Norwalk Hospital's certified nurse midwives pictured from left, are Eliza Holland, CNM, of Norwalk, Esla Aminlewis, CNM, Senior Midwife, Bronx, NY, Janet Djentuh, CNM, of Yonkers, NY, Sara Church, CNM, of Norwalk, Anne McDermott, CNM, of Ridgefield, and M.Julie Crocco, CNM, of Yonkers, NY. Missing from photo is Laurie Collins, CNM of Wilton.
National Nurse Midwifery Week is observed October 4-10th to honor the dedication and commitment of nurse midwives. According to Esla Lewis, CNM, Senior Midwife at Norwalk Hospital, "our nurse midwives provide compassionate and high quality care to women, infants and their families." Established in 1977, the Norwalk Hospital Midwifery Service was one of the first hospital based midwifery services in the area. The hospital midwives of attend over 300 deliveries a year.
Norwalk Hospital's certified nurse midwives provide their services in the hospital's Childbirth Center and also in office settings. They assist women during their labor and delivery while helping them to be self-reliant and to trust their own bodies in delivering healthy babies naturally. They provide prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, normal newborn care, gynecological care and family planning. They service all women from adolescence to menopause. Other services provided by the midwives include lactation advice, childbirth education, menopausal counseling and nutritional counseling to name a few. The midwives are available twenty-four hours a day seven days a week.
Certified nurse midwives function as primary care providers during a woman's pregnancy, Ms. Lewis explained. Team care utilizes various services that ensure safe, individualized and personal care, she added. They work in conjunction with consulting physicians when there are problems that may put a pregnant woman at risk. Other services provided by the midwives include lactation advice, childbirth education, menopausal counseling and nutritional counseling The midwives at Norwalk Hospital believe that natural is best and promote individualized care, but we ever mindful of the need for medical intervention when it is necessary, she said.
Certified nurse midwives are Registered Nurses (RN's), who have graduated from one of the advanced education program accredited by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM). They must pass a national certification examination and meet strict requirements set by state health agencies. The Midwives of Norwalk Hospital all hold postgraduate degrees and are adjunct faculty and clinical instructors to Midwifery students at various universities. To reach the Norwalk Hospital Midwifery Service, please call (203) 852-3073.
