Choosing Midwifery Care in Colorado: CNM, CPM & OB-GYN — What’s the Difference?
Expecting a baby is one of life’s most transformative experiences — and choosing who will care for you through pregnancy and birth matters. In Colorado, families have several care options. Three key providers you’ll hear about are:
👩⚕️ Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs)
Certified Nurse-Midwives are licensed advanced practice nurses who’ve completed graduate education in midwifery. They are trained to provide full-spectrum reproductive and maternity care, including:
Prenatal checkups, labor, birth, and postpartum care
Gynecological and family planning services
Prescribing medications and ordering tests
Care in hospitals, birth centers, and homes
CNMs are regulated in all 50 states and often work collaboratively with obstetricians when needed. Their medical training plus emphasis on supportive, personalized care positions them uniquely between hospital and community settings.
🌿 Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs)
CPMs focus specifically on out-of-hospital care — most commonly homebirths and birth centers. They are trained in pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum support, emphasizing physiology and natural processes. They are not nurses and, in many states (including Colorado), do not have prescriptive authority or hospital privileges.
The training paths differ too: CPM programs are often more apprenticeship-style and centered on hands-on community practice.
🩺 Obstetricians (OB-GYNs)
Obstetricians are medical doctors who specialize in pregnancy, childbirth, and reproductive health. They:
Manage high-risk pregnancies
Perform surgical procedures like cesarean sections
Provide hospital-based maternity care
OB-GYNs are essential when complications arise or when specialized medical interventions are needed. Midwives and obstetricians often work together — midwives caring for low-risk, physiologic births and OB-GYNs stepping in for high-risk cases or emergencies.
Why Families Choose Homebirth in Colorado
Homebirth is more than a trend — for many it’s a choice rooted in autonomy, comfort, and personalized care. Families who choose homebirth often cite:
A desire for familiar surroundings and control over the birth environment
Continuous one-on-one support throughout labor
Lower rates of unnecessary interventions like epidurals or inductions
A model based on trust, time, and relationship-based prenatal care
Colorado’s supportive midwifery laws and growing numbers of birth centers mean many families can access safe out-of-hospital options. CNMs can attend homebirths in Colorado, but CPMs are the most common providers for planned homebirth settings.
Evidence on Midwifery Care and Birth Outcomes
Research spanning decades shows that midwifery-led care — especially for low-risk pregnancies — is associated with excellent outcomes.
💛 Maternal & Neonatal Outcomes
Studies comparing midwives and physicians show:
Lower rates of neonatal mortality and low birth weight with certified midwife care compared to physician-led care when risk factors are controlled.
Midwifery care often means fewer interventions — including cesarean sections — and more vaginal births and breastfeeding success.
Midwifery models focus on emotional support, individualized counseling, and continuity of care — all linked with better satisfaction and often better clinical results.
Putting It All Together: Choosing What’s Right for You
Here are some helpful guidelines when deciding between CNM, CPM, or OB care — and whether homebirth is a good fit:
Ask Yourself:
Is your pregnancy low risk (no significant medical conditions or complications)?
Midwife-led care (home, birth center, or hospital) may be a great fit.Do you want continuity and one-on-one attention throughout pregnancy and labor?
Midwifery care — especially with CNMs and experienced CPMs — excels here.Are you planning a birth outside the hospital?
Choose a provider with strong experience, clear emergency transfer plans, and robust communication with local hospitals.
Talk With Providers About:
Their experience level and comfort with emergencies
Transfer protocols and hospital collaborations
Insurance coverage and out-of-pocket costs
How they support labor preferences and autonomy
Final Thought
Choosing how and where to give birth is deeply personal — and informed choice is empowering. Midwifery care — whether through CNMs or CPMs — offers families individualized attention and has been linked with strong outcomes for many healthy pregnancies. Combining evidence-based information, thoughtful planning, and strong support networks can help you make the best decision for you and your baby.
At Brave Arrows Midwifery we believe the one-on-one trust based care is what sets us apart. Seeking the Holy Spirit as our ultimate guide, with your unique body, tests, and lab results—> we use these tools to help guide midwifery care and your labor and birth process. We know that homebirth isn’t right for everyone; but when you are low risk it is a wonderful option if you desire!
