CNM vs OB/GYN? What is the difference?

Clients often ask me, "What is the difference between and midwife and a doctor?"  So here it goes...

Midwife:   Trained in the NORMALCY of BIRTH.  Birth is a natural event in a woman's life and her body knows what to do.  Medical interventions are kept at a minimum.  Cesarean rates are lower. Does not do cesarean and can transfer care to an OB if needed. Spends more time with moms during prenatal visits (45 minutes as compared to 5-15 with an OB).  Birth can happen in any position that the mom feels comfortable.  There is no rush to  "get the baby out".

Doctor:  Very useful for cesarean births. Training is in how to intervene with medications to "fix" the problems that arise in labor and birth.  Doctors perform cesarean births and forceps births.  Prenatal visits are shorter.  Higher rates of intervention, cesarean, infant mortality, and complications from birth.  Many OB's have never been trained in how to assist in natural childbirths. Birthing women should push on their backs to give doctor more access to vagina.