| | Reflections on SustainabilityBy: Meredith Bowden, CPM |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| As I celebrate my 50th year on Earth, I’ve enjoyed utilizing the phrase, “in a previous lifetime.” I started my midwifery journey over 20 years ago, so aspects of my life, education, and careers prior to midwifery can often seem like a lifetime ago. And yet, I know that each of those experiences is a foundational part of who I am today.
My college degree, as well as my first careers, were in biology and environmental science. So, when I hear the word sustainability, my mind immediately goes to the environment. But sustainability takes on an even broader meaning when viewed through a midwifery lens. Each aspect of sustainability could be its own article: How can we, as midwives, practice in ways that are more environmentally sustainable?
How can we sustain ourselves while working in a career that asks so much of us?
How can we ensure that the profession itself is sustained for generations to come?
Sustainability of Our Planet As midwives, there are many opportunities to consider how our everyday practices affect the environment — from the supplies we use to transportation, energy use, and the systems in which we provide care.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has developed a Green Maternity Report, identifying eight priorities for sustainable maternity care. The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare also offers initiatives focused on integrating green spaces into healthcare settings, reducing waste, and decreasing the carbon footprint in the healthcare arena. These changes do not have to happen all at once. Sustainability is often built through many small, intentional decisions.
Sustainability of Ourselves Sustainability can also be defined as "the ability to continue at a particular level for a period of time.” That definition makes me think about the individual midwife. Many Certified Professional Midwives — myself included — have solo practices. We carry responsibility for our clients, our businesses, our families, our communities, and often the emotional weight that comes with being deeply present for people during some of the most significant moments of their lives.
So, what does it mean to sustain ourselves? The NACPM Standards for Practice addresses this directly in “Standard Nine: Sustainability of the Credentialed Midwife — Sustaining the Capacity to Practice and Grow.” The standard invites us to consider areas such as: Tending to the holistic self Self-care Mental health Caring for our support systems Peer support and feedback Personalized scope of practice Boundary setting Entrepreneurship and leadership Financial literacy
These are not extras. They are part of sustaining a career in midwifery. We cannot continually pour from an empty cup and expect the profession to remain strong. Perhaps sustainability means asking ourselves not only, “Can I keep doing this?” but also, “What do I need in order to keep doing this well — and in a way that is healthy for me?”
Sustainability of Our Profession Finally, there is the sustainability of midwifery itself — the quality of being able to continue over a period of time. What are we doing to ensure that there will be midwives to serve the families of the future?
One simple question is: Are you registered as a preceptor? Teaching and mentoring the next generation of midwives is one tangible way we can contribute to the future of our profession. But sustainability can also mean sharing knowledge, supporting colleagues, participating in professional organizations, developing leadership skills, advocating for our profession, and creating practice environments where midwives can actually thrive.
The future of midwifery is not something that simply happens. It is something we each have a role in creating.
A Moment to Pause My request to each of you reading this newsletter is to pause and take inventory. Look at your practice. Look at your personal sustainability. Look at the profession as a whole. Where are you thriving? Where are you depleted? What needs attention? And what is one small change you could make today that would contribute to a more sustainable future?
Sustainability is a commitment that requires intention and reflection. It doesn't require us to change everything at once. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | Pick one change that you can commit to. Maybe it is reducing waste in your practice.
Maybe it is setting a boundary.
Maybe it is asking for help.
Maybe it is reconnecting with a colleague.
Maybe it is becoming a preceptor.
Maybe it is simply giving yourself permission to consider what you need in order to continue. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sustainability isn't only about making sure something lasts. It is about creating the conditions that allow it to keep growing — and that applies to our planet, to ourselves, and to midwifery. |
|
| | |
| | DAF Day: 8 Days Until October 8! |
|
|
|
DAF Day is a national day of giving with donor advised funds (DAF). On October 8, 2026, donors from across the country will direct their giving toward causes they care about most — by recommending grants from their donor-advised funds to specific organizations.
This DAF Day, October 8, consider recommending a grant from your DAF to our 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, the new National Foundation for Certified Professional Midwives (NFCPM)!
Our New DAF Day goal: $118,000
|
|
| | In a previous email, we asked for $25,000. Since then, we’ve decided to be bold and go for what is needed to fully fund a comprehensive business plan for NFCPM and NACPM! In light of this, we’re asking our supporters who have a DAF to help us reach our new DAF Day goal of $118,000! You can make your donation via NACPM’s new 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, the National Foundation for Certified Professional Midwives (NFCPM)!
👉 Scan the QR code or go to NFCPM.org/daf to donate. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| What is a DAF?
A donor-advised fund (DAF) is a charitable giving account that allows you to contribute assets and recommend grants to nonprofit organizations. Three steps is all it takes: Contribute to your DAF account. Invest according to your desired investment allocation. When you’re ready, recommend grants from your DAF account to the qualified U.S. public charity(ies) of your choice. Grant recommendations can be made immediately, over time, or as part of a succession plan.
Make Your Contribution You may already have a DAF or, at least, within your reach! It is accessible via an online portal where you manage contributions, investments, and gifts.
If you have a DAF, take a moment now to find “National Foundation for Certified Professional Midwives” through your provider, or donate directly here. Then, on October 8, recommend your grant.
Don't have a DAF yet? It’s not too late (or too early) to open your DAF account. It's one of the most powerful tools for intentional giving — like a 401k for your philanthropy.
Why Participate in DAF Day?
Contributions from your DAF to NFCPM fund the most pertinent projects and campaigns in the CPM ecosystem, including:
✨ Advocating for CPMs
✨ Growing the midwifery workforce
✨ Funding scholarships and grants
✨ Expanding access to community birth ✨ Advancing federal & state legislation ✨ Undertaking national midwifery research and data collection
In fact, see what we’ve been able to do this so far this year with donor contributions! 👉 Read our 2026 Mid-Year Donor Report, where you’ll find the scholarships we’ve funded, the collaborations we’ve strengthened, our legislative wins, and more.
Thank you, in advance, for your support in fueling this work!
Sincerely, NACPM Team
P.S. Want more info on DAFs, how they work, and how to get one? Check out this handy DAF guide. |
|
| | Official Release: 2026 Mid-Year Donor Report |
|
|
| We’re excited to share our 2026 Mid-Year Donor Report — a look at what NACPM supporters helped make possible in the first six months of this year! The short version: we expanded collaboration across the field, while continuing progress in growing the midwifery workforce and building an NACPM infrastructure to carry us strong into 2027.
Inside the Report: Milestones from the first half of 2026 Partnership spotlights and funded collaborations Progress toward a robust community birth ecosystem What’s next for the second half of 2026
Fuel What’s Next:
Our supporters’ belief in this work allows us to move both efficiently and thoughtfully. NACPM extends our heartfelt gratitude for standing with us and the communities we serve. |
|
| | | Leveraging Storytelling for Maternal & Child Health Policy |
|
|
| Maternal Health Action and Resource Center (MHARC) is a central hub for training, support, and skill-building for organizations and individuals working to improve maternal health and ensure safe pregnancies across the U.S.
This particular module aims to provide an overview of key storytelling concepts in relation to maternal and child health (MCH), and to provide guidance, tools, and resources for MCH professionals to utilize storytelling to impact the policy process. The module pulls concepts from various fields including psychology, behavioral science, communications, and public health to support users in learning about and building skills in storytelling.
You can find more MHARC resources on topics like: Your Choice: Wait for Labor or Labor Inductin Strengthening Rural Maternal Mental Health A Toolkit for Implementing Two-Generation Postpartum Care State Laws on Substance Use Treatment for Incarcerated Pregnant and Postpartum People And much more!
|
|
| | | Executive Director Travels: Beloved Birth 50 by 50 Convening |
|
|
| On September 21-22, NACPM Executive Director Cassaundra Jah joined perinatal care leaders from across the country for another Beloved Birth 50 x 50 Convening in Washington, D.C.! The previous convening occurred this past April.
Beloved Birth 50 by 50, spearheaded by Birth Center Equity with the support of organizations nationwide, is an initiative to ensure that, by 2050, 50% of babies in the U.S. come into the world with the care of midwives. At this convening, participants finalized the blueprint for how we will be on the road to achieving this ambitious goal.
What a time with colleagues and new friends, having hard conversations, breathing in and out as a group, enjoying a simulated game show, and lots of other fun! |
|
| | Bigger Table Fund Applications Due October 15 |
|
|
| Are you ready to sit for the NARM exam or pay for your initial licensing? Do you identify as a student midwife of color, or an Indigenous or LGBTQIA2S+ student midwife? If so, apply to NACPM’s Bigger Table Fund!
The Fund provides financial awards for: The initial NARM examination fee The fee for retaking the NARM examination when needed One-time initial state licensing fees
Up to $3,000 is distributed quarterly, according to a lottery system and dependent on available funds. The maximum individual award is $1,000. Apply now! The application deadline is October 15.
|
|
| | Are you already a BTF recipient, but need to apply again? You can! So long as you need assistance with fees associated with the state licensure fees, you are welcome to re-apply.
Did you recently take the NARM exam and would like to apply for reimbursement? You can! So long as you took the exam within three months of the start of the current BTF aware cycle, you are eligible.
Read more FAQs |
|
| |
| Protecting Breastfeeding in Emergencies: a Concept Analysis to Inform Midwifery Education and Practice |
|
| Breastfeeding can be lifesaving in humanitarian emergencies, yet it is often undermined by misinformation, lack of support and harmful practices.
This concept analysis identifies the knowledge, skills, and professional responsibilities required to embed breastfeeding protection within midwifery education. Strengthening curricula in this area will better prepare midwives to respond effectively in crisis settings, uphold women’s and infants’ rights, and reduce avoidable harm in increasingly unstable global contexts. |
|
| | | Pennsylvania Midwifery Landscape Survey |
|
|
| Temple University researchers, in collaboration with March of Dimes, invite you to participate in a statewide survey designed to better understand the experiences, practice settings, and perspectives of midwives working and/or living in Pennsylvania.
The purpose of this research is to learn directly from midwives about their professional experiences, practice environments, and the successes and challenges they meet in providing care. Findings from this project aim to strengthen the midwifery community, improve public understanding of midwifery care, and guide policies and programs that support midwifery access, integration, and sustainability across Pennsylvania. |
|
| | | Find the Right Candidate: Updates! |
|
|
| Let us help you find the right candidate!
Get your job, clinical placement, volunteer, board, student, or other CPM-related opportunity in front of the people who make up our national midwifery community.
Not only does NACPM provide listings on our website, but we’re now offering listings in our newsletter! We can help you reach the right audience:
🌐 6,600+ website visitors every month
📩 3,000+ midwives, students, allies & policymakers through our monthly newsletter
🎯 Targeted visibility within the midwifery & maternal health community
Instead of hoping the right person finds you, put your opportunity where they’re already looking.
📣 List your opportunity with NACPM today. Learn more and email admin@nacpm.org to get started.
|
|
| | | Sponsorships for The Community Birth Conference (2027) are Now Open! |
|
|
| The National Association of Certified Professional Midwives (NACPM) and the American Association of Birth Centers (AABC) are thrilled to announce our partnership in hosting “The Community Birth Conference” — happening May 20-23, 2027 in Greenville, South Carolina!
More Than a Conference. A Community. The Community Birth Conference is an opportunity to bring our field together around a shared vision: a future where every family has access to safe, respectful, evidence-informed perinatal care — and where community birth professionals are empowered to practice, lead, and thrive. By sponsoring this conference, you aren't simply putting your organization's name on an event; you're investing in the people, ideas, relationships, and movement shaping the future of community birth.
Why Sponsor? Community birth is growing — and so is the need for strong, connected, well-supported professionals who are equipped to provide high-quality, evidence-informed, relationship-centered care. Your sponsorship helps create a space where community birth professionals can learn, connect, collaborate, celebrate, and build the future of birth care together. As a conference sponsor, you will have the opportunity to: Connect with a highly engaged audience of midwives, birth center professionals, educators, students, researchers, advocates, and other community birth leaders. Increase visibility for your organization among professionals and decision-makers committed to improving perinatal care. Demonstrate your commitment to community birth and the people who provide and receive this essential care. Build meaningful relationships with potential partners, customers, collaborators, and future leaders in the field. Support education and professional connection that strengthen the community birth workforce. Help make this gathering accessible and impactful for the diverse community of people working to transform perinatal care.
Become a Sponsor Today Your sponsorship matters to us! Sponsorship opportunities are available at multiple levels and include benefits such as conference visibility, exhibitor opportunities, recognition in conference communications, promotional opportunities, and opportunities to engage directly with attendees. Take a look at our sponsorship tiers, and reach out to us at info@nacpm.org. |
|
| | | Place Your Bid in the October Silent Auction |
|
|
| This month’s NACPM Silent Auction is sponsored by NACPM Board Member Sakina O’Uhuru. Place your bid for the book “Journey to Birth: A Midwife’s Memoir” — signed by the author herself, Sakina O’Uhuru!
“Journey to Birth” is a deeply personal memoir, serving also as a love letter to community birth, ancestral wisdom, resilience, and the sacred relationship between midwives and the families they serve.
Through candid storytelling, Sakina reflects on her early years as an emerging warrior midwife, sharing the triumphs, challenges, heartbreaks, and life-changing lessons that shaped her path. Woven throughout the pages are unforgettable stories of the courageous women — the "heroic wombmen" — whose strength, vulnerability, and determination forever influenced her understanding of birth, healing, and humanity.
This beautifully written paperback (approximately 6" × 9") is ideal for: Midwives, doulas, nurses, and birth workers Midwifery students and aspiring birth professionals Parents, families, and birth advocates Anyone inspired by stories of resilience, purpose, and social change
Illuminating the profound responsibility of walking alongside families during one of life's most transformative moments, "Journey to Birth” is both a personal story and a testament to the enduring power of compassionate, community-centered maternity care. |
|
| Starting bid: $10. Auction closes on October 31 at 4:00pm ET. |
|
| | | “Your winning bid does more than bring home an inspiring memoir — it helps strengthen the future of midwifery. Proceeds from this auction support NACPM and its vital work to advance the CPM credential, advocate for community-based midwifery, expand access to safe, evidence-informed maternity care, and support the professional growth of Certified Professional Midwives across the country. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| “By bidding generously, you are investing in: The preservation and advancement of the CPM profession Greater access to community-based maternity care Advocacy that strengthens birth choices for families A future where midwives continue to transform maternal and infant health outcomes
Take home a memoir that educates, inspires, and honors the sacred work of midwifery—while helping NACPM continue its mission to support the midwives who care for families every day. Bid generously. Celebrate community midwifery. Support NACPM. Be inspired.”
— Sakina O’Uhuru, CNM, CPM, MS |
|
| | | Bastyr University’s Masters in Midwifery Program Awarded $3.25 Million Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) Grant |
|
| By Dr. Paula Pelletier-Butler, Chair/Associate Professor, Bastyr University Department of Midwifery |
|
|
| Bastyr University’s MS in Midwifery program has received a new HRSA Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) award, with $650,000 for the first budget period and anticipated five-year funding of $3.25 million. These funds will provide need-based scholarships to eligible students preparing to become community midwives. Future funding remains subject to federal appropriations and award requirements…
For our students, the impact of this award will be deeply personal and is difficult to fully capture in words. Scholarship support can ease the financial pressure of staying in school, make completing a graduate degree more possible, and leave more room for the demanding work of learning to care for families. We look forward to putting these funds into students’ hands.
At a time of substantial change in CPM education, this investment gives us something hopeful to build upon. As educational pathways and institutions evolve, we must keep supporting the people and organizations who will carry community midwifery forward. They deserve our experience, our encouragement, and practical help along the way.
We hope the people who advocated for this funding feel part of this celebration. Your work is still making a difference. From all of us at Bastyr: thank you for helping make room for the midwives who come next. |
|
| | | CPM Licensure is Official in Massachusetts! |
|
|
| On September 11, 2026, Massachusetts officially established state licensure for Certified Professional Midwives! After years of advocacy, organizing, testimony, meetings, and persistent work, CPMs are now formally recognized as part of the Commonwealth’s maternal health workforce.
This is a historic milestone for Massachusetts midwives, families, and community birth.
Temporary License Applications
The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Midwifery is now accepting applications for temporary CPM licenses. Applicants will need current NARM certification and documentation related to their education, credentials, background check, and practice information. Applications that are complete and have clear background checks are generally expected to result in licensure within 24–48 hours after review. Missing or incomplete information may require additional processing time. Beginning September 14, LCPMs may also apply for a Massachusetts Controlled Substance Registration, or MCSR. |
|
| | | Reminder to Submit Your Events |
|
|
| We welcome all NACPM Chapters and Partners to share you recent news and/or submit your events!
View Our Event Calendar. (If viewing on mobile device, hover over the gray calendar boxes.)
Submit Your Event to Our Calendar. If you or others in your network/community are hosting relevant events, or events that offer CEUs to midwives, please share this form with them so we can feature the event on our calendar. |
|
| | |
|
|
|
| |
| | NACPM is proud to be supported by hundreds of individual donors and these visionary foundations. |
|
| | |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
