Legal Status
"There are some good reasons why birth pain seems to be less for women who have home births. First, they are far less likely
than women having hospital births to be confined to lying in bed during labor, to be denied food and drink, or to have strangers
around them as they labor. The normal creature comforts of everyday life--moving around freely, eating and drinking at will--are
just as compelling during labor, if not more so than they usually are. Women who have out-of-hospital births are also more likely than
women in U.S. hospitals to have the continuous help of someone they trust, another factor that has been shown to reduce the
perception of labor pain."
--Ina May Gaskin, CPM, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth
Commonwealth Midwives Alliance
Virginia's law — Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) can now be licensed to practice legally