More Satisfying Pregnancies and Birth Experiences

Midwives can help women have more positive pregnancies and childbirth experiences. People feel better when they see a practitioner they trust, have a rapport with and who is there with them through the whole process. Many women cite support as one of the most important reasons they choose a midwife.

Women who use a midwife during pregnancy and labor frequently use words such as empowering, wonderful, unforgettable and satisfying to describe their experience. The reason for such supportive language might be attributed to a feeling of confidence inspired by a relationship of deep trust built over many months and one that can be built through regular gynecological visits well before eve the conception of a baby.

The midwifery philosophy stresses respect for the woman as an active participant in her own health care and childbirth. Consultations during the pregnancy provide ample time for the mother-to-be to talk about her desires and concerns.

Most women want and need the following:

• During the prenatal period (time before childbirth) - they need education regarding pregnancy, labor and delivery.
• During the intapartum period (time during labor and birth)- they need a constant presence.
• During the postpartum period (time following childbirth)- women need their baby with them.

Midwives strive to meet these goals and needs for each patient by providing both safe and satisfying care. However, not every woman is a candidate for complete midwifery care because certain medical conditions may dictate a patient's provider. A trusting relationship with your midwife will help you understand if your medical condition necessitates physician management.

"The best thing about having a midwife was the comfort and care she gave me during my pregnancy, labor and delivery. She was there with me from beginning to end."

Why Choose a Certified Nurse Midwife?

Certified Nurse Midwifes offer a variety of high-quality healthcare services for women. Your CNM will take a complete family and personal medical history, and give you a thorough and gentle examination. Although CNMs specialize in caring for women during pregnancy, labor and delivery, they are not just for expectant mothers. Even women who have never had children often choose a midwife as their primary care provider.

Paragon Health Associates CNM's take the same approach with all their patients, stressing education, partnership and a positive view toward a woman's reproductive life span - from teenage years all the way through the menopause. CNM's help women keep themselves healthy.

You CNM may advise vitamins, calcium supplements, or suggest diet, exercise or lifestyle changes. You will be encouraged to ask questions and be given plenty of time for answers. Your CNM will teach you how to maintain good health habits and self-care practices that aid in disease prevention. Midwives can prescribe medications including methods of contraception and treatment for common infections.

CNMs are especially skilled at using alternative birthing positions, birthing balls, hydrotherapy and massage. Their supportive presence during labor allows them to utilize and encourage these alternatives. Having a constant professional presence, educated in pain management techniques, in the labor room contributes to a significantly lower rate of epidural use while maintaining a higher rate of maternal comfort and satisfaction.

Midwives may let their patients

• Walk during labor
• Take warm showers or use the birth tubs
• Use birth balls
• Have clear liquids during labor, and in some cases light food such as crackers or toast.

Your midwife will stay with you during active labor and delivery, evaluating your progress and keeping you informed. This allows you to be an active participant in the decisions being made about your labor and birth. Should the need for a medical intervention arise, a Paragon physician would be consulted and immediately available. Even if a physician is called in, however, your midwife does not leave you.

Providing services in a hospital setting enables CNMs to offer they full array of options from a totally natural birth to the use of IV medication or epidural, if that is what you wish. The midwife's goal is to support each woman to have the kind of labor and birth she desires, as long as it is safe for mother and baby.

Perhaps the greatest service a midwife can offer an expectant mother, is to help make her pregnancy and her labor what many women might never have imagined: a joyful experience.

We hope this has been helpful. If you want to know more, or meet with one of us to see if the midwifery model of care is what you've been looking for, feel free to call and schedule a free 15 minute interview with one of us during our normal business hours. (This is not a medical consultation, but rather a chance for you to learn more about the midwifery model of women's healthcare.) or visit our website @ www.paragonobgyn.com

What Is A Midwife?

The word midwife has been used for centuries to describe a woman who is "with women" at birth. Historically, the primary role of midwives was to provide care to women during normal pregnancy and delivery. Today, the word indicates a philosophy of care that focusses on the specific needs of women, offers a varietly of options, and minimizes unnecessary intervention.

Many people are still under the impression (misconception) that midwives only deliver babies at home. But over 97% of all births attended by Certified Nurse-Midwives are in hospitals.

Certified Nurse-Midwives are highly educated professionals who work collaboratively with physicians. Paragon Health Associate's CNM's are registered nurses who received advanced training in women's health and midwifery. They have earned master's degrees from an educational institute accredited by the American College of Nurse Midwives, have passed an advanced certification examination, and are licensed by the state.

CNM's write prescriptions and provide a variety of health care services to women. As a primary care provider, midwives are there for prenatal care, labor, delivery, care after birth, gynecological exams, help with family planning decisions, breast exams, preconception care, peri- and post-menopausal management and counseling in disease prevention and helath education to help women develop and maintain good health habits.

Perhaps the best know feature of nurse midwifery is the commitment to facilitating uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery. Surprisingly, many women are not aware that for a low risk pregnancy (which most pregnancies are), they may safely choose a midwife as their primary caregiver.

Research consistenly confirms that midwife-assisted low-risk births have significantly lower rates of interventions such as induction of labor, rupture of membranes, episiotomies and cesareans. An independent study determined that infant and newborn deaths were significatnly lower following midwife-assised births.

Midwives approach birth as a normal, natural, healthy life event. As a result, a growing number of American women are placing their trust and birth experiences in the capable hands of midwives.

Next week we will explore reasons to choose a Certified Nurse Midwife.

Groundbreaking effort for the Paragon Midwives

Welcome to our blog!

I don't know if this is the first ever blog by a group of midwives, but I know that this is the first time we have ever attempted anything like this.

Although there is not much on this site yet, we hope to soon have information about what we do, who we are and how you can get in touch with us.

For now, let me quickly introduce you to the 10 wonderful Certified Nurse Midwives who work at Paragon Health Associates in Akron, Ohio- Alice Gordon, Bobbi Claypoole, Carol Rinehart, Cathy Mihalik, Laura Neal, Lisa Warner, Mary Franklin, Molly Milcetich, Nadia Podojil, and Teresa Edwards.

We are excited to have this opportunity and hope that you will add this site to your favorites and come back soon.