Our service has grown to fourteen certified nurse-midwives, who are all members of ACNM.  Our service has offered many innovative programs over the years, always listening to women.  In 1973, we were a leader in offering prenatal care outside of the hospital walls, in neighborhood community clinics, decreasing transportation hassles, and high parking costs.

In 1971, our founder, Margaret Hewitt (CNM), was instrumental in changing our hospitals maternity care practices, eliminating then routine procedures (e.g. shave, enema, IV), and creating a home-like environment where women could labor, give birth, and room-in with their baby.  In 1981, when Margaret Hewitt retired, Claire Nelson and Nancy Schamber created a unique position as Co-Directors of the Nurse-Midwife Service.  Each working halftime as a staff CNM and halftime as director, this shared position allowed them to continue their interest in being with women while also having a supportive partner in administrative responsibilities.  Combining their different strengths has made a partnership that has lasted 24 years.

The Nurse-Midwife Unit was a prototype for the present LDRP concept that has become so common in maternity units today.  The concept has been embraced by Hennepin County Medical Center for over 34 years and an eight bed Nurse-Midwife Unit was made when the new hospital was built in 1975.  Today, the Nurse-Midwife Unit is where 85% of certified nurse-midwife patients give birth.  This setting is seen by the public as a unique aspect of the Hennepin County Medical Center 's Nurse-Midwife Service and attracts many patients to this busy urban public teaching hospital.

In 1978, Minnesota saw an influx of Hmong refugees who were looking for maternity care providers who would be sensitive to their cultural beliefs and needs.  Hennepin County Medical Center certified nurse-midwives responded, started attending their births, and adapted their skills to include squatting births.  As the population of the Twin Cities expanded to other cultures of the world (i.e. Ukraine, Bosnia, Somalia, Hispanic, and others), Hennepin County Medical Center's certified nurse-midwives learned from our patients while continuing to give safe care during their pregnancies, labors, and births.  Practice statistics have been kept since 1971, demonstrating good outcomes over time.

Laboring in water has been an option for all laboring women in the Nurse-Midwife Service since 1975.

In 1997, responding to interest by women for giving birth in water, this option was added to the service.

Over the past 34 years, our certified nurse-midwives have put the "Heart of Midwifery" into their practice every day.  Also, as the Nurse-Midwife Service has grown and changed, our certified nurse-midwives have kept their belief in being with women.  We are proud of our longevity through every changing times.  The daily dedication of our certified nurse-midwives to serving women is one to be esteemed, and that certified nurse-midwives everywhere can be proud of.