication. The answer isn't simple, however, since the effect of medication on a fetus depends on which category it belongs to, the specific type of drug it is and its...
As many as 7.4 percent of moms-to-be chose midwives for their births in 2006, reports "Fit Pregnancy" magazine. If you're considering a midwife for your birth, the midwife-mother relationship may be one of the factors influencing your decision....
Although it would be nice if your body miraculously returned to its prepregnancy state the instant you deliver the baby, this is not the case for most women. It can take weeks for you to recover from childbirth. After you heal, it can take several...
During your pregnancy, many prescription and over-the-counter medications are off limits due to the potential to affect your pregnancy and unborn baby. Many women choose to turn, instead, to herbal supplements such as milk thistle, believing them...
Some essential oils are used in labor to help with relaxation and pain relief during the birth of the baby; other essential oils are capable of stimulating the uterus to induce labor. Use lavender oil in a blend of uterotonic essential oils, or on...
Hormones affect both women's and men's bodies in numerous ways beyond sexual function. Progesterone in particular is important for women, not just for reproduction. It is often noted as a natural antidepressant, and you may be contending with...
Castor oil is an extremely powerful laxative, functioning as both a bowel irritant and a stool lubricant. Used primarily as a treatment for severe, persistent constipation, castor oil is notorious for causing serious and uncomfortable side...
Whether this is your first pregnancy or your fourth, the prospect of laboring to deliver your baby can be both exciting and frightening. As you count down the last weeks of your pregnancy, remember that very few babies are born on their due dates....
Midwifery is an ancient tradition. The midwife acts as a helper for the pregnant mother as she comes to term, helping her through labor and delivery. However, specially trained physicians and surgeons with access to medications and surgical...
