It’s time to call the (Providence) midwives

You just found out you’re pregnant, but what now? Providence Regional Medical Center Everett’s hospital-based certified nurse-midwives provide personalized maternity care to achieve your ideal birth experience.

EVERETT — Welcoming a baby into the world can involve a multitude of emotions like excitement, joy, fear, and uncertainty. Within nine months, dramatic changes take place for both you and your baby, and you face important decisions about how and where to give birth and who to choose as a clinician. From the time you find out you’re expecting, to the moment you hold your newborn, Providence midwives offer capable and compassionate care to help you make the best decisions for you and your baby.

Which is exactly what Kara experienced during her first appointment with a Providence midwife after she nervously left behind her trusted team of obstetricians and gynecologists in California eight months into her pregnancy. “I knew I lucked out upon meeting Olivia,” says Kara after meeting Providence certified nurse-midwife, Olivia Eisner, at the Pavilion for Women and Children. “I call her my walking angel. She made me feel so comfortable. Her bedside manner was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I thought my team there [California] was great, but now, after working with Olivia and the other midwives, I will always choose a midwife group.”

Although certified nurse-midwives are registered nurses with specialized post-graduate education in midwifery training and certification, media representations do not portray their extensive medical training.

“There’s this common perception that we are all dressed in flowing robes and sandals, and we only do home births or squat in the forest with you and deliver your baby in nature. While that’s a lovely image, it’s not what midwives do,” Olivia says.

“We all have a nursing background, then graduate-level training in women’s health, pregnancy, post-partum and newborn care. Not only are we nurse practitioners, but we are also credentialed as certified nurse-midwives,” she states, then adds, “We also practice in a hospital setting, right alongside our OB colleagues and labor and delivery nurses, to provide comprehensive care to our patients.”

Sammie, a certified medical assistant, loved the care she received from Providence Midwifery so much, she eventually joined the team. “I had all of my OB care here for the birth of my son, had the same midwife throughout my pregnancy, and she was even on call when I delivered,” says Sammie, who also recounts treatment at other facilities before arriving at Providence. “I went with a different facility in Seattle for the birth of my first child, and I was not happy,” but says the care with Providence midwives “was so great, it made me want to come work here!”

Providence’s hospital-based midwives oversee around 120 low-risk pregnancies per month, while obstetricians and gynecologists handle high-risk births. This division of labor is common in many developed countries, like the U.K., where birth mortality rates are lower than the United States — and half the babies are delivered by midwives.

It’s no wonder midwifery is rising in popularity in the United States, especially when Providence midwives receive national awards for “Lowest cesarean rate for large practice” from the American College of Nurse-Midwifery (ACNM) for more than 10 years, tout an 80 percent success rate for vaginal births after cesarean, and work in partnership with Providence Medical Group Population Health to implement programs to reduce disparities for BIPOC patients. All things that attracted then first time parent and now mother of 3, Sarah, who says, “I liked that they were located at the hospital. I planned to give birth at a different hospital, but after seeing their high C-section rates, I decided not to go that route.” 

Midwives also do more than deliver babies. “People think midwives just do pregnancy and post-partum care, but we are trained to provide care to women throughout their lifespan,” says Olivia of their comprehensive women’s health care including annual exams, birth-control counseling, menopausal care and primary care. “Midwives are about options and we’re here to help you have the experience that you want.”

Kara goes on to say that “meeting Olivia was one of the best things to ever happen to us here and Candace was just as wonderful! They made the somewhat scary experience of having a baby both calming and exciting” — a sentiment shared by hundreds of families served by these amazing caregivers. Sarah, who is expecting a third addition to the family, also adds, “They went above and beyond to help make me feel comfortable. I’ve had a wonderful experience from beginning to end with both my babies and this pregnancy as well! Sarah is more than a midwife, she’s my friend. I would gladly and highly recommend the Providence midwifery team to any momma expecting. They’re the best!”

To learn more about Providence midwifery services, visit https://www.providence.org/services/midwifery.