Midwifery Services
About Us
The Madigan Midwifery Service is composed of certified nurse-midwives who have extensive experience in care of women from adolescence beyond menopause. We believe this is the best model of health care for a woman and her family. We honor the normalcy of women's lifecycle events. We believe in health care that respects human dignity, individuality and diversity among groups, incorporating our support of care provided with a belief in self-determination and active participation in health care decisions. We enjoy the involvement of a woman's designated family members, to the extent desired, in all health care experiences. Incorporating a philosophy of watchful waiting and non-intervention in normal processes and appropriate use of interventions and technology for current or potential health problems; our services include gynecologic and family planning services, preconception care, and care during pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.
The Midwifery Service provides a full scope quality women’s health care throughout a woman’s lifespan, including antepartum, labor and delivery care, postpartum, contraception and well woman care. Our midwives have clinical excellence, perform research, and are engaged in resident, student nurse midwife, and nurse practitioner education. Each of our midwives has a graduate level education in midwifery. With over 800 preceptor hours, the service is a highly sought after site for graduate nursing students from multiple institutions within Washington, as well as nationally.
The midwifery group at Madigan includes seven midwives, including active duty, civilian midwives, and two retired active duty midwives. They range in experience from recent graduates to midwives with more than 20 years of experience and each brings a unique perspective to caring for women. They all come together around their belief that pregnancy is normal and women can make the best choices for themselves and their new family by optimizing their health in pregnancy. Our babies love to say, "A Madigan midwife helped me out!"
Midwifery care is an excellent choice for low risk women. Our midwives really are the "experts in normal birth". Any woman who desires midwifery care can meet with our midwives to see if their care is right for her. Research has shown that midwifery care leads to less intervention, better outcomes and more satisfied patients. The midwifery service sees their patient within the midwifery group for their prenatal appointments and are available 24/7 for laboring patients with a midwife dedicated to labor and delivery. The midwives at Madigan are proud to offer hydrotherapy as an option for pain relief in labor, intermittent monitoring (for appropriate patients) and non-pharmacologic methods of pain relief. They also see their patients back for postpartum care. The service offers a wide range of perinatal care options including The CenteringPregnancy® Program for group prenatal care. And, if a woman needs to transfer to the obstetric service at any point during her prenatal care or labor the midwives have an excellent collaborative relationship with the obstetric and perinatology group at Madigan.
If you would like to make an appointment to see a midwife for prenatal care, contraception or a well woman visit, please call the Puget Sound Military Appointment Center at 800-404-4506 and ask for a midwifery appointment.
Directions
The Midwifery Service is located inside the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, which is located on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., in Madigan Army Medical Center. From I-5, take exit 122 (Berkley Street). After entering the gate, go to the 2nd traffic light and turn right onto Beaumont Avenue into the Medical Mall parking “purple” lot. Enter the main entrance to the Medical Mall and take the escalator down to the ground floor. OB/GYN is at the bottom of the escalator to your right.