Lake Superior Midwifery

What is a Certified Nurse Midwife?

A Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) is a professional health care provider who is a Registered Nurse (RN) and has graduated from an advanced education program accredited by the American College of Nurse Midwives (ACNM). In addition, CNM's must pass a national certification exam and meet strict requirements for ongoing continuing education and state licensure. Most CNM's work in clinics, hospitals, or birthing centers. Some assist women in homebirths. They care for women during labor and birth, and provide prenatal postpartum, and normal newborn care. CNM's can provide regular gynecological care, such as annual exams and pap smears, prescribe birth control and provide care for menopause. A CNM can prescribe and use medications and IVs when necessary and practices independent of doctors.

Katie Sandell, RN, MS, CNM

Katie Sandell is an RN with a Bachelor's Degree from a four year nursing program and has 15 years of experience with laboring and birthing women and their newborns. Katie has a Master's Degree in Midwifery and has a background practicing in clinic, hospital and homebirth settings since 1996.

Home birth with Lake Superior Midwifery offers:

Gentle, nuturing care that repects you, your family and your beliefs.

Guidance for a safe and satisfying labor and birth in the security and comfort of your own home, surrounded by those you love.

Labor tubs and waterbirth.

Postpartum care and help with breastfeeding.

Receipts for insurance billing and reimbursement.

Is Homebirth Safe?

There are multiple studies of planned CNM attended homebirths that show that the outcomes for moms and babies are as good or better than those for hospital births. One out of every four births in a hospital is a C-section. The risk of C-section with homebirth is much lower. Because CNM's are experts in normal pregnancy and birth, they experienced in identifying potential or actual complications and provide emergency treatment until additional assistance is available. Medical conditions and complications are rare, but at any time a problem arises that is beyond a midwife's skill, she will call on a physician to assist in protecting you and your baby.

Prenatal Care with Personal Attention

Prenatal visits that allow plenty of time for questions and answers - 60 minutes for each prenatal visit is common.

Full information about any standard or recommended tests, procedures or treatments so you can make informed choices about your care.

Meaningful discussion to explore and help resolve fears and concerns you or your family may have.

Plenty of information about healthy pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding and the newborn.

In Labor Your Midwife Stays With You

Attentive, sensitive care and emotional support in tune with your needs in labor.

Helps cope with the discomfort of labor. Movement, encouragement, laboring in water, massage, changing positions and the midwife's constant reassuring presence are very effective.

No routine treatment or arbitrary timetables that can interfere with your body's healthy process of laboring and giving birth.

Respect for the birth process as it unfolds uniquely each time.

Freedon to move, eat, bathe - to do what comes naturally in labor and birth. Your midwife doesn't "prohibit" or "allow" but patiently supports and guides you as needed.

How to contact Lake Superior Midwifery

By Mail: 2322 Greysolon Road Duluth, MN 55812

By Phone: (218) 724-9613

By Email: Info@LakeSuperiorMidwifery.com