October 2 to 8, 2022 marks National Midwifery Week. This week we recognize midwives and midwife-led primary care for families, individual patients, moms, and babies. At Promise Community Health Center we believe that #MidwivesMakeADifference, is a big difference that spans well beyond home births and delivering babies.

The Promise Women’s Health Team consists of two wonderful midwives and will be adding a third midwife soon. As well as two clinic nurses, certified lactation counselors, and a bilingual medical assistant. Promise will be featuring our amazing women’s health team on our social media this week. Thank you to our midwives and home birth team for everything you do! And happy National Midwifery Week!

If you would like to follow the Midwives’ social media page for intimate looks into the Promise home births and more information and education click here for their Facebook page.

Kari Ney, CNM, ARNP has worked at Promise since 2013, she has worked at Promise as a Certified Nurse Midwife since 2019. Kari loves the midwifery profession. She loves walking alongside women, teaching and guiding them through the most important times of their lives. It is the greatest honor to be allowed into such intimate moments: from their very first cycles and navigating what it means to be a woman, discovering the physical and emotional changes that create a mother, preserving normal labor and birth, and even unfolding the mystery of aging. Kari’s favorite thing about being a Midwife is really getting to know the women and their families. She loves helping them reach their goals for maintaining a healthy pregnancy and achieving the birth they desire. Kari’s advice for women seeking a healthcare provider is to look for someone whose values and goals align with yours. If you desire a normal, healthy, positive birth experience, hire an expert in normal labor and birth, hire a midwife!

Audra DeGroot, CNM, ARNP has worked at Promise for one and a half years. When Audra went to nursing school, she was able to follow two CNMs and was amazed with the incredible care they provided women. After the birth of her 1st baby with a CNM, she knew it was the path she wanted to continue down in her career to partner with women for their health care. Audra loves her job because attending births and witnessing a miracle never gets old. She feels so blessed that women let her be a partner in their healthcare journey, especially during some incredibly life-changing events. It is a privilege to be able to spend such important moments with patients and their families who invite Audra to participate in their care. As someone who was able to receive care personally from a CNM for all her pregnancies and birth, Audra can’t recommend midwifery care enough. Midwifery care is all about advocating for women and making them active participants in their own unique individualized care.

Erica Robertson, RN, CLC – OB Coordinator, OB Clinic Nurse, and Certified Lactation Counselor, has worked at Promise Community Health Center for eight years. Erica enjoyed working in labor and delivery before coming to Promise, but hadn’t considered home birth nursing until Belinda asked me to join her home birth team. After just one home birth, she was hooked. After just one home birth, she was hooked. Erica loves being an OB nurse because there is nothing comparable to the beauty of birth and seeing a little human take their first breath. Erica’s favorite thing about being a home birth nurse is working with the women and families that come to Promise. Having the privilege of sharing the first ultrasound pictures with them, getting to know the families throughout the pregnancies, and helping to educate them are also some of Erica’s favorite things. She is very honored to be able to share home birth experiences with their families. Also, all the cute babies are an added perk! Erica recommends considering a midwife for your next delivery because midwives specialize in low-risk prenatal care and birth, they also take the time to listen to you and make sure you are heard. The Promise women’s health team partners with families to ensure a healthy pregnancy/birth. Even if home birth is not something you are considering or comfortable with (don’t knock it till you try it!), if you have a low-risk pregnancy, Erica recommends care from a midwife!

Kris Tinklenberg, RN, CLC – OB Clinic Nurse, and Certified Lactation Counselor, has been an RN for 30 years and a Promise nurse for a year and a half. Kris has always enjoyed being a labor and delivery nurse, especially when she worked with a Midwife. Kris loves her job as an OB nurse because she loves the natural process of birth and assisting a momma as she lets her body do what is natural during pregnancy and labor. She also loves the relationship the women’s health team builds with their families, being at their labor and birth is a huge privilege and blessing. Kris encourages women to come to Promise because there is no other setting locally where you have 30 minutes to an hour with your provider at appointments. If you are looking to have a midwife for your prenatal care or the home birth of your baby, Kris believes the nurses and providers at Promise are the best and have the resources available to meet every need that could come up.

Heidy Hernandez, Medical Assistant has been with Promise Community Health Center for four years and 10 months. Heidy wanted to work in the Promise women’s health department assisting Spanish speaking patients with the language barrier. She feels this helps the women’s health team and our patients understand each other better. Heidy loves helping all the patients they see and a bonus is holding lots of cute babies! Heidy’s favorite part of the women’s health team is the team and getting to learn more and be around all those babies! Heidy believes Promise has the best midwives around. She loves the way the midwives and their nurses take their time so you can have a birth that you deserve and desire. Also having a home birth is awesome because you are in the most comfortable place, your home!

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