ABOUT OUR PRACTICE
Our Philosophy - Pregnancy is a natural process.
Everyone deserves a safe and satisfying birth experience. In most cases, birth can occur with very little intervention. With a basis of extensive patient education and good communication between the family and the midwife, our clients are empowered to make decisions about their own care. We facilitate, not dictate the process, intervening only when indicated, which is one of the hallmarks of midwifery care.Click here to find out more about using a nurse-midwife.
Our Clients
Generally our clients are healthy women, pregnant and non-pregnant. Midwives care for women throughout their life, whether it’s an annual exam that is needed or care during pregnancy. We are happy to offer care to women who have had a previous cesarean section and desire a subsequent vaginal birth provided they are deemed an appropriate candidate for trial of labor after prior cesarean.We Offer The Best Of Both Worlds
Evidence based care delivered through relationship based care.We follow the standards of care developed by the American College of Nurse Midwives and offer individualized, nurturing, low-intervention care. Trusting relationships and satisfying birth experiences are emphasized. You will be encouraged to ask questions, and help make decisions about your own care.
The Birth Process
On your very visit we will discuss your expectations and discuss together how to best meet your requests. During subsequent visits you can expect a review of your progress and anticipatory guidance. When laboratory tests are indicated, we will review the tests and the implications of the results thoroughly with you so that you have the best information and can make educated choices. Near the end of your pregnancy, we will work with you to develop a birthplan to address those elements of labor and birth that are very important to you, in order to help your birth experience be as close to what you would like it to be as possible. Whether you desire a natural or a medicated birth, we will help you to prepare. From admission until the time of birth, a midwife will be with you, whether your labor is two hours or twenty.Midwife means, “with woman” and we are.
Using a Nurse-Midwife
You and your baby are in the care of experienced certified nurse-midwives who have been educated in two disciplines; both nursing and midwifery, and are all board-certified. If a complication should arise, we will consult with any number of specialty physicians at Vanderbilt with whom we have collaborative relationships.When it’s time to have the baby, your nurse-midwife will meet you at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She’ll be available as needed throughout the entire labor and delivery, no matter how long it takes. And for moms who are going to breastfeed (which we strongly encourage), your nurse-midwife will help you get started.
Call West End Women’s Health Center at 936-5858 or Franklin Road Women’s Health Center at 630-6500
today to set up an appointment.Looking for more information about nurse-midwifery and women's health care?
The Vanderbilt School of Nursing’s Nurse-Midwifery Faculty Practice group encourages potential clients to meet with a nurse-midwife at no charge by calling the West End Women’s Health Center at 936-5858 or Franklin Road Women’s Health Center at 630-6500. The consultations are offered daily Monday through Friday.
These photographs reproduced with permission
from the book Giving Birth by Mary Motley Kalergis.For information about our free consultations,
call West End Women’s Health Center at 936-5858
or Franklin Road Women’s Health Center at 630-6500
or email us: info@vanderbiltnursemidwives.orgVisit us on Facebook!
