Finding out you’re pregnant is an exciting time but also can come with a lot of unknowns. A midwife can be someone to offer support before, during and after pregnancy. Nikki Jacobson, a certified nurse midwife with Avera Marshall answers some of those commonly asked questions.
Why do patients choose a midwife for their prenatal care?
There are a lot of reasons why people choose midwives for midwifery care. Some people will prefer lower intervention options. They prefer more patient-centered care, or they’d like to have more of an educational emphasis on the care that they receive.
What are some of the misconceptions about midwifery?
Primarily that we only work in pregnancy and labor and birth. Midwives are able to see people all the way from puberty to menopause, so we can see people for primary care reasons, as well as other reproductive needs.
How do you help guide people through pregnancy and birth care?
For the very first appointment that we see people, we start identifying goals for patients as far as what they’d like their pregnancy, labor and birth to look like. We also offer education elements at a lot of the locations for Avera.
What are some holistic options that patients have?
Some holistic options that people incorporate into their care include acupressure and acupuncture. A lot of people like aromatherapy. There are all sorts of different scents and things like that to help people relax during their labor and birth that we really promote and encourage people to use. Hydrotherapy is also really popular. Having a patient labor in the tub for a little bit is really beneficial for them to be able to relax and let that physiologic process take over.
What is the benefit of being connected to an OB/GYN?
We’re really lucky to have a high-quality OB/GYN team at our disposal for when any complications arise, and they’re just a phone call away and assist us with some of those stickier situations.
