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What is a certified nurse-midwife (CNM)?
CNMs are advanced practice registered nurses who also completed graduate education and training specializing in midwifery. CNMs are certified by the state to provide a lifetime of care for women, including routine gynecologic care, birth control options, as well as pregnancy, delivery and postpartum care. In Ohio, CNMs work with physicians in a collaborative agreement. Visit
www.midwife.org for more information.
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Why should I choose a midwife?
Women who choose a midwife are generally looking for a provider who will offer them choice in their healthcare options, and a partner in helping them make important decisions regarding their health. As midwives, we are experts in normal pregnancy and birth.
You can expect a special kind of care when you choose a midwife. We are present during the labor and birth process. We see ourselves as your partners and want to make sure you have an active voice in your care and birth experience.
Our philosophy is that life events such as puberty, birth and menopause are normal experiences in a woman's life--not something that needs to be treated like an emergency. Our goal is to educate you and provide support so you can make the best choices for you and your family.
At Ohio State, we have access to Ob/Gyn physicians in our offices and on the labor and delivery unit. We collaborate with perinatologists, anesthesiologists and NICU when needed.
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Do you attend deliveries at home?
No. While we support a woman's right to give birth where and with whom she chooses but we do not attend home births. All of our births are attended at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center.
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Are you anti-pain medication/anti-epidural?
No. We believe in informed choice. If, given accurate information, a woman believes an epidural or pain medication is the correct choice for her, we will support her in that decision. Our patients have access to IV pain medications, nitrous oxide gas and epidurals, if they desire.
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Where do you attend deliveries?
We attend deliveries exclusively at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
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Will my insurance cover a midwife?
We accept OSU Health Plan, BCBS, United, Caresource, Molina, Medicaid and some Tricare plans. Please call the office to inquire about insurance coverage. Billing is the same for midwifery care as obstetrical care.
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Can I just see the CNMs? When would I see the obstetrician?
If you are experiencing an uncomplicated pregnancy, then most likely you will only have visits with the midwives. If complications arise during your pregnancy, you may have a visit with one of the physicians in our practice. During labor, if an emergency arises, one of the staff physicians will be immediately available.
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Do you have experience with the Bradley Method? Hypnobirthing? Hypnobabies?
Yes. We are familiar with each option and have worked successfully with women who are using them in their childbirth. This is another decision we will support you in when you decide what is best for you.
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Can I have a doula?
We welcome doulas at your birth.
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Can I labor/give birth in any position?
Absolutely. Not only are we fine with changing position, we strongly encourage it. We find that keeping mothers moving throughout labor is helpful for pain relief, as well as for correctly positioning baby. We are familiar with the majority of birthing positions and will help find the one that feels best for you at that moment.
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Do I have to be hooked up to monitors the whole time?
If the pregnancy is normal and full term, most women are generally not on the monitor the entire time. Upon arrival to labor and delivery, you’ll be placed on the monitor for 20 minutes to evaluate baby, and ensure that baby is handling labor just fine. If all is well and you fit the criteria, we follow the intermittent monitoring guidelines established by Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center. This entails listening to baby every 30 minutes before, during and after a contraction during active labor, and every 15 minutes during the pushing stage. We’re happy to discuss this policy with you further.
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Do I have to have an IV?
No, although we prefer our patients to have an IV port placed in case of emergency. This would not be attached to anything and you would still have the freedom to move around.
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Can I have hydrotherapy?
Yes. Both water for labor (hydrotherapy) and water birth are options for midwifery patients. There are many benefits including pain relief. We have Aquadoula tubs which are available in all of our labor and delivery rooms. Water birth is an option for low-risk patients. If you are interested in water birth, we recommend that you discuss this with your midwife.
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What if I'm Group Beta Strep (GBS) positive?
The recommendation for women who are GBS positive is to be treated with IV antibiotics while in labor. This generally does not restrict your freedom to move around or labor and/or birth in the water if you choose.
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Do you do routine episiotomies?
We do not cut episiotomies routinely. If a baby is intolerant of labor and needs to be born immediately, the decision to cut an episiotomy might be made, though this rarely happens. Our current rate of episiotomy is approximately 1.7 percent.
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Do you practice delayed cord clamping?
Waiting for the cord to stop pulsating before clamping and cutting is a practice we are very familiar with and routinely engage in.
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Can my husband/boyfriend/partner cut the cord?
Absolutely. If all is well with your birth and baby, we are happy to allow your partner to cut the cord. We understand that the birth of a baby means the birth of an entire family, so partner involvement is very important.
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I want to breastfeed right away. Is that OK?
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What if I want to decline the Vitamin K injectin or erythromycin eye ointment for my baby?
In deciding to decline medication or treatment, we ask, as in everything else, that you are educated in your decision. For this reason, we recommend discussing this option with your pediatrician. If you decide that declining one or the other is the best option for your family, you’ll be asked by the nursing staff to sign a waiver at admission.
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How soon after delivery can I leave?
Mothers generally do great after childbirth. An early discharge at 24 hours is something we support as long as the mother is stable. More concerning is how baby is doing in the first 24 hours. We recommend speaking with your pediatrician about his/her policy on early discharge.
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Do you attend VBACs (Vaginal Birth after Cesarean)?
Yes. We are happy to offer this option to women who are delivering their babies at the The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
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What is your Cesarean section rate?
We understand that C-section is major surgery. Because of that, we work very hard to ensure that when it is needed, it is absolutely medically necessary. Our current rate of Cesarean section is 13 percent.
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Will medical students or residents be involved in my birth?
Although Ohio State is a major medical center and teaching hospital, resident and medical student involvement in your birth process should be minimal, if at all. If you are sent for evaluation for possible labor or a problem, you may receive care from a resident at that time. However, please know that they are simply evaluating you, and notifying the midwife on call of their findings. The midwife or collaborating physician is in charge of your care at all times. On a side note, if you are willing to have a resident or medical student observe your birth, it is a great experience for them to witness natural childbirth and learn from it. Of course, allowing their presence is always your choice.
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Which midwife will deliver my baby?
We work as a team here at Ohio State, and because of that we like each woman to have several prenatal appointments with each midwife. We split call evenly because we want you to feel comfortable with whomever is on call when you go into labor.
