Methow Midwifery Services

• Emphasis on normalcy during pregnancy and birth
• Education and shared decision making about the diagnostic and blood testing options available,
• Reduced risks by avoiding unnecessary interventions
• Freedom in choice of positions, where to birth, what you wear, and who is present during labor
• Continuous labor support
• Postpartum support and care

How is MMWH care unique?

Your prenatal visits are usually an hour long at Methow Midwifery & Women’s Health, and allow for a trusting relationship to build between the midwife and couple. Lots of information is shared to help you learn about your options and how to take care of yourself the best you can. Your midwife can write you prescriptions if needed, or offer herbal supplements to help with certain issues if you prefer. Seeing only one midwife for your entire pregnancy, labor and postpartum helps establish a trusting relationship between you and the midwife.

Continuous support in labor is a hallmark of midwifery, and the CNM at MMWH can assist healthy women to birth in their home or Brewster Hospital. We will also provide all postpartum care to you and your newborn. Methow Midwifery believes women should stay home in the first week after they have a baby, so we come to you during that week. A midwife will visit you in your home twice in the first week to ensure that you and your baby are doing well, and to help with breastfeeding if needed. Similar to physicians, the new mom and baby are encouraged to come to the midwife’s office for a two and six week postpartum visit, however, the 2 week postpartum visit may also be done at your home. Unlike obstetric doctors, the midwife will be caring for both you and your baby during this time. Blue has special training in helping with breastfeeding issues, and will work to help you succeed. You will need to find another care provider for your baby after 2 months, as CNMs typically care for infants for about three months.

What other services can CNMs provide?

Nurse-Midwives not only care for women in pregnancy, but also provide family planning services, gynecological exams, menopausal care, and other primary care needs for women of all ages. See our Women’s Health section for more information on this.

What does the research say about CNMs?

Research has shown that women are more attentive and nurturing as mothers and wives, and have less postpartum depression, if they feel satisfied with their birth experience. Furthermore, research has also shown that women feel more satisfied with their births when they are offered choices and feel involved in their health care and birth process. Because of these things, your midwife will strive to help you be an active participant in your health care and birth, build a trusting relationship with you, and try to help you have a satisfying birth experience. Blue believes a woman’s birth experience has profound effects on her, her family, and on their newborn, that can create life long patterns. By helping more women have positive birth experiences, these women can then become better parents and wives, thus affecting our society in a positive way.

Midwives have been shown to:

• have lower interventions than obstetric doctors.
• have lower cesarean rates than most doctors (8.8% for nurse-midwives in a 1997 study, 13.6% for obstetricians and 15.1% for family physicians. In 2008, the national average cesarean rate is now 30%).
• CNMs used 12.2% fewer medical resources than either type of physicians.
• have lower rates of newborn deaths than MD's and a lower number of really small babies (low birth weight).

Call us for more information or if you have any questions.

Methow Midwifery & Women's Health
214 N. Glover Street, PO Box 503    
North Glover Healing Center,
Twisp,  WA 98856

Ph 509-341-4256    ~   Fax 888-361-9674

info@methowmidwifery.com

Thanks for coming to the first annual Reunion gathering in September 2009!

It was fun to see everyone!