Consistency of Language

Why is consistency needed? Public education means teaching the public a new vocabulary and new ideas, and the only effective way to do that is to use the same terms consistently and relentlessly. Everyone in our organization or coalition should use the same phrases and terms all the time.

Terms and language that are critical to moving midwifery forward:

Review and understand each of these words or phrases.
Make them a regular part of your midwifery vocabulary.
Use them consistently in ALL written and/or oral presentations.

MIDWIVES MODEL OF CARE ~ You cannot say or use this phrase often enough. The Midwives Model of Care is fundamentally different from the standard medical approach to maternity care. The Midwives Model of Care promotes health and prevents complications. Certified Professional Midwives are educated to provide the Midwives Model of Care.

OUT-OF-HOSPITAL BIRTH ~ Use this term in place of "home birth." Why? For many people in the audiences you are trying to reach, the term home birth has negative connotations and serves as a distraction, keeping your audience from hearing what you are trying to say. Using "out-of-hospital birth" actually helps equate the safety of home birth with the perceived safety of hospital birth and includes birth center births as well. Most importantly, it has no negative associations and will elicit thoughtful questions rather than negative reactions. Use the terms "out-of-hospital birth" and "midwives practicing in out-of-hospital settings."

CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL MIDWIFE ~ Say it often. Use it in your legislation, testimony, letters to the editor and the press. Name recognition is the goal!

CLINICAL EXPERIENCE IN OUT-OF-HOSPITAL SETTINGS ~ Use this phrase often to emphasize that the CPM is the only credential that requires clinical experience in out-of-hospital settings.

RISK ASSESSMENT ~ This is one of the most important abilities that a midwife practicing in an out-of-hospital setting can exhibit and practice. It is a key skill that separates hospital-based midwives and OBGYNs from midwives practicing in out-of-hospital settings. Be prepared to explain why this skill is essential and how it works to assure a safe home birth.

TERMS TO AVOID!

LAY MIDWIFE ~ The opposition loves to use this term because it connotes uneducated, untrained and unauthorized. CPMs and other direct-entry midwives DO NOT fit this definition.

TRADITIONAL MIDWIFE ~ Resist the temptation to use this term. Because the World Health Organization has adopted the term "traditional birth attendant" (TBA) to describe non-nurse and indigenous midwives in developing nations, opponents of direct-entry midwifery will use every opportunity to categorize any self-described "traditional" midwife as a TBA, i.e., someone who is NOT a midwife. Avoid this pitfall by avoiding "traditional midwife."

HOME BIRTH ~ This term is fine to use in oral speech or when talking to friends or about your own home birth. However, it tends to bring up knee-jerk questions about safety and quality of care when used with legislators, agency staff and the press. Use it only rarely in writing, and never in legislation or in press kits. Do use "out-of-hospital birth" or "out-of-hospital birth setting."

This page has been adapted from material created by Citizens for Midwifery.