 New 'ground breaking' Midwifery based pregnancy program
Source: Ballard News Tribune / Washington - Dean Wong Date: 11/13/07
Swedish
Medical Center's Midwifery and Women's Health Center has started
"Centering Pregnancy" a program offering group sessions for expectant
mothers to discuss all aspects of prenatal care.
The program, in
operation since July on the hospital's Ballard campus, is described as
ground breaking by Swedish Medical Center. The only similar program in
the northwest is at the Bremerton Navy Hospital.
The first
groups of eight to 10 women in the Swedish program are all expecting to
give birth sometime in January. Centering Pregnancy provides soon to be
mothers with companionship and support from other pregnant women as
they plan the birth of their babies.
Rather than having brief
appointments with doctors in an exam room, women receive hours of group
and individual support in Centering Pregnancy.
"It's a support
piece that is missing. We bring families together. We have time to go
into subjects and can talk about things. There's more time to cover
more subjects," said Fra Na Ready, a certified nurse midwife.
Working
with a practitioner, clients listen to the baby's heartbeat, check for
uterine growth and talk about problems and concerns. After individual
meetings with a midwife, the women come together to talk about aspects
of pregnancy such as nutrition, discomfort and breastfeeding. Clients
learn to help weigh each other and take blood pressure. They learn to
estimate gestation age and record the data on a chart.
"I
think it is really important to empower women. Each mother is going
through the same exciting events and as a member of the group, she can
relate to and even stay in touch with group members once their children
are born," said Ready.
"Centering Pregnancy combines support,
education and prenatal care, and draws upon the wisdom of women to
allow them to take responsibility for their babies and their own health
care," said Ready.
The Midwifery and Women's Health Center at
Swedish opened in March 2007. Besides Ready, the other certified
nurse-midwives include Rebekah Couper-Noles and Heather Paar. Each has
gone through an accredited academic program and the American Midwifery
Certification Board exam.
Obstetrical and women's health care
services include: preconception counseling; prenatal visits;
nutritional counseling; labor support; childbirth at Swedish's Ballard
Family Childbirth Center; breastfeeding support; family planning;
annual exams; gynecologic exams; and care from adolescence through
menopause.
Last
week Kari Miles was holding her son Matthew Fitzgerald Miles. The baby
was one hour being delivered with the help of Ready. The baby weighed 9
pounds.
This is Mile's second child with husband Jeff. The first
was also delivered by Ready. Miles was a regular patient at the
Midwifery and Women's Health center before Centering Pregnancy began.
Miles
said the staff is always available to answer questions so she doesn't
ever feel rushed. "The general philosophy is something I agree with.
It's a personally oriented experience, rather than medically oriented
experience," said Miles.
"The word midwife means 'with woman'
because nurse midwives provide health care to women throughout the
lifecycle. Certified nurse midwives nurture and guide women during
pregnancy, childbirth and well into the early stages of motherhood,"
said Ready.
Dean Wong may be reached at 783.1244 or
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