With our Austin Midwife Spotlight series, we are giving our beloved midwives an outlet to express why they love what they do. Today, we’re spotlighting Samantha Evans, who has been with us for five years!
Why did you want to become a midwife? How do those ideals guide your work today?
I chose to become a midwife because I felt that the midwifery model of care encouraged women’s active participation in their care throughout pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Additionally, I liked that the midwifery model viewed pregnancy and birth as normal, healthy events in a woman’s life.
In my work at AABC, I am privileged to help women and their partners engage fully in their care during one-on-one conversations and by working with Centering Pregnancy groups. Client education is one of my favorite aspects of this work. The practice model at AABC treats pregnancy as a healthy part of a woman’s life, but we continuously perform risk assessments for each client throughout pregnancy, labor, and postpartum to identify deviations from the norm when they occur. We have developed relationships with some of the best OB/GYNs, maternal fetal medicine specialists, and hospitals in the area to manage complications when they arise.
What are the main differences between your approach to birth and the typical hospital birth?
The biggest difference between my approach to birth as a midwife compared to a typical hospital birth is that I try my best to let the process of labor and birth unfold at its own pace without interference. Because I am a nurse midwife, I was trained in a hospital setting. Most of my patients in that setting had IV fluids, and they often received pitocin augmentation and epidurals during their labors. We frequently “broke” the patients’ water to move labor along.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned in my five years working at the birth center is patience. I spend much more time observing a labor pattern and how a woman is coping with the process, and make recommendations on that basis. First and foremost, I encourage frequent position changes, alternating rest with activity, and adequate nutrition and hydration to make labor easier and more efficient. Sometimes “breaking water” is appropriate, but we do it much less often than at the hospital. We sometimes use herbs, homeopathy, and essential oils to facilitate labor with good effect.
What is the most common question you get from new patients?
Patients will often ask whether they should have a doula if they are birthing at the birthing center. I think that many people think of doulas as advocates who help to prevent unnecessary interventions during hospital births. I think they do this really well, but I think that their most important role is the continuous support they provide to women and their partners in labor. I wholeheartedly recommend doulas in labor in any setting. Some people feel that having both a midwife and a doula is redundant, but the truth is that while our roles overlap in some ways, doulas bring a unique set of skills to make labor and birthing more comfortable.
Do you have any favorite memories from your time at AABC?
It’s really hard to narrow down favorite memories! I love that I’ve been at AABC long enough now to have attended births for a few sets of siblings. That’s really special, and I’ll always remember those families.
There’s something really sweet and beautiful about each birth, though I remember most clearly the very long ones, the very short ones, and the ones with lots of friends and family present. And the ones that happen on holidays! I remember my first Christmas Eve baby, Easter baby, the first baby I delivered on my own birthday. One of my most memorable births was one where four older sisters were present for the birth of their first baby brother. That was awesome.
What to you is the most rewarding aspect of being a midwife?
The most rewarding part of being a midwife for me is watching women become mothers and being with them during this transformative experience.
If you could tell expectant mothers one message, what would it be?
If I could tell expectant moms one thing, I guess it would be to expect the unexpected. Pregnancy, labor, and birth are different for every woman, every time. It probably won’t go exactly the way you imagine, but we’ll do our best to help you prepare for whatever may come and remind you along the way that you are strong and you can do it.
