- 2 days ago
Nicole Michalik from 92.5 WXTU and Marisa Magnatta from 93.3 WMMR welcome Tammy Motzenbecker, Lead Midwife and Clinical Director of Virtua Health’s Midwifery Birth and Wellness Center. Tammy clears up common myths surrounding midwifery care.
Category
📚
LearningTranscript
00:00Hi, it's Nicole from 92.5 XTU and Marissa Magnata from the Preston and Steve show on 93.3 WMMR.
00:09And today we are joined by Virtua midwife, Tammy Mautzenbecher, to talk about the modern role of midwives in women's health.
00:17Yeah, Tammy is a certified nurse midwife and a clinical director of the Virtua Midwifery Birth and Wellness Center.
00:24Wow, what a title. That is, yeah. And so she provides a personalized approach to pregnancy care, gynecology, and lifelong wellness.
00:33She is dedicated to empowering her patients every step of the way, from family planning to prenatal care, through labor, delivery, and beyond postpartum.
00:42Welcome. Thank you. Thanks for having me. Yeah, this is so exciting.
00:46So we love doing these. We learn so much, and we are so excited to share this information with everyone out there who joins us for our Virtua Stay Well Health Chats.
00:56In this conversation, we're going to unpack some of the most common misconceptions around midwifery and, you know, shed a life on the full range of care that midwives provide.
01:05So let's start with the basics. What exactly is a midwife, and how is that different than a doula or an OBGYN?
01:12Sure. Yeah. So midwives, all the midwives at Virtua Midwifery are certified nurse midwives.
01:18So we're advanced practice nurses. We're all RNs, and then went back and did a master's program in midwifery.
01:25The care that we offer is a little different. It's more of a holistic approach as far as pregnancy and birth goes.
01:30And we really take a lot of time to get to know our patients.
01:34So a traditional OB visit is about 15 minutes long.
01:37When you come in to see the midwife for the first visit, you're there an hour.
01:40The second, or all the subsequent visits, you're there for a half an hour.
01:43So we really have time to get to know our patients and really develop a trust relationship with them, which is really great.
01:50I'm excited when you said a traditional appointment is 15 minutes, because I always thought that was just me.
01:54I was like, oh, we're thinking out. So it's good to know that is the norm, but there is other options out there.
02:00Yeah. So there's a common misconception with midwives that they only assist in at-home birth.
02:07So what does birth with a midwife typically look like at Virtua?
02:13Yeah. So, I mean, our practice, we do not do home birth.
02:15We offer either birth center birth or planned hospital birth, if that's your choice,
02:21or if you have a medical risk factor, a reason that you can't be at the birth center.
02:25Our birth center is a really beautiful space. We're very, very lucky.
02:29We have three birth suites. All of them have a queen-size bed, like a regular bed, like you would have at home.
02:35We have these oversized tubs in the rooms where we can do water birth or you can labor in the tub.
02:40We have patios in the back. So if you want to be outside when you're in labor, you can,
02:44or if you want to have a postpartum meal out there.
02:46There's a walking trail in the back.
02:48So if you get to the birth center earlier in the labor process and we want to kind of get things moving,
02:52you can go out there and take a walk.
02:55We have all the equipment to kind of help get labor going naturally too.
02:59So we have like birth balls and peanut balls.
03:01We have this thing called an Ohm Gym that hangs down from the ceiling when people come in and look at the birth center.
03:06They're like, what is that?
03:07But it's for like supported squatting.
03:10I don't know if you ever did like trapeze yoga, but it looks kind of like that.
03:13And people can use that when they're in labor.
03:15So we've got all the stuff.
03:17We also, one of my favorite parts is the bread maker.
03:21So we make bread when someone's in labor.
03:23So that smell of fresh bread is wafting through the birth center.
03:26And you can have a piece of fresh bread when your baby comes out.
03:29The one in the oven is like, that's like the take.
03:33Yeah.
03:34Yeah.
03:34So there's a really nice home-like environment to have your baby in.
03:37Yeah.
03:37Yeah.
03:37So it's basically if somebody wants a more holistic kind of all-encompassing experience.
03:42And there might be somebody that just wants to just be in the hospital and like get it out.
03:47But no pun intended.
03:49But then also there's a lot.
03:52I think this is such a great example of how you could maybe want to do like the natural approach, but you still want medical professionals.
04:00And I think that that's such a huge thing and we're going to get to that, but a lot of people are kind of into like all natural and holistic.
04:07And this is the perfect combination of both because you still have medical professionals that are helping assist you in kind of like this holistic setting.
04:15Absolutely.
04:16Yeah.
04:16Yeah.
04:17And you asked a bit about doulas too.
04:18So, I mean, the difference with doulas is they're really, they're for support roles.
04:22So they're not healthcare providers, but we work really closely with doulas.
04:26We love doulas.
04:27They make everyone's life better and easier, you know, they're, they're with people throughout their whole labor one-on-one.
04:33So they can really provide that extra level of support.
04:36So that's the difference between doulas and midwives.
04:38They're not, they're not healthcare providers.
04:40So when you hear the term that midwifery is outdated or less advanced, we know that this isn't true because this is a perfect example of how it's like the two worlds combined.
04:50Yeah, absolutely.
04:51So, I mean, I can see why people say it's outdated because it's been around forever, but we're definitely not outdated.
04:55So, I mean, we, we really focus on evidence-based care.
05:07So we're staying up to date on the latest, you know, evidence and giving you all of that information so that you can make informed decisions.
05:14That's a really big part of midwifery care too, um, is providing educational opportunities.
05:18So we do a lot of education at the birth center.
05:21We have courses that are included as part of your birth center birth so that you feel confident and empowered to have your baby.
05:27Um, we also do something, uh, on our Instagram called stork story Sundays.
05:32So we post all our babies that were born and their, their birth weights with the parents' consent, obviously.
05:38Um, so that's kind of fun.
05:40Um, and we also do, um, we have links like to my chart.
05:43So, you know, that's pretty modern.
05:45They can see their, uh, labs and ultrasounds and all of that stuff up on your, my chart.
05:49Um, are there any unique services that you offer or something new and innovative that may not be offered in other areas?
05:59Yeah.
05:59So we recently started a program called centering pregnancy.
06:02We've been doing it for about a year and a half now.
06:05Um, centering is a group-based prenatal care.
06:08So, um, you can elect to be part of a centering group.
06:11You'll be paired with about six to eight other pregnant people due around the same time as you.
06:16Um, and when you come in for the visit, we meet in our community room.
06:19You have a chance for a one-on-one with a midwife.
06:22And then we all circle up and we talk about things that are going on in pregnancy.
06:25At that time, we have some guest speakers come in, some additional educational opportunities.
06:30It's a nice way to kind of really become part of the community.
06:33So you meet other pregnant people and you also have more time with your provider.
06:37Um, so, I mean, and the studies have shown centering really does help improve health outcomes,
06:42decreases risks of preterm birth, increases risks of breastfeeding, or not risks, I'm
06:46sorry, increases, um, breastfeeding rates.
06:49Um, so there are, you know, lots of benefits to doing centering.
06:52I mean, my wife's love it.
06:53Patients love it.
06:54I mean, we get really great reviews from it.
06:55People really, you know, enjoy it.
06:57Um, and by the end of the first session, usually we're laughing and people are exchanging
07:01phone numbers and it's just, it's a really heartwarming way to provide prenatal care.
07:05Yeah.
07:05Yeah.
07:06So it's basically a way for people that are on the same pregnancy track and then they
07:10could kind of use each other for a support system.
07:13Exactly.
07:13Yeah.
07:14They're all due around the same time.
07:15So, um, and we often, like I'll usually do a postpartum group too.
07:18So they bring the babies back and get to tell their birth stories.
07:21Um, and then, you know, a lot of them stay friends afterwards.
07:24We even have some who will bring their older children to the centering sessions and we've
07:28had some like of the older kids become friends and then they do play groups and everything,
07:31you know, afterwards.
07:32So yeah, it's a really nice way to provide prenatal care and also to become part of that
07:37birth center community, you know, feeling comfortable in the space.
07:40I love that.
07:41Like they always say it takes village.
07:43It sure does.
07:44Sure does.
07:45Yeah.
07:45Yeah.
07:46Do you find, um, any potential patients who are concerned that a midwife might not be
07:51equipped to handle emergencies during labor and delivery?
07:54Yeah, I would say that's definitely one of the questions that we get, you know, people
07:57will be interested, some people are interested in a home birth, but maybe their partner doesn't
08:01feel comfortable with it, or maybe that seems a little too out there.
08:04So they're like, you know what, let me see about the birth center.
08:06But then, you know, they'll have a lot of questions, obviously about safety and, you
08:09know, is this right for me?
08:11Um, so we do like really careful risk assessment during pregnancy to make sure that we consider
08:16out of hospital birth safe for you and for your baby.
08:19So if something comes up during your pregnancy and we think that the hospital is a better place
08:23for you, we're going to talk to you about that as soon as it happens.
08:26Um, and then the nice thing about our practice is we have privileges in both places.
08:30So the midwives can still take care of you at the hospital if you need that extra layer,
08:34um, you know, of support.
08:36Yeah.
08:36And at the birth center, we do have lots of, I mean, we have all the emergency equipment
08:39also.
08:40So if something, um, you know, were to happen, we have, um, you know, things for resuscitation,
08:46IV equipment and medications and all of that.
08:49Ready and prepared.
08:50Yeah.
08:50Just like women on.
08:51Yeah.
08:52I do think it's like, this is why Virtua is so awesome too, because you have,
08:56like, I'm just like, especially when it comes to medical stuff, like I'm a nervous Nelly.
08:59So I'm like, I want to be in the hospital.
09:01I want everybody right there.
09:02And then there's people that are more like, whatever, I'll just be at home and Virtua
09:05provide whatever your personality is.
09:08Or there's like a woman that may be like the, her first child, she's like really, really
09:12anxious.
09:13But by the third, she's like, I'm doing it in bed.
09:15Let's do it.
09:15And Virtua provides all of that.
09:18Exactly.
09:18Yeah.
09:19So, I mean, you have the option throughout your pregnancy.
09:21So, like I said, you know, we do either birth center or hospital birth.
09:24And if at some point someone decides, you know what, I've been planning a birth center
09:27birth, but I really feel like I'm more comfortable in the hospital.
09:30You know, we totally support that.
09:32And you should have your baby where you feel comfortable.
09:34A hundred percent.
09:35I mean, a special time to make sure you feel comfortable.
09:38But midwives go outside of pregnancy care as well too.
09:42What else do you provide within a woman's throughout her life?
09:46Yeah, so we take care of women throughout the lifespan.
09:49We do well care like gynecology.
09:52We do contraception, preconception care.
09:55We also do menopause care.
09:58So we take care of people throughout the lifespan.
10:00And we also offer knowledgeable and inclusive care to the LGBTQ plus community.
10:06And we focus strongly too on trauma-informed care.
10:10Oh, wow.
10:11So important.
10:12I'm assuming the midwife also helps with nursing, right?
10:15Because that's usually like a pretty big thing of like after the fact, right?
10:18So many moms struggle with like latching and lactation and all that as well.
10:24Yeah, absolutely.
10:25We provide a lactation course as part of the birth center.
10:27So it's one of the required courses that we give in our community room there.
10:32It's done by a lactation consultant who's one of our birth assistants.
10:35And then after birth, yeah, we make sure that, you know, baby is latching well
10:39and that you feel comfortable going home, baby's feeding well.
10:42And then Virtua has lots of follow-up lactation resources too over at the hospital and also,
10:48you know, through the birth center.
10:49So definitely one of the big education pieces is lactation.
10:53So we checked off all the misconceptions that we know of.
10:57Are there any others that you hear that you would like to get the information out there?
11:01Yeah.
11:02I mean, you guys covered a lot of them.
11:03But I would say one of the big ones is that it's safer to have your baby with an OB than
11:08it is to have your baby with a midwife.
11:10And we just know that that's not the truth.
11:12So, I mean, midwives are really going to take the time to listen to you.
11:16You know, they are going to get to know you.
11:18We have those longer visits.
11:20So we have time to kind of assess what's going on and like, is this normal?
11:23Is this not normal?
11:24And to really give you that knowledge and power too.
11:28And if something comes up during your pregnancy and it doesn't really fall within the normal
11:32range and we think there's something going on, you know, we're going to consult with our
11:37collaborating physicians or we're going to refer you to a specialist if you need be.
11:41So, you know, we make sure that everything is normal, you know, before we proceed with
11:46a birth center birth to make sure that it's safe.
11:49So beautiful.
11:50So sweet.
11:51I know.
11:51We also are not witches.
11:52I would say that's one of the misconceptions.
11:54I mean, most of us are not.
11:58Most of us.
11:59Around Halloween, I felt like, you know, important to bring that up.
12:01Here's the thing.
12:02I think we all have a little witch in us.
12:07Women in radio, too, do not get the best, you know, persona out there always.
12:12So, yeah.
12:12But I feel like women just, all women just have a little bit of extra magic in us.
12:17I really believe that.
12:18Oh, absolutely.
12:18I mean, we literally.
12:20You can find that in birthing, definitely.
12:21Yes.
12:21We are making another human.
12:23Mm-hmm.
12:24Mm-hmm.
12:24Yeah.
12:24If we just decided to stop, so we would be spinning anymore.
12:29Yeah.
12:31Please share with us the best way to connect and talk to people throughout the Virtua Midwifery
12:36Birth and Wellness Center.
12:38Yeah.
12:38So you could definitely check out our website.
12:40It's virtua.org backslash mbwc.
12:44That's the birth center specific one.
12:47Or feel free to set up an appointment, you know, consult.
12:50We also do orientations for the birth center.
12:52So if you're thinking that you, you know, you're not even pregnant and you want to do
12:56an orientation or, you know, you're recently pregnant and you want to learn more about
12:59the birth center.
13:00Give us a call and we can get you set up for one of those informational sessions to learn
13:04more about it.
13:04That's pretty cool.
13:05Wow.
13:05How many babies do you deliver a week?
13:08It depends on the week.
13:10Yeah.
13:11I mean, our practice is definitely growing.
13:13This year, we're slated to have like a little over 300 babies, but that's between the hospital
13:18and the birth center together.
13:19Do you see trends in different months?
13:21Oh, yeah.
13:23Like from teachers?
13:23Summer years tends to be busy.
13:25I would say the summer is usually busy.
13:26Okay.
13:27Yeah.
13:27Interesting.
13:27Yeah.
13:28Yeah.
13:28But I mean, they come when they want, you know?
13:30Yeah.
13:30Sure.
13:31Yeah.
13:32Yeah.
13:33That's awesome.
13:34Thank you so much, Tammy.
13:35I appreciate this.
13:36Another reason why virtual really is from like, just so all encompassing, whatever.
13:42As long as you are joined us on this earth.
13:47Yeah.
13:47I know.
13:48Yeah.
13:49Thank you, everybody, for watching.
13:51Please share this with a friend or family or a loved one that can benefit from the virtual
13:56midwifery, birth and wellness center.
13:58We're so excited to always meet all these wonderful people involved with virtual.
14:02So thank you for joining us today.
Recommended
17:25
|
Up next
1:31
1:35
3:29
1:17
1:40
2:06
1:17
0:30
0:30
0:15
0:15
0:30
0:54
0:30
1:46
1:38
0:58
Be the first to comment