Midwifery
About
Our Certified Nurse-Midwives provide sensitive, holistic healthcare to women throughout their lifespan including prenatal and postpartum care, births, annual well-woman exams, birth control planning, and menopause. In Oregon, midwives are recognized as independent healthcare practitioners and have hospital admitting privileges, are licensed to prescribe medications, and often consult with physicians -- our midwives collaborate with the physicians of The Oregon Clinic - Women’s Health Today.
Maternity Services
Our midwives are located in Portland, and support and care for women with low-risk pregnancies. When you choose to work with our Midwifery group to have your baby, you will have the guaranteed support and presence of a midwife at birth and the opportunity to get to know all the midwives in this small, intimate group during prenatal care. Midwives support a variety of birth choices, including natural childbirth methods or pain medications if desired. Research shows that midwives have lower c-section rates, perform fewer interventions for mother and baby, and earn higher satisfaction rates, all while providing safe, quality care.
Team
Sensitive & Holistic Women's Health Care
The Oregon Clinic Midwifery group has four certified nurse-midwives who provide exceptional care to women throughout their lifespan including prenatal and postpartum care, births, breastfeeding support, annual well-woman exams, birth control and family planning, and menopause management. Penelope Caldwell, CNM will continue to serve the clinic in an on call position.
Meet Our Providers:
Conditions & Procedures
Services and procedures provided by our Nurse-Midwives:
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Wellness & Reproductive Care with Compassion
Do you plan on becoming pregnant in the next year?
- If so, we offer preconception care and family planning/spacing
- If not, we offer empowering contraception counseling and options: prescription birth control pills or shots, IUDs, Nexplanon, diaphragm fitting, NuvaRing, etc.
Preconception Care & Fertility
- Exploring health optimization goals, prior to pregnancy
- Nutritional support
- Achieving pregnancy
Prenatal Care
- Diagnosis
- Ultrasound
- Routine visits, problem visits
- Lab work and monitoring
- Vaccines (Gardasil)
Labor Support & In-Hospital Birth Attendance (Providence Portland Medical Center)
- Tailored support to meet your birth plan goals; individualized education when circumstances change & interventions become necessary; implementing complimentary practices as appropriate & desired
- Incorporation of your partner's strengths and support
- Delayed cord clamping, when safe
- Bonding time as a priority
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Minimal interventions, unless medically indicated
- Informed consent for medically necessary interventions
Breastfeeding Support
- Breastfeeding education begins at your prenatal visits
- Time for breastfeeding prioritized in the newborn period
- Skin to skin time encouraged
- Ongoing support for your breastfeeding goals for at least the first two years of baby's life
Postpartum Care
- In-hospital visits, 1-3 days after your birth, as needed
- Follow-up care in clinic, for a minimum of 8 weeks after birth
Well-Woman Exams
- Onset of puberty, sexual maturation education; encouraging empowerment from an early age
- Pap smears, breast exams, pelvic exams, vaccines (Gardasil)
- Cancer screenings and cancer prevention education
Women's Health
- Nutrition & exercise counseling
- Diagnosis & treatment for sexually transmitted infections; education for their prevention (partner treatment, as well)
Menopause Management
- Nutritional & exercise support
- Natural remedies
- Hormone replacement therapy, when appropriate
Complementary Care
- Aromatherapy
- Relaxation techniques & guided imagery
- Herbal resources
Health Info
Resources for Healthy Women
- Explore more about What is a Midwife (Midwife.org)
- How the midwifery model of care is the most scientific approach to prenatal care (article from The Atlantic)
- Planning Your Family: Developing a Reproductive Life Plan (American College of Nurse-Midwives)
- Choosing Where to Have Your Baby (American College of Nurse-Midwives)
- Writing a Birth Plan (American College of Nurse-Midwives)
- Weight Gain During Pregnancy (American College of Nurse-Midwives)
- Taking Good Care of Yourself While Pregnant (American College of Nurse-Midwives)
- Exercise in Pregnancy (American College of Nurse-Midwives)
- How to protect your newborn baby from whooping cough (CDC)
- Smoking & Women's Health: Tips on Why and How to Quit (American College of Nurse-Midwives)
- Menopause: What's It All About (American College of Nurse-Midwives)
Recent Blog Posts:
- Your Vagina: An Owner's Guide, Part 1
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Your Vagina: An Owner's Guide, Part 2
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This blog series excerpted from the book A New Cycle - Your Guide to a Better Period, Naturally.
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FAQ
What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife?
Certified nurse-midwives (CNM) are licensed health care providers educated in nursing and midwifery (versus certified midwives (CM) who are licensed health care providers educated only in midwifery). CNMs and CMs have graduated from college; have passed a national examination; and have a license to practice midwifery from the state they live in. The Oregon Clinic Midwifery group currently employes three certified nurse-midwives (CNM).
What do midwives do?
Why would I choose a midwife for care during my pregnancy?
CNMs believe you need time and special attention so you can be healthy and able to take care of your baby. The midwives at The Oregon Clinic specialize in providing support, regular health care, and in helping you get any additional care needed. We are experts in knowing the difference between normal changes that occur during pregnancy and symptoms that require extra attention.
What if I have a high risk pregnancy or complication during labor?
Your CNM will prescribe medicine and order treatment for any common illness that you might get during pregnancy. All midwives work with doctors who specialize in illness during pregnancy -- and the midwives at The Oregon Clinic have easy access and ongoing relationships with the physicians at The Oregon Clinic - Women's Health Today. If you have a medical problem during pregnancy or complication during labor, your midwife will work with a doctor to make sure you get the best and safest care for you and your baby. Your midwife will also work with other health care providers: nurses, social workers, nutritionists, doulas, childbirth educators, physical therapists, and other specialists to help you get the care you need.
What if I want pain medicine during labor?
If you think you want pain medicine during labor, your midwife will give you information about the medicines available so you can decide what is right for you. Midwife means “with woman.” If you decide you want pain medicine during labor, your midwife can prescribe it for you.
Should I or can I see a midwife if I am not pregnant?
Yes! Many women go to their CNM for annual check ups, family planning, and to get care for common infections that happen to women. For example, your midwife can answer questions about all the methods of birth control, help you decide what is best and safest for you, and prescribe it for you. Midwives can also help you prepare for and manage menopause.