What Is A Midwife?

A midwife is one who cares for a woman and baby during birth. Oftentimes, the midwife's care also encompasses the pregnancy and the postpartum period as holistic wellbeing. This is the most basic definition of a midwife available; the majority of her name is highly defined by where in the world you live.
For example, in the United Kingdom, midwives are medical professionals that provide prenatal care and usually operate in their own hospitals or birth centers. In the Netherlands, these women take charge of the majority of Dutch pregnancies, covering the entire pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period--only handing over their clients if there is an emergency or high-risk condition that develops during the pregnancy. In many third-world countries, a midwife is a birth assistant, sometimes highly trained, sometimes hardly trained, but a birth assistant nonetheless.
In the United States, there are a myriad of different kinds of midwives. Even most women in the United States only know of one kind. For your ease of reading, I have categorized the different midwives into three main groups.
The Nurse Midwife
A certified nurse midwife (CNM) is a midwife who has a degree in nursing in addition to her studies as a midwife. This midwife almost always works in a hospital under a doctor's care. She is often seen as the cross between an obstetrical doctor and a birth-at-home midwife.
The Registered Midwife (RM)
A registered midwife is a healthcare provider who has been trained in women's health and birth and has passed the state's examinations to become registered in the state to practice. She usually offers assistance and services to couples looking for an at-home birth. She believes that birth is a natural process that every woman has the right to experience. While she endeavors to keep birth as natural as possible, she is very keen to notice any variations from a normal birth. A registered midwife should not hesitate to take a birthing mother to the hospital if the birth process deviates from safe and healthy boundaries.
The Lay Midwife
A lay midwife is usually a self-appointed midwife who has not received any formal education and has acquired her knowledge through experience. She has not passed any examinations and does not hold credentials in midwifery.