When you are seeking out a great and experienced gynecologist, or a doctor to be their OBGYN for their pregnancy and delivery, often women think of hiring an MD (a Doctor) yet they don’t realize the amazing benefit to hiring an experienced, top provider Certified Nurse Midwife, Adrienne Bradley at Women’s Health Partners in Boca Raton.
As a Professional who has worked in birth in South Florida for nearly 10 years, I personally see a Certified Nurse Midwife in place of a Doctor for my own gynecological care for years now.
Before I had kids, I never had an amazing gynecologist.
I saw a few doctors for women’s care in Broward County and in Boca Raton, all recommended by coworkers, friends and family, but the problems with these gynecologist for me every single time were: I had no connection with them, felt awkward getting cervical exams, it was a “cold” experience, meaning the doctor made me feel like I was just another number when I came in for my gynecology visits.
Every time I went to my annual gynecologist visit during the first ten years of my adult life, I felt like it was like going to the dentist or pumping gas, two things I hate doing. I found most gynecologists abrasive and dismissive. At the time, it was not an experience I wanted to ever think about. But doesn’t that sound a bit miserable? To have to do a “chore” that I just “want to get it over with” kind of mentality. Life is too short for experiences like that, when so much better experiences await you and are really not impossible to find!
After having kids, and being a birth photographer for three years at the time my second child was born, a Midwife I attended many births alongside asked if I was sure I did not want to be under the care of an OBGYN (Obstetrician Gynecologist). I was like yeah that’s fine, absolutely not the route I want to go with my gynecological care, given my past experiences. And from that point on, a Certified Nurse Midwife became my primary gynecologist and I have never looked back.
Adrienne Bradley is an amazing Certified Nurse Midwife for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, and a Top Provider for Women’s Health and Gynecology in Boca Raton, FL.
Think about the last time you went to your gynecologist’s office, did you feel your experience was compassionate?
Would you have described having a comfortable and respectful experience during your gynecological exam?
Or has your experience at the gynecologist been limited to “efficient” or “fine”?
What is a Certified Nurse Midwife?
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) backed by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (source) To become a CNM, registered nurses must graduate from a master’s or higher-level nurse-midwifery education program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME) and pass the national Certified Nurse-Midwife Examination through the American Midwifery Certification Board. All CNMs must hold state licensure.
In my own words, Certified Nurse Midwives were first part of a hospital’s medical staff of nurses.
Nurses are patient advocates.
Nurse Midwives started their educations, training, and careers by being passionate advocates for patients, and you see this shining through to Midwifery care and Womens Health when your gynecologist is a Certified Nurse Midwife.
A Midwife will spend more time with you during your visits.
A slower gynecological cervical exam can also mean less rush/less pain. A lot of care providers think if they are quick, its over quicker. But I have found that when a cervical exam is being performed, if the provider is patient and slow and careful, the pain is minimal. I find this is far more common with midwives than doctors. More time spent together during your visits, whether gynecological visits, prenatal visits or postpartum visits, means you will feel more comfortable, more relaxed, and you may feel at peace discussing concerns you have, instead of bracing yourself for being criticized or dismissed, your concerns will be addressed and you will be respected as a woman who’s forward thinking and involved in her own reproductive care.
Midwife Adrienne Bradley has privileges to see her patients at both Boca Raton Hospitals:
I met Midwife Adrienne years ago when she was an RN (Registered Nurse) working in Labor and Delivery at Boca Raton Regional Hospital. I remember from those earlier days, that I was really taken aback as to the amazing patient care I saw from her with my Birth Photography clients.
I remember a specific birth I had where my Birth Photography client had a Doula from Orchid Nest and her Labor and Delivery Nurse was Adrienne, and I remember being over the moon about the photos I captured, because my client was freely moving around, while her baby was still being safely monitored, and my client was even able to labor in the shower and only ended up getting in the labor bed of her room once baby started crowning.
This was at Boca Regional as I mentioned, and I am not sure that I have ever seen a birth like this at West Boca Medical (off of 441 and just north of Palmetto Park Blvd) though I have certainly heard many stories from Midwife friends of similar deliveries, I just have not witnessed them firsthand as a majority of my clients all choose to give birth at Boca Regional.
You can see a couple of the birth photos from that birth below:
My Birth Photography client kneeled and squatted at the labor bed, her doula supporting her lower back with counter-pressure mid-contraction as Midwife Adrienne got down to mom’s level for as uninterrupted laboring experience as possible for the mom’s epidural-free labor
Midwife Adrienne kneeled to monitor my Birth Photography client’s baby during contractions while my client was able to freely labor in the shower at Boca Regional during active labor
I loved getting to know Midwife Adrienne in this special way. I loved watching her years ago as she supported patients and their dedicated Labor and Delivery nurse, then as the Charge Nurse at Boca Regional. I was so ecstatic when I learned she was in Midwifery School, and these days, she is an incredible and dedicated midwife, who’s passion shines through every day in the office seeing patients for their visits as well as in the hospital setting. I am so glad my Birth Photography clients along with countless other women in our South Florida community are in the best of care with this outstanding professional.
