Wyoming Legalizes Midwives

Tools

By NEWS KULR

Story Published: Mar 5, 2010 at 5:50 PM MST

Story Updated: Mar 5, 2010 at 4:54 PM MST

BILLINGS - A new report placed Montana as one of the top two states in the country for frequency of home births. One local midwife believes state law is part of the reason.

Montana law allows midwives to get licensed and practice, but other states, like Wyoming, do not. Midwives there are not allowed to deliver a baby without a physician present. But that's about to change. Wyoming's governor is expected to sign legislation to allow midwives to practice. Licensed midwife Pat Schwaiger said the change will give women more options for their birth experience.

"That's your decision as the baby's mom," Schwaiger said. "It's not grandma's or the preacher's wife's, and it's not the doctor's, and it's not mine. And when you do it that way, motherhood just becomes wonderful. It's empowering."

Schwaiger said since she started practicing, she has delivered more than 700 babies. Some families even came in from Wyoming for the birth.

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KULR-8 News, Sports, Weather and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.

Your Weather Authority

Icon
Current Temp 44.0 °F
A Few Clouds and Breezy
Wind : Northwest at
20.7 mph
Humidity : 47 %
Pressure : 30.17 in
More Weather

Party America Sky Cam

More Weather

On Demand

YouNews

This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.

Links We Like