MEDINA — Traditionally, the idea of a midwife brings to mind an elderly woman who comes to people’s homes to assist in the birthing process.

However, in an age of booming technology, the job of midwife has developed into a highly specialized one, helping many doctors and nurses in hospitals across the country.

On March 2, Medina Memorial Health Care System welcomed its newest employee, Certified Nurse Midwife Kim Chamberlain. Much like the hospital’s staff obstetrician-gynecologist, Dr. Michele Odrobina, Chamberlain spends her day working with women of all ages. The Journal-Register was able to speak with Chamberlain on her unique job, and how the traditional aspects of midwifery are being incorporated into today’s world. As she explained, midwives are traditionally thought of as working in the home, but in fact, they have been in hospitals for many years.

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QUESTION: What exactly does a midwife do?

ANSWER: I will do (pretty much) anything a traditional OB-GYN will do, but I do not perform surgery. I will just assist in a C-section. I’ll do anything dealing with women’s health — from working with adolescents needing help regulating their menstrual cycles, to preconception counseling, to menopause counseling or anything a woman would normally see an OB-GYN for. There’s a comfort range knowing when to turn care over to the doctor, but we work together — If I have a concern or question about management of a patient, I go right to Dr. Odrobina.

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Q: How did you get started in this career?

A: I wanted to be a midwife since I was in first grade, before I even knew what the position was. I wanted to be the nurse that caught the baby. After high school, I went to pre-vet school at Cornell, but didn’t like it. After getting married and having children, I started my career as a certified nursing assistant, and worked as a labor and delivery nurse for nine years. I also worked with WIC as a breast feeding coordinator while getting my bachelor’s.

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I then got my master’s degree at SUNY Stony Brook while working part-time as an OB nurse, and moved on to working with the Wyoming County Health Department before finding the midwifery position (at my most previous job) in Olean. So, I’ve been in the medical field for more than 20 years.

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Q: What does a typical day entail?

A: It really depends whether or not you’re on call. I’ll see patients and take hospital calls. I work full time, four days a week, and my time is split between the Women’s Health Center here and in Albion.

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Q: What’s the best part of your job?

A: The birthday parties. Watching the moms hold newborns, and watching them fall in love with their babies and seeing the family develop. It’s important to get the father involved, too. Often times they see their wives, and they want to help them ... telling them to put a cool cloth here, or rub her back there.



Q: What kind of education is required for the position?

A: I have a master’s, and I studied nursing and midwifery. I’m a certified midwife, but there are other avenues — it’s an international certification. I’m also a licensed women’s health nurse practitioner.

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Q: What do you think of Medina?

A: I love it here — I’m still getting used to the area. The Southern Tier is more country, but Medina has a much more hometown feeling. The people here are just wonderful to work with — Dr. O is just phenomenal. This past month has been very, very busy — every room has been full. It’s been phenomenal working with Dr. O. The other night we had two women in labor at the same time, and I called her in to work with me.

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Q: What else about your job is different than a traditional doctor?

A: Everybody has a different personality and preference. Midwives sometimes will spend more bedside time with a laboring mother, but it depends on the person — Dr. O spends quite a bit of time with her patients, but I’ve worked with other doctors who just wait in the nurses’ station until the woman is ready. I like spending time with the mother, getting her through each contraction, especially if she desires a natural childbirth. I can order pain management, too, but that’s the mother’s choice. Many people think midwives just work with pregnant women, but we don’t. The ACNM, the American College of Nurse-Midwives logo is “With Women for Life.” My youngest patient has been 8, and my oldest has been 97.