Certified Nurse Midwives

Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida is proud to have Cape Coral’s only midwifery practice. Our four highly experienced and compassionate certified nurse midwives (CNMs) provide a full spectrum of women’s health care, including family planning, preconception planning, and gynecologic care, as well as prenatal, delivery and postpartum care. They also help women through perimenopause and menopause. Amy Borkowski, CNM, MSN, APNP, APRN, Theresa Buckley, CNM, MS, DNP , Kerry Calavano, CNM, Natalie Hallamyer, WHNP/CNM, MS-HCAJ MSN, Sarah Lee, CNM, Sandy Lewis, CNM, MS, Tammy Luettich, CNM, Carol Roth, CNM, DNP, and Heidi Zielinski, CNM, MS, will not only support your physical well-being through all stages of your life, but also your emotional well-being.

Our midwives began their professional careers as registered nurses, then furthered their education through fully accredited programs to become nurse practitioners specialized in women’s health. Just as physicians do, our certified nurse midwives maintain their certification through lifelong learning requirements.

Care Provided by Certified Nurse Midwives

Like the physicians at Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida, our certified nurse midwives provide a full spectrum of gynecological services.

This includes:

Annual well-woman exams
Family planning, including choosing the right birth control method
Management of gynecologic issues like heavy periods, pelvic pain, or ovarian cysts
Preconception care
Prenatal care
Labor and delivery
Postpartum care
Perimenopausal care
Menopausal care, including managing the symptoms of menopause

The team of certified nurse midwives at Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida have the training to recognize serious obstetrical problems that may develop during pregnancy, in addition to serious gynecologic problems that may require a physician’s care, including treatment by surgery. They work closely with our doctors to ensure you get the comprehensive care you need.

Why Many Women Choose Certified Nurse Midwives

When it comes to choosing a provider to manage your overall health and pregnancy, you have many options, especially with Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida. Midwives are growing in popularity, and if you have a low-risk pregnancy, then you are an ideal candidate to choose a midwife. However, our highly trained and experienced midwives can recognize and care for high-risk pregnancies as well.

Our midwives are also fully trained and experienced in gynecologic problems. They can counsel you regarding the many options to treat gynecologic problems, and if a surgical option is chosen, then they will recommend a physician to perform the surgery.

Our midwives typically see fewer patients per day than physicians. This often allows them to spend a little more time with patients during their visits, although every provider—whether physician or midwife—will certainly ensure you have the opportunity to ask questions and learn all you need to know about your care.

How Certified Nurse Midwives Manage Pregnancy

Just like the physicians in Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida, our certified nurse midwives take an individualized approach to care. How your certified nurse midwife manages your pregnancy depends on your needs and personal preferences.

Following the recommendations of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, our midwives deliver their patients in a hospital, Cape Coral Hospital-Family Birth Suites. At Cape Coral Hospital, every tool a woman needs to have a natural birth is available. This includes a large soaking tub, peanut and yoga balls, aromatherapy, and more, all within a maternity unit designed for family-centered care. At Cape Coral Hospital-Family Birth Suites, the goal is to complete normal childbearing experiences in a home-like room, called an LDRP. Our patients stay in this room for the duration of their stay while in Labor, Delivery, and Recovery, and the Postpartum period. The rooms are large enough to comfortably accommodate the mother’s support partner and the newborn as well. The purpose of these rooms is to give the new family a chance to get comfortable and connect with each other while adjusting to the new changes a baby brings.

Our midwives provide outstanding prenatal care under the supervision of our physicians, and they talk to you about what to expect every step of the way. During labor and delivery, they serve as your coach and support system and keep a watchful eye on the process, reserving interventions and technology only for when absolutely necessary.

To schedule a consultation with one of our certified nurse midwives at Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida, you can request a new patient appointment online. If you are already an established patient, you can book online through the patient portal. Or you can always call (239) 432-5858 to schedule a consultation with one of Premier Women’s Care of Southwest Florida’s women’s health-care providers in Fort Myers or Cape Coral.