Let's roll back the calendar a little. When you hear the term "midwife" what comes to mind? If you are of a certain age, it might be the women in town who have been there a time or two as the new faces in the world make their grand entrance and they are on hand to make sure that things go as smooth as possible because getting a Dr. there may have been a little bit of a reach or there just wasn't enough time. Yes, we've all seen "Little House on the Prairie" and just because a midwife back then "kinda knew what she was doing" and had the ability to not pass out during the birthing process they were often on hand.
Today, a midwife is a rock star in the months leading up to the birth of a baby. Midwives are health care professional who provides an array of health care services for women including gynecological examinations, contraceptive counseling, prescriptions, and labor and delivery care. They are coaches on prenatal health, they are a step up on nurses having a higher degree and certification and as you'll hear in our interview in a little bit, by definition is "care for women". It's an amazing role to play in the creation of life and to have someone with the experience and knowhow that harkens back to "the old days" with all of the modern knowledge of todays medicine as well as passionate care for women and babies is something as a community we are very fortunate to have in Muskegon through Hackley Community Care. 
Learn More About Hackley Community Care Women's Health
Another incredible offering, "Centering Pregnancy". What is that? Well, let's take it right from the Hackley Community Care Website - "Centering Pregnancy is a model of care developed by the Centering Healthcare Institute and integrates three components of prenatal care within a group setting: health assessment, education, and support. The model brings together a group of 8-12 women that are in the same trimester of their pregnancy and expected to deliver around the same time. Facilitated by an OB provider, the group will learn care skills for themselves and their infants during pregnancy, their births and during the postpartum period." This is a simply amazing way to say that they are working in advance to build a network of new moms who are familiar with each other in advance of their visit from the stork. They are able to share experiences, knowledge and support and most of all know that what they are experiencing, they are not alone. Togetherness is a key element and in the broader scope, Hackley Community Care is actually building community by fostering these relationships. It's a pretty amazing, all encompassing endeavor at Hackley Community Care.
Back to the midwife idea. In Muskegon, we have a midwife named Elizabeth Rykse, CNM. She invited us by to learn a little more about her work and her passion for helping women at Hackley Community Care. Meet Elizabeth and listen to her thoughts on her care for women and their babies.
A new arrival is always a joy. Giving mom and baby the best available options even before the birth is what Hackley Community Care is all about and if you need a hand in knowing more, finding ways to understand what's happening to you and others during pregnancy and how best to carry on after the birth of your child, let's get you involved with this practice of Centering Child Birth at Hackley Community Care and maybe the help of Elizabeth Rykse who's passion for women and babies is unparalleled. We have a tremendous resource in Hackley Community Care in Muskegon and their investment in the babies today will help assure a great future for all as they grow and hopefully call Muskegon home in the years to come.
