July 2025 Newsletter - Equity in Midwifery Education: Weaving Strength for the Future of Midwifery

Equity in Midwifery Education: Weaving Strength For the Future of Midwifery by Farrah Rivera

As a community midwife, educator, and member of the NACPM Board, I hold a deep reverence for the midwifery profession. This monumental work is often a calling rooted in ancestral knowing, advocacy, and often without recognition for the time and weight this profession carries.

Read more

Acknowledgement of Harm and National Call for Decriminalization of Midwifery

The National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM) honors and mourns the silencing of generations of Indigenous, Black, immigrant, enslaved, religious and rural midwives whose wisdom, devotion, and embodied care sustained families and communities long before midwifery was institutionalized in the United States. Their knowledge was not lost, but suppressed by colonization, by the rise of medical dominance, and by systems rooted in white supremacy. And yet, that wisdom persists. It lives on in ancestral memory, community care, and the ongoing resistance of midwives who continue to serve outside the bounds of state and institutional recognition.

Read more

Equity in Midwifery Education: Weaving Strength for the Future of Midwifery by Farrah Rivera

Unification of midwifery will result not only in reducing mortality, but  nurturing a profession that reflects the deepest values rooted in love and resistance. Let us lead with courage. Let us teach and receive as heart centered humans where we are not centering in service of systems that are working against us. And let us prepare the next generation of midwives to be not only clinically competent, but culturally responsive, resilient, visionary, and just.

Read more

NACPM Preceptor Directory

In response to conversations during our Midwifery Student Social Hour and the consistent call from students for reliable, accessible clinical opportunities, NACPM is proud to launch the NACPM Preceptor Directory—a national, opt-in resource designed to connect student midwives with midwives who are open to serving as preceptors.

Read more

June 2025 Newsletter - Education, Frameworks, and The Future of CPMs

The Midwife as Student: Embracing Lifelong Learning

by Vicki Penwell, PhD

“Credentials given to a servant-leader are used to create less privilege and more capacity to serve.” ~ Dr. Brad Smith, Chancellor

I thought of this quote I read the other day when NACPM wrote to congratulate me on earning a doctorate degree, then asked if I would write on the subject of a midwife’s continuing education for the NACPM newsletter on Education & Professional Development.

Read more

BMMA is Recruiting New Board Members!

BMMA, Inc. (Black Mamas Matter Alliance) is seeking new Board Members. Nominations are currently being accepted until July 10, 2025. We are seeking up to five new Board members who are resourceful, values-aligned, and committed to advancing maternal health equity (domestically & globally), reproductive justice, and the sustainability of BMMA as the premier Black Maternal Health organization.

The Deadline to Apply is July 10, 2025.

(Note: Form requires a Gmail account to access.)

Read more

Happy International Day of the Midwife!

Each year on May 5, the global midwifery community comes together to celebrate International Day of the Midwife (IDM). This year’s theme from the International Confederation of Midwives—“Midwives: Critical in Every Crisis”—is a powerful reminder of how essential midwives are, especially in times of upheaval, uncertainty, and change.

Read more

April 2025 Newsletter: Midwives - Critical in Every Crisis

When Crisis Is in the Air: Understanding the Impact of Wildfire Smoke on Our Communities
By Anna Humphreys, MPH, MSM, CPM

Wildfires are becoming a more frequent and devastating part of life for many of the communities midwives serve. While we often think about wildfires in terms of physical destruction, there is another layer of harm that can be harder to see: the mental and physical health impacts of wildfire smoke exposure.

Read more

Upcoming CEU Webinar- Wildfire Smoke and Midwifery

Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
CEUs: 2 MEAC CEUs available

NACPM is pleased to announce our upcoming webinar:
"Wildfire Smoke and Midwifery: Tools for Community Education and Resilience"
Presented by Anna Humphreys, MPH, MSM, CPM

As wildfire smoke becomes increasingly common across North America, midwives are playing a critical role in supporting clients through the unique health challenges it brings during pregnancy.

This webinar will explore:

  • The science behind wildfire smoke and its effects on pregnant people and fetuses

  • Real-world insights from CPMs practicing in affected areas

  • Practical tools and strategies for midwives to educate and support their communities

We encourage all midwives, students, and birth workers to join us for this important session focused on resilience, education, and client care in changing environmental conditions.

Register now to reserve your spot and earn CEUs.


We look forward to seeing you there!

Source: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/W...

Maternal Health Can’t Wait: Proposed HHS Cuts Threaten Lifesaving Programs

The United States is already facing a maternal health crisis. Now, proposed budget and staffing cuts at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would make this crisis even worse—stripping away funding and support from the very programs that protect families, improve outcomes, and reduce disparities.

A recent Guardian article outlines these alarming developments, including significant reductions in funding for key maternal and child health programs, as well as a proposed 20% cut in the federal workforce supporting them.

Read more