154: How to Become a Certified Nurse Midwife (and Cry a Little)

Gina (perinatal fitness trainer and doula) and Roxanne (certified nurse midwife) break down what labor & delivery nurses do versus midwives, OBs, and some family medicine providers, including who typically handles low- vs high-risk care and which interventions midwives can’t do. They explain why some people choose midwives versus OBs, and note midwives can provide full-spectrum women’s health care. Roxanne outlines three midwife paths—CPM (apprenticeship plus education/exam; licensing varies by state), CM (non-nurse bachelor’s plus grad midwifery; limited states), and CNM (nursing degree to grad midwifery, boards, state licensure, collaboration requirements). They discuss clinical hour/birth requirements, costs, licensing logistics, and how Roxanne used ROTC and the GI Bill to pay for school, then end with a top tip: attend births (even on YouTube) to see if the calling is real.00:00 Welcome and Episode Setup01:17 Feeling Called to Midwifery02:40 Nurse vs Midwife vs OB07:15 Choosing Midwife or OB13:06 Midwives Beyond Birth Care14:54 Three Midwife Types Overview15:47 CPM Path and Licensure17:57 Unlicensed CPM Tradeoffs22:13 Certified Midwife Route24:19 CNM Training and Nursing Paths29:06 Midwifery School Format and Clinicals33:16 Clinical Skills and Birth Requirements39:02 Clinical Volume Matters40:04 Choosing the Right Provider41:40 Certification Exam Reality45:20 State Licensure and Reciprocity48:46 Midwife Training Pathway50:48 Costs and Barriers52:52 Military Funding Options58:49 Paying for Grad School01:03:53 Labor and Delivery Nursing Route01:06:08 Best Tip Attend Births01:09:23 Wrap Up and Resources————Get Your Copy of Training for Two on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VOTdwH📧 Download our free birth prep circuit guide with six exercises to prepare your body for birth: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/prepare-for-birth-circuit/Prepare for your birth with MamasteFit:💻 Online Childbirth Education Courses🏋🏻‍♀️ Online Prenatal Fitness Programming🧘‍♀️ Prepare Your Pelvic Floor for Birth CourseExplore our prep for birth courses: https://mamastefit.com/prenatal-support3rd Trimester Specific Prep Courses: https://mamastefit.com/fitness-programs/third-trimester/-------Freebies to Support Your Postpartum:📩 Join our free early postpartum recovery course: https://mamastefit.com/freebies/early-postpartum-recovery/—-Recover after birth and return to fitness with MamasteFit: https://mamastefit.com/fitness-programs/postpartum/💻 Postpartum Education Courses🏋🏻‍♀️ Postpartum Fitness Programs——Follow Us on IG at https://instagram.com/mamastefit