Editor’s note: Christie Clinic is a sponsor of Chambanamoms.
Women and families of Champaign-Urbana have multiple options when it comes to choosing a provider for their OB/GYN care as well as prenatal care and delivery. A good place to start when considering your options is to decide if you would like to participate in midwifery care with a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) or receive care from an Obstetrician-Gynecologist.
CNMs provide holistic, hands-on, patient-centered care with a wealth of knowledge and experience derived from both nursing and midwifery education. CNMs focus on providing woman- and family-centered care in a way that is sensitive to your family’s beliefs, values, and culture. We seek to empower women to be partners in their health care by including them in decision-making in regards to their plan of care.
Nurse midwives provide care and education prenatally, aid in support during the labor and birthing experiences, and provide postpartum care. Physiologic or “natural birth” as well as providing non-medicinal comfort measures during labor and delivery are also main focuses for us. While we do strongly support natural child birth, our patients can also opt for pharmacologic pain management during labor, if desired. Our care includes a continual risk assessment so that we know when it is best to consult, collaborate with, or refer to a higher-level provider, such as an OB/GYN.
CNM care does not stop after the birth of a baby and postpartum care, nor does it have to start with pregnancy. Nurse midwives provide primary gynecologic care for women from the onset of menses to menopause. We also offer preconception and inter-conceptual counseling to patients to encourage and provide resources for women to be at their healthiest before getting pregnant. CNMs strive to provide the best evidence-based care to women and their families by staying current on research and evidence that is available.
Why choose a Christie Clinic midwife?
Christie Clinic has a team of four Certified Nurse Midwives: Cathy Hinton, Annelise Smith, Lindsay Bustle, and Alicia Crabtree. We see patients at both the Christie Clinic on University in Champaign and at the Christie Clinic in Danville locations. Christie Clinic CNMs attend births at both C-U hospitals, OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center and Carle Foundation Hospital. We strive to provide the best care to the women and families that we serve by staying up-to-date on best care practices. We are constantly working towards expanding our knowledge of current trends, such as Spinning Babies, to be implemented into patient care. We also work with a well-rounded group of OB/GYN providers with whom we consult, collaborate, and refer to if it is necessary.
Choosing to participate in midwifery care offers you, as a patient, the opportunity to be actively involved in your health care in a supportive and family-centered setting. Seeing a midwife will give you the benefit of high quality medical care with a personal touch. We would love to serve you and your families at Christie Clinic!
For more information visit the website or call (217) 366-1255 to schedule an appointment.