Midwifery

A certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is a health care provider trained in the two disciplines of nursing and midwifery and is certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board. Midwives provide primary health care to women of all ages, during pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period, for gynecological exams, family planning, and menopausal management. Midwives believe that interventions should be kept at a minimum unless medically necessary. 

The Midwives of MedStar provide services at the MedStar Health and its out-patient office sites. We attend births on the Labor and Delivery Unit at the hospital. We work independently but have access to the team of physicians at MedStar Health for consultation and referral if needed.

Generally, the medical care we provide will be very similar to that provided in a regular OB/GYN office. We see patients every month at the beginning of pregnancy, every two weeks from 28 weeks and every week from 36 weeks to delivery. We offer all the routine prenatal testing available, including blood work and sonograms. We spend a lot of time discussing your individual situation, concerns, and desires. We spend a lot of time on education to help you maintain a normal pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby vaginally. We employ a "High Touch, Low Tech” approach whenever possible.

We specialize in laboring mothers who desire un-medicated birth. We spend time supporting you through your labor in order to facilitate a normal vaginal delivery of a healthy baby with as little intervention as possible. We encourage mobility, the use of birthing balls, and showers while intermittently monitoring fetal well-being. We also encourage, teach, and support breastfeeding through the use of skin-to-skin contact.

Midwives are experts in normal pregnancy and labor. If complications do arise, we will work closely with the team of staff obstetricians, anesthesiologists, and neonatologists at MedStar Health to determine the best course of action. We will remain involved in your care even if primary management is transferred to the physicians.

The Midwives of MedStar work closely together. Although you may not have met each of us over the course of your pregnancy, we discuss all of our patients together at least once a month. We know you even if you do not know us. The midwives as a group cover our patients 24/7 and rotate our on-call schedule, therefore, you will not be able to choose who will be at the birth. We understand the anxieties that surround labor and birth and your need to feel as secure as possible. We get to know our patients well during the labor process and can provide you with the individualized care you desire.

The Midwives of MedStar will provide a labor experience that is in keeping with safety and patient satisfaction. Should you desire pain medication, the midwives can help you choose which is best for you given your individual circumstances. We have anesthesiologists on the Labor unit at all times who are available to us as we need. A variety of pain management options, including epidurals, are available.

In general, we and the OB department at MedStar Health, support Trial of Labor after Cesarean and VBAC for women who desire it and whose medical circumstances allow it. There are rare cases in which a trial of labor is not advised. Please discuss your individual circumstances with the midwives. Your individual circumstances will be reviewed and assessed during your initial visit.

Typical hospital stays for a normal vaginal delivery are 48 hours. Typical stays after a cesarean section are 72 hours. However, we have recently started a voluntary early discharge program. Healthy moms and babies with uncomplicated deliveries now have the option to leave the hospital 24 hours after birth. Please speak with your midwife after you deliver to determine if you meet the criteria for an early discharge.