From Professionalization to Education
One of the biggest hurdles to professionalizing non-nurse midwifery was the lack of any standardized training opportunities in the United States. Historically, midwives had learned their trade by apprenticing with those more experienced within their community. By the late twentieth century, however, the home birth trend triggered a regulatory backlash in many states, resulting in new and more restrictive licensure laws requiring education and certification. This chapter traces the evolution of the first and arguably the most successful fully accredited direct-entry midwifery program recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. As the school evolved, its founders faced philosophical and financial hurdles that required them to reconsider how to train students and promote midwifery as an inclusive, meaningful, and practical profession.