Lifestages—Samaritan Centers For Women Certified Nurse Midwives With Kimberly J. Breneman, CNM, MSN

Certified Nurse Midwives Empower Women to Make Personal Choices

Kim Breneman is one of four midwives employed by Lifestages—Samaritan Centers For Women. Kim received her MSN from Case Western Reserve University and her CNM from Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing. Lifestages other midwives are Susan L. Kloth, CNM, MS; Pamela M. Madden, CNM, MS; and Jalana Lazar, RN, CNM, WHNP, MPH.

What makes Lifestages midwife program unique?

Midwives have played an important role at Lifestages since its inception more than a decade ago. Over that time, our certified nurse midwives have established themselves as key members of the medical team and have raised the professional profile of midwifery among patients, physicians and other nurses. Our midwives have also raised the bar on practice standards in the community. For example, Lifestages is the only Dayton-area medical group with a midwife on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

While midwifery is traditionally associated with care during pregnancy and birth, Lifestages midwives, like our physicians, also offer routine care for women throughout their lifetime – from young adulthood to menopause and beyond. We also provide education, counseling and support to meet our patients’ physical and emotional needs and enhance their overall well-being.

Central to our model of care is a deeply held commitment to spend whatever time is needed with our patients, to work closely with them and to empower them to understand their choices and make informed decisions about their health care. When necessary, we will ask one of our physician partners to step in, but we never “turn over” our patients to another health care provider. We continue our relationship with the patient even when another caregiver is involved for consultation or treatment.

How are nurse midwives certified?

The medical profession of midwifery is highly regulated. Certified nurse midwives (CNM) are advance practice registered nurses with a master’s degree who have completed an accredited midwifery program and have been certified by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Why does a woman choose a midwife for her prenatal care and delivery – and, perhaps, more?

We believe that a woman’s choice to see a midwife is a very personal decision based on shared values. Midwives guide the birthing experience while empowering women to develop their own birthing plan and make their own decisions along the way in critical areas such as pain management. Many women choose to receive gynecologic care from their midwife after delivery because of the close relationship established during the birthing process. Some patients begin seeing a midwife after their child birthing years – and develop an equally close relationship because of our time-intensive approach to overall care.

Time and time again, our patients tell us that their close and trusting relationship with one of us has given them a new perspective on what women’s health care can and should be. Understanding all their options and knowing they have decision-making power over their health care, builds self-assuredness and inspires confidence.

The individualized professional care and the personal support Lifestages midwives provide is a dimension of women’s health care unmatched in the Dayton area. For more information about Lifestages and our midwives, please call 937-277-8988 or toll-free 888-808-1016.