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Midwifery Care
Expert knowledge and a life-time of support through pregnancy, childbirth and beyond.
Pregnancy and Gyn Care Your Way
Certified Nurse Midwives at Cooley Dickinson ObGyn & Midwifery provide expert care and support throughout a patient’s reproductive life span from teen years through menopause. During pregnancy, Midwives partner with pregnant people and their families to promote optimal health in pregnancy and childbirth, with a focus on personalized care, education and informed choice.
Our team of midwives provides prenatal care in the Louise Finn house on the campus of Cooley Dickinson Hospital, a beautiful yellow Victorian referred to as the yellow house. They also offer select hours at our Amherst and Atwood Drive locations. All births are attended at the Childbirth Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team of health care professionals.
Patient centered care and shared decision making is at the heart of our practice. When you choose Cooley Dickinson in pregnancy you have the choice of seeing certified nurse midwives or physicians for your care throughout your pregnancy. At your first prenatal appointment, you will be asked to select which group you would like to see. While you might exclusively meet providers from the group you choose, during your pregnancy our staff works as a team to ensure your safety and satisfaction as you prepare for the birth of your baby.
Our staff of registered nurses and office professionals is available by phone every weekday between 8 AM and 5 PM to speak with you if you have questions or a problem that cannot wait until your next office visit. At all other times, providers are on call to address urgent matters.
Please follow us on Facebook at Midwives at Cooley Dickinson to learn more about our wonderful team.
“It’s one thing to be the nurse working alongside the doctors and midwives. But it was a whole new experience being the patient! Audrey is one healthy baby because of all your help – we can’t thank you enough.”
-Sarah Lambert Hurley, RN, Cooley Dickinson Childbirth Center (on the birth of her baby, Audrey, at the Childbirth Center).
Read More Patient Testimonials
Care Team: Meet the Midwives
Rachel Marino, CNM, Director of Midwifery Services
“I became a midwife because I believe that having a positive childbirth experience is powerful. The memory of birth can inform a person’s sense of confidence and self-worth for a lifetime. I always strive in my work to allow people to make informed choices that will provide them with an empowering birth and health care experience. I have dedicated much of my time to working with under-served populations throughout the world because I believe that all people, regardless of background, deserve excellent care and autonomy in their healthcare decisions.”
“My approach to care is body-positive and sex-positive and I follow a reproductive justice framework. I believe in educating patients to empower them to make their own informed health decisions, and respecting the individual decision-making process. My special interests include trauma-informed gynecologic care, teen sexual health, abortion care, and queer and trans sexual and reproductive health.”
“I chose midwifery because I believe in its hallmarks; in particular; I believe in the therapeutic value of human presence and in non-interference with normal processes. We can move mountains sometimes by listening and being present. Midwifery is particularly rewarding because of the relationships it fosters; we care for women through some of life’s most intimate and intense moments, and it builds relationships that are rare in health care environments today.”
“As a midwife, I am passionate about providing empathetic evidence-based care to all women and families. I feel honored to be a part of some of life’s most intimate moments and always strive to listen to my patients’ wishes, fears and needs.”
“I strongly believe in partnering with patients and their families to deliver safe, evidenced-based, and individualized care. By doing so, I will develop relationships with patients throughout their lives. It is an honor and a privilege to partner with patients throughout different stages of their lives. My goal is to provide families with evidenced-based information and empower them so that they can make an informed decision about their health.”
“I am committed to bringing optimal health and wellness into care of patients throughout their lifetimes. I am dedicated to holding and honoring the sacred space of birth, acknowledging that this is often different for each patient. I believe in reproductive justice and healthcare equity, and work to provide access to care for all members of our community.”
