By Bruce Frankel

As the Lead Clinician for Novant Health Midwifery Associates, Nona Smith, Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), has been excited to see the growth of the program which included the opening of a second office in Kernersville this year to meet the area’s growing interest.

Women are increasingly searching and exploring the options for autonomy, participation, and a more natural childbirth experience. A nurse midwife can be the right alternative to using an OB-GYN during pregnancy. This is especially true if the woman is seeking options to eliminate or minimize unnecessary interventions which is the core of the nurse midwife philosophy. Numerous studies have shown that women who choose to use nurse midwives see lower rates of cesarean births, labor induction and augmentation as well as lower use of regional anesthesia.

What women who use the services of a midwife appreciate most however, is the amount of time and close relationship that develops.

As Nona will tell you, “I became a nurse midwife so I could provide continuity of care to patients throughout their entire life cycle. Not just during labor and birth, or prior to birth but even after birth. Here, we are able to deliver a true ‘midwifery’ model of care,” Nona continued. “That includes spending time to get to know our patients, and their needs and wants.”

Especially with a first pregnancy, understanding what to expect can make the experience less stressful. Nurse midwives appreciate and protect the normal physiology of childbirth and provide safe, satisfying, and supportive care to women and their babies.

A nurse midwife can be a great resource and support for physical, emotional, and social concerns and issues. For example, a holistic approach to help maximize physical health and minimize the common discomforts of pregnancy can be achieved through a healthy diet and exercise. Helping women cope and manage stress by using stress-reduction techniques during this time involves a comprehensive appreciation for their overall well being. This is accomplished by providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care as well as continuous hands-on assistance during labor, birth, and the postpartum period.

For Novant Health Midwifery Associates, choosing to be a nurse midwife is nothing short of a labor of love. They will first discuss a basic birth plan–how do you picture your birth taking place? This is a great start to know and plan ahead of time what to expect as well as how to prepare for different scenarios that might arise during child birth. But the most appreciated aspect comes from being actively involved in the birthing room by keeping the woman motivated and on the move to help achieve a more natural and holistic child birth experience. Plus, Novant Health Midwifery Associates nurse midwives appreciate that each pregnancy is different and are prepared to stay with their patients as much as possible during labor. All deliveries are performed at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center where the most advanced medical technology, board certified obstetricians, and additional staff are just steps away if needed should complications arise during labor and birth.

In addition to providing care for women throughout their pregnancy and delivery, Novant Health Midwifery Associates also offers routine gynecologic services for women of all ages. This includes basic well-woman care such as an annual gynecologic exam to identify small problems before they become larger concerns as well as common gynecologic conditions and issues related to menopause. Their goal is to maximize a woman’s health by helping them understand options as well as helping them become an active participant in the management of their healthcare. That means giving you time to ask questions and get answers.

All of the providers at Novant Health Midwifery Associates are certified nurse-midwives. Certified nurse-midwives are masters or doctoral trained health care providers with years of experience and training in the fields of obstetrics and gynecology; they have earned nursing degrees and gone on to complete a midwifery training program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education. Nurse Midwives can write prescriptions for birth control as well as other medications when needed.

Novant Health Midwifery Associates encourages anyone with questions about their services to contact them directly. The nurse midwives and staff are professional, knowledgeable, personable, and easy to talk too.

The Winston-Salem office is located at 150 Charlois Blvd Suite 100, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 and is open Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Friday 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. The Kernersville office is located at 280 D Broad Street, Kernersville, NC 27284 and appointments are available at this location on Tuesdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. To learn more visit their website at www.NHMidwiferyWinstonSalem.org or call 336. 718.7470.