Benefits of Using a Nurse-Midwife

Sometimes I'm asked what the benefits of using a nurse-midwife are....
While I respect and honor midwives from all paths of education and apprenticeship, I thought I would fill you in on some benefits of my licensure/advanced education:

• Lower transfer rate to the hospital related to fewer legal requirements for transfer when compared with licensed midwives in the state of Florida. For example: More leeway with ruptured membranes and post-dates pregnancies. More is left up to my practice protocols and clinical judgement and less to the state's arbitrary rules (many of which I disagree with). 
• Ability to prescribe medications if needed. While I respect and honor natural and herbal remedies, sometimes Western medicine pharmaceuticals are useful tools as well. This is helpful if you have hyperemesis, bacterial urine infections, mastitis, hypothyroidism, etc. 
• Ability to prescribe controlled substances if needed. This is useful for severe pain due to kidney stones, gallstones, or prolonged early labor-when someone really needs a nap. 
• Ability to treat mood disorders like anxiety and depression in the perinatal period if needed. You deserve to be happy, and your baby deserves a healthy, happy parent. 
• More training on complications and how to manage them during pregnancy.
• Ability to provide full-service gynecological care for the lifetime.