We
believe it’s your birth, it’s your body and
it’s your baby and you should do it your way. Whether
you want to go all natural or high-tech with an epidural,
we will support your decisions if they are safe. We
feel our primary job is to give you complete, unbiased
information on all matters pertaining to your health
and provide you with the medical and midwifery expertise
to keep you as healthy as possible. You are a partner
in your health care decisions. A very important point
to remember is that everyone has a ‘fantasy’
birth and a ‘fantasy’ baby and we will talk
about this when we form a birth plan. However, emergencies
can and do happen and sometimes reality is a long way
from what you had imagined. It is our deepest belief
that it doesn’t matter how or where a birth happens,
what is of the utmost importance is the health and safety
of you and your baby.
1.
Women deserve comprehensive gynecological and maternity
health care from professionals who include them in all
aspects of their care and provide health care with respect
for individual physical, emotional, socioeconomic and
spiritual needs.
2. We believe that childbearing is a natural process
that demands respect.
3. We believe that a good childbearing experience has
the potential to strengthen family bonds and promote
responsible parenting. These elements represent a unifying
force that gives strength and stability to our society.
4. We believe in the uniqueness of the individual: biologically,
sociologically, spiritually, and culturally.
5. We believe that, given support, each individual has
the potential to grow from every situation.
6. We believe in the team concept, which utilizes the
strengths of each team
member: the client, the family, the professional, and
auxiliary personnel, in order to provide a safe, satisfying,
family centered birth.
7. We believe we have the responsibility to act dynamically
to put our beliefs into action.
A
certified nurse-midwife (CNM) is a registered
nurse who has received advanced practice education
in women’s health, pregnancy, childbirth,
postpartum and newborn care. We are nationally
certified by the American College of Nurse Midwives
(www.midwife.org
) and licensed by the State of California. Nurse-midwives
believe birth is a natural process which works
best with support, trust and encouragement. We
also recognize the need for, and are trained to
use, the medical technology that is sometimes
necessary for the health and safety of you and/or
your baby.
How does a Nurse-Midwife practice?
Nurse-midwives provide care for the essentially
healthy woman, either pregnant or not. We work
under the supervision of 4 local board certified
Ob/Gyn MD’s – Dr Steven Lazaro, Dr Walt
Mazen Jr., Dr Leslie Ballard and Dr Joseph Brooks.
We practice under accepted midwifery guidelines
agreed upon by the physicians and ourselves. Because
of this supervisory relationship, the MD is considered
to be the medical authority and you are considered
to be their patient with services provided to
you by the Nurse-Midwife. If you have a condition
needing treatment beyond our scope of practice,
you will be referred to one of the MD’s and
they will provide the service and care you need
at that time. They are always available to us
for consultation or referral if the need arises.
Our
office is located ½ block north of the hospital at
1617 The Esplanade. All of your prenatal and post partum as
well as gynecological visits are performed there. We only
deliver babies at Enloe Medical Center (www.enloe.org).
We do not provide home birth.
