Leslie Cornwell is a Certified Nurse Midwife who owns and runs Mid Michigan Midwifery. Leslie has been passionate about giving women choices around birth having practiced across all birth settings, including hospitals, birth centres and home. Having had three prior home births herself and running past midwifery practices, the power of normal birth on a family's foundation became her professional mission. For our non-US listeners, a Certified Nurse Midwife is the US equivalent of an Eligible Midwife here in Australia. Essentially, a midwife who has met the skills and qualification requirements to practice independently in their own private practice. Leslie completed the requirements requiring in the United States to become a Certified Nurse Midwife in 2012 and been part of birth world since 2008. The breadth of her experience has given her the opportunity to appreciate each setting's strengths and options to help families make best decision for themselves. Birth is a normal process and many women are most comfortable birthing in their home and Leslie finds joy in the privilege of seeing instinctual birth that is rarely seen in a hospital setting. Leslie perceives her role and her honour to help women have options for personalized childbirth. I chat with Leslie to explore what she loves about independently practicing as a Certified Nurse Midwife in her state of Michigan in the US, what brought her to this point as well as the challenges of this role which transcend healthcare systems
