FALL 2002 |
WOMAN TO WOMAN
Fall 2002 Edition
You are cordially
invited to attend our Open Houses to learn about Midwives and
their commitment to Quality, Compassion and Listening to Women
of all ages, whether pregnant or not. Learn simple ways to take
charge of your health. These Open Houses are scheduled for Wednesday,
October 02, 2002 at 7PM and Wednesday, October 30th, 2002 at
7PM. Several other events have been scheduled during the month
of October and are listed on our web site at www.JDMH-midwives.com. It has been 6 months since by beautiful little boy was born. It seems just like yesterday, yet it also feels like he has always been a part of my life! My pregnancy was pretty much like my first with my three year old Brooke. I suffered from hyperemesis and anemia, and feeling like none in the world could understand what I was going through! I had many people tell me "Welcome to Pregnancy", when I told them how sick I was. People just could not understand what I was going through because they had only ever experienced normal "morning sickness". I did not eat or drink anything for days at time, and ended up at the hospital so severely dehydrated that my lips and mouth looked like a lizard's and I could barely walk. Thank heaven for Sandy !! She called me at home often and checked on me. She had also gone through this and understood exactly what I was dealing with. I finally had someone with the fire it would put in me when someone uttered comments like " Oh it can not be that bad. Every woman goes through it" or "Yeah, I know how you feel, I was a little queasy too" Compared to that everything else in my pregnancy was pretty easy to deal with. My labor had to be helped along, though, at 41 weeks, so I was given cervidle. Even though I was practically not effaced or dilated at all, it worked. During labor though, my son's heartrate kept dropping, and I started to feel what felt like a constant contraction in my back. His head was down, sideways, which anyone who has ever had true back labor, would know how unpleasant this is!! In the end it turned out that my son's cord was tightly around his neck. Luckily for me, Sandy had anticipated this being the problem and had me labor on all fours, this being the only way that my baby's heart rate stayed up. She was a true friend to me during all this. She put me in the shower, rubbed and pushed on my back during contractions, and was actually up in bed with me helping me get through contractions. I can not imagine going through my birth without her. I ended up with a perfect little 8lb 10oz, boy, in addition to my beautiful little girl. I have a wonderful little family now, for which Sandy will always be a part of. Thank you so much, Gretchen, Nancy and Sandy. Tammy Stenson, California, PennaNurse Midwifery
A Modern Approach
to an Age Old Art Through the vision of one woman from Kentucky, Mary Breckenridge, midwifery was revived in the United States. She studied the English model of the nurse midwife and founded the Frontier Nursing School Service in 1925 based on that model. Through careful documentation, she was able to show the safe and effective care offered by the nurse midwives. Other organizations followed suit and enhanced and promoted nurse midwifery through education, focusing on largely disadvantaged women in both rural and urban settings. These experiences provided clear evidence that nurse midwifery could significantly reduce maternal and infant mortality, especially in under serviced areas. Nurse Midwives are educated and licensed as both registered nurses and midwives. All nurse midwives are educated at the graduate level and many have Masters Degrees. In addition, all Certified Nurse Midwives have passed a national certification examination. Nurse Midwives practice within the health care system in collaboration and consultation with other health care professionals, as necessary, providing gynecological care, family planning and maternity care to women. Nurse Midwives offer women the best of both worlds, holistic, health promoting care, with established access to physician care in the unusual event of complications. Research has confirmed the high level of safety and client satisfaction provided by Nurse Midwives. Numerous studies have demonstrated that women cared for by a Nurse Midwife can expect the same level of safety as they can from a physician. In 1995, the Public Citizen's Health Research Group reported that births attended by Nurse Midwives were half likely to result in a cesarean section as those attended by physicians. In 1996, Nurse Midwives attended more than 200,000 births in the United States. The American College of Nurse Midwives is the national organization representing over 6,000 midwives. Although Nurse Midwives are trained in medicine, they approach pregnancy, labor and birth as a natural life cycle process, emphasizing the strengths of the mother. Nurse Midwives specialize in the normal birth and have a holistic viewpoint. Prenatal care, monitoring the health of the women and baby, and maintaining a healthy pregnancy are important focuses. Prenatal visits are designed to give plenty of time for questions and teaching. Family involvement is supported and encouraged. The addition of a new family member is considered an opportunity to bring families closer together. Women attended in labor by Nurse Midwives are encouraged to change position or walk in labor. This usually improves comfort and speeds the labor. Other comfort measures such as hydrotherapy, massage, music and emotional support of loved ones are tailored to the individual woman. Nurse Midwives provide consistent support and evaluate progress throughout labor and birth, and are present to provide assistance if needed. In addition to nonpharmacologic comfort measures, pain medication and epidurals are also available if desired by the mother. After the baby is born, the Nurse Midwife examines the baby and provides post partum care and teaching as the family adjusts to the new addition. Nurse Midwives also provide well woman gynecological care, family planning services, annual breast and pelvic exams. . Family Nurse Midwife Associates practice at Jeannette District Memorial Hospital and have been doing so since 1991.
Mind Over Labor
Books
Lamaze Prepared
Childbirth Class |