Vim & Vigor - Winter 2009 - (Page 50)

centering pregnancy a new model of prenatal care is changing the way women experience pregnancy he six women gathered at St. Anthony Central Hospital’s certified nursemidwife practice range in age from their late teens to their early 40s. They are single and married. They are students, full-time homemakers and career women. They are all due to deliver this winter. And they are all active partners in centering pregnancy—a new model of prenatal care that’s generating excitement nationwide. by carla carwile T rethinking prenatal care While traditional prenatal care has focused on a woman receiving care in a clinical setting and through a series of short visits, centering pregnancy emphasizes the value of self-management and group interaction. It also integrates three essential components—health assessment, education and support. The group meets monthly during the early months of pregnancy, then biweekly for 90-minute sessions during the later months. That adds up to some 20 hours of contact with a good starting point Given the positive outcomes of centering care, expect to see this innovative model employed across a wide range of health and wellness needs in the years to come. First-year parents, people with cardiovascular disease and diabetes, breast cancer survivors and others may benefit from the shared educational-support environment. “We’re now looking at it as an optimal way to deliver care throughout the lifetime,” says Jennifer Fields, CNM, M.S., a faculty member of the national Centering Health Institute as well as a certified nurse-midwife at St. Anthony Central Hospital in Denver. the nurse-midwife. A medical doctor is also part of the care team, ready to consult should a mother require such care. Jennifer Fields, CNM, M.S., is a strong proponent of the new model. In her Jennifer Fields, CNM, M.S. nine years as a certified nurse-midwife, she has helped families welcome some 500 babies. Helping a woman become fully involved in her pregnancy is “amazing and powerful,” Fields says. “This is not a case of someone giving her care. With centering pregnancy, she’s holding her own chart, checking her own blood pressure, entering her own weight. She’s a partner in growing the healthiest baby possible. I believe it’s one of the most profound things a provider can do.” It’s also a very practical way to deliver care. “The centering pregnancy model follows the same schedule as regular prenatal care,” Fields explains. “Initially, visits are a month apart. During the last 12 weeks, the group meets biweekly. We definitely do all the things done at a traditional prenatal care visit—labs, measuring the belly, listening to the baby’s heartbeat. But instead of the provider leaving the exam room after a few minutes, we all gather in a circle to discuss a specific topic, answer questions and talk about what the women are experiencing.” a community of mothers The curriculum is structured but flexible, allowing topics to be shifted if an immediate concern merits more time. Moreover, the age-and-stage diversity of the group benefits all involved. vim & vigor • w inte r 2 009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2009

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2009
Contents
Opening Thoughts
For Your Health
Close Call
Model Behavior
Is It a Sign?
Your Heart: The Owners Manual
Independence Days
The Right Stuff
Watch and Learn
Up to Speed
Pedi-Cures
It Ain't Brain Surgery
Centering Preganancy
Somebody Special
From Here to Hanoi
Community
Ask the Experts

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2009