Your Midwife, Your Advocate: Supporting Women in Pregnancy and Birth
Eighth grade teacher Bailey Conard blissfully spent her summer break eating ice cream and anticipating the arrival of her first child. Bailey received her prenatal care through University Health’s EleVATE program, which is group prenatal care led by a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM). As Bailey and her ‘team’ of six other pregnant women received their prenatal care, they also learned about advocating for themselves and their babies.
But now it’s October. All of Bailey’s new friends had delivered their babies. When we met Bailey, to chat about choosing a Certified Nurse Midwife for her prenatal care, she was 41-weeks pregnant and ready to be a mom.
“My husband and I met Aja and just really liked her. We liked that she was open to things that we were interested in,” Bailey said.
She’s talking about Aja Greer, DNP, CNM, APRN, who’s one of seven Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) who deliver newborns at University Health Lakewood Medical Center. “I think patients choose a midwife because they want more holistic care,” said Greer. “Midwives have a little more time to spend with them, to educate them about their pregnancy and take time to learn about their mental well-being throughout their pregnancy.”
With Greer by her side, Bailey recently gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. “We are so overjoyed,” dad Heath Snider texted with a photo of mom and baby.
It’s fair to say each delivery leaves Greer overjoyed, too. “It’s my favorite thing in the world to lie lay that baby on that mom,” Greer said. “She’s a mom now. I love watching a woman turn into a mother.”
FAQs about midwives at University Health:
Q: What sort of training or education does a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) have?
A: UH midwives have earned advanced nursing degrees. Some of them have continued their education to earn their Doctorate of Nurse Practice. Look for the letters APRN, CNM and DNP after a midwife’s name to learn their credentials.
Q: Will a UH midwife deliver my baby at home?
A: No, UH midwives deliver at University Health Lakewood Medical Center.
Q: Can I have an epidural during my delivery with a midwife?
A: Absolutely, the choice is yours.
Q: What other services does a CNM offer?
A: CNMs offer care from puberty through post-menopause. Aja Greer, DNP, CNM, APRN says she sees a lot of teens and young women who feel comfortable talking with a midwife about birth control options.
Interested in care from a Certified Nurse Midwife at University Health? Call University Health Women’s Care Lee’s Summit at 816-307-2737 or University Health Community Care Grain Valley at 816-307-9550.