As a small girl growing up in Waldoboro, Angela Ripley knew she wanted to be a nurse when she saw how much satisfaction her cousin, a medical, surgical and pediatric nurse, got from helping people.
It was years later, when Ripley was a new obstetrics nurse at Miles Memorial Hospital that she realized she was drawn to caring for women during every phase of their life, especially pregnancy and birth.
“That moment when you see a family meet their baby for the first time is amazing,” said Ripley, a Lincoln Medical Partners Midwife who practices in Damariscotta and in Wiscasset (Wednesdays, 8 a.m. to noon).
“I think the special thing about being a midwife is the way we develop relationships with women and their families,” said Ripley.
Throughout history, midwives have cared for women during pregnancy and childbirth, but in modern times their role has expanded. Today, midwives have at least seven years of training and care for women throughout all phases of their lives.
Lincoln Medical Partners midwives work with Lincoln Medical Partners Obstetricians and also provide care at Lincoln Medical Partners practices in Waldoboro, Boothbay Harbor and Wiscasset.
“We want to reach out to women. We want them to have access to us,” said Ripley.
Part of the midwife philosophy is to build a relationship with families and educate them on their healthcare options.
A first visit with a midwife is an hour long and Ripley said midwives place a premium on spending time with patients whether they are expectant mothers, teenagers or past their child-bearing years.
“We give women and their partners and their families all the information [they need] to make that good, informed decision and then we support them in that,” said Ripley.
Ripley said whatever the patient’s age, midwifery focuses on education and preventative care.
If a woman is considering having a child, a special emphasis is placed on preparing the woman for as healthy a pregnancy as possible by emphasizing weight management, being up to date on immunizations, having enough folic acid and proper dental care.
While midwifery is traditionally associated with women in their childbearing years, Ripley said her oldest patient is in her 70s. Being a midwife is about “empowering women to take charge of their healthcare through all parts of their lives,” said Ripley.
For more information about Angela Ripley, or Lincoln Medical Partners midwives, call 563-4700.
