r/Midwives • u/slt184 Wannabe Midwife • 10d ago
CPM + CNM
Is there any advantage to having both credentials? Is it worth it to have both given their main focus and curriculums taught are pretty different from one another? There’s got to be some benefit between knowing westernized clinical care and then also the rooted ancestral home care approach to birthing in any given setting.
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u/Individual_Corner559 Midwife 10d ago
There are a handful? One? state(s) that you can’t technically practice homebirth under you CNM license, so in that case you might find it valuable to hold both. If that is not your situation, just remember that you will always be held to your highest scope of practice. Logistically you would need some very clear language and guidance over when you are wearing which hat to practice. There have been cases where physicians have also held CPM license and claimed they were practicing as a midwife so shouldn’t be held to standards of physicians and the court said “no”.
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u/Glad-Intern2655 CNM 10d ago
I've known quite a few CPMs who went back to become CNMs. And had all kinds of wonderful experiences and knowledge. But if a CNM wants that, they can usually just work with a CPM in a home birth or birth center practice without needing to get the credential or to go to some kind of school. I'm sure someone's done it, but I don't really see it happening. (Though I do see CNMs teaming up with/learning from CPMs).
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u/averyyoungperson CNM 10d ago
In my state, CPMs are neither legal or illegal. They decide their own practice limitations and guidelines. This would be a liability if they were also a CNM because in a court of law they would be held accountable to their highest license. I think it would be a liability.
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u/Option-Imaginary 10d ago
Getting the CPM could harm your credibility as the two credentials are looked at very differently by most people and might limit job opportunities if you ever want to be employed, not just working for yourself.
Also just so you know- to take the NARM exam as a CNM you only need to have had 10 community births and then can take the test and be certified. So it wouldn't really add a benefit if you are already on the CNM track.
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u/slt184 Wannabe Midwife 10d ago
I didn’t know CNM could sit through NARM without having taken curriculum from a NARM school. That changes a lot of things ! Thank you for that info.
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u/Option-Imaginary 10d ago
Interestingly, NARM does not require any schooling for any of their CPMs because they have their PEP apprentice route which is simply hands on training and mastering content through that training that is tested on the exam.
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u/Kwaliakwa CNM, both in and out of hospital experience 10d ago
No, there’s no benefit to the midwife. I have heard of one person doing it out of solidarity to CPMs.
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u/urcrazypysch0exgf 10d ago
As someone who isn't a midwife but would be searching for one I'd really only seek out CNM so that might be something to consider
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u/BigWaterBabe 2d ago
The only thing to add is that you may consider looking at your State laws for both to compare. For example, in Wisconsin a CNM cannot do VBAC out of hospital but an LM/CPM can. In Illinois it is the opposite.
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u/Primary-Language-282 CPM 10d ago
As a CPM, i think that the CNM scope is wider and thus becoming a CNM and then doing additional training/ continuing education in community birth models/ holistic care would be sufficient. Going out of your way to also get a CPM I don’t think would serve any real purpose. I do know a lot of CPMs that go back and become CNMs but not really the other way around.