Christina Boyle participates in a new model of obstetrical care, CenteringPregnancy®, which brings women together with a group of eight to 12 other women with similar due dates, whom they will meet with regularly throughout their pregnancies to share their experiences and perform their own prenatal assessments with the guidance of a midwife.
Drexel Hill, PA - The Midwives of Delaware County are offering a new approach to prenatal care at their office in Upper Darby. Called CenteringPregnancy®, this new program brings women out of exam rooms and into groups for their care. After each routine prenatal exam, which is performed as a self-assessment with the help of a midwife, women are invited to join with a group of eight to 12 other women with similar due dates, whom they will meet with regularly throughout their pregnancies.
“The CenteringPregnancy® Program really normalizes any fears or discomforts that women have about pregnancy,” says Melissa “Missy” Naser, CNM, Crozer-Keystone certified nurse midwife who co-directs the program. “Most of the women feel that the group is comforting because they can share their feelings with each other. They know that they are basically going through the same thing.”
The program, which is centered more on sharing and participating, is made up of women who already have children as well as first-time moms.
“I decided to take part in this program because it truly seemed interesting,” says Christina Boyle, a participant in the CenteringPregnancy® Program. “I didn't feel like I had enough time to discuss all of the questions I had at a regular doctor’s visit when I was pregnant with my first daughter, especially on an emotional level. I enjoy going to the meetings and just sharing my thoughts and expressing concerns. It is a great outlet.”
The CenteringPregnancy® sessions, which are two hours long, begin with a 30-minute routine prenatal assessment. During this time, the women perform self-assessments to measure their own gestation, take their own blood pressure, and weigh themselves. Each participant brings a notebook to keep track of her assessments. They also meet with a midwife at this time to assess uterus growth and the fetal heart beat. After this checkup, the women meet in the group where they talk and share their experiences. During the group sessions, various topics are discussed including the discomforts of pregnancy, relaxation exercises, labor and birth, nutrition, breastfeeding, birth control and infant care.
“The group also decides whether or not to invite partners and support people to the sessions,” Naser says. “They may pick sessions that they would like them to come to, and others that they would like to keep private.”
“My favorite part of the program is getting to know others and getting that sense of understanding and care from everyone,” Boyle says. “During a time when so many emotions are involved, it feels wonderful to know that others are feeling the same things. It makes the pregnancy much better.”
The CenteringPregnancy® group begins between participants’ 12th and 16th weeks of pregnancy and continues through their early postpartum period, meeting every month for the first four months and then biweekly.
The Midwives of Delaware County, a member of the Crozer-Keystone Health Network, is a practice of six gentle, responsive, competent and confident midwives. The midwives treat women with respect and dignity, and help them to feel empowered about their bodies, their babies, and their lives. Services provided by the Midwives include pregnancy testing, family planning services, gynecologic care for teens through menopause, prenatal care, labor and birth in beautiful birthing rooms at Delaware County Memorial Hospital, and on-site counseling services. Each patient who visits the Midwives of Delaware County is able to choose one midwife to provide gynecologic or prenatal care; will benefit from longer visits with more time to talk; and will receive all of the information needed to help make educated choices about their care. Patients choosing prenatal services from the Midwives will benefit from having their dedicated midwife stay with them throughout their labor and delivery and can have loved ones attend all aspects of prenatal care, from office visits to labor and delivery.
Delaware County Memorial Hospital (DCMH), a member of Crozer-Keystone, delivers more than 1,700 babies each year in its state-of-the-art Maternal/Child Health Unit. DCMH offers a number of amenities designed to make the most ideal birth experience for every maternity patient, including Jacuzzi tubs to soothe early labor pains, Papa Pagers for partners or support persons anticipating the birth, flexible visiting hours, a snack service for mothers who have recently delivered, and access to a Newborn Television Channel. New amenities available at DCMH include admission kits containing bath and beauty items like shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, lotion and tissues; wireless Internet access in every maternity room so patients can stay in touch with friends and family even during bed rest; baby photography services; and “Stork Parking” spots close to the hospital specifically reserved for expectant mothers or for those who have recently delivered. To learn more about maternity services at DCMH, call 1-800-CK-HEALTH (1-800-254-3258) or visit http://4ubaby.crozer.org.