The Midwife Practice at Mount Sinai Doctors-108 Delancey Street
The Midwife Practice at Mount Sinai Doctors-108 Delancey Street, on the 4th floor, is a collaborative care model that brings together midwives and obstetricians. Our midwives serve as your primary care providers. If your health situation becomes more complex, they will work closely with our doctors to ensure you receive the best possible care. The midwives attend births at The Mount Sinai Hospital, providing a seamless and supportive birth experience in a hospital setting.
In addition to supporting childbirth, midwives are fully trained and certified to provide care for individuals from adolescence through menopause, even when they are not pregnant. Our commitment is to offer holistic, patient-centered reproductive health care at every life stage. We strive to empower individuals and families by providing compassionate, evidence-based, and personalized midwifery services that champion their unique health goals. We aim to create an environment that respects the psychological aspects of childbirth, encourages informed decision-making, and provides trauma-informed care. Our dedication extends to supporting physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being throughout the reproductive health journey.
If you have any questions about midwives or our practice, we encourage you to read the Frequently Asked Questions section below.
Why use a midwife to oversee your pregnancy and childbirth?
Midwives have been attending births for thousands of years and are the main birth providers in many other countries. In addition to providing a personalized, natural childbirth experience, births attended by midwives can lower risks for both the mother and baby. Recent studies have found that midwife-attended births decrease the rates of Cesarean sections and potentially reduce the chances of preterm births. They also tend to have fewer interventions during labor.
What is the difference between a midwife and an obstetrician?
Both midwives and obstetricians have extensive training before they can practice. Midwives follow a nursing model and usually complete a master's or doctoral degree, which takes about five years. On the other hand, obstetricians train under a medical model, undergoing around eight years of education that includes surgical training. The primary difference between the two professions is that midwives do not receive surgical training and do not perform surgeries independently.
What is a doula?
Unlike midwives and obstetricians, doulas do not provide clinical care. Instead, doulas play a crucial role in providing emotional, physical, and informational support. They can help create a calming environment, offer comfort measures, and help parents navigate their choices. Additionally, having a doula can relieve some pressure from partners, allowing them to focus on their loved one without feeling overwhelmed. For first-time parents, hiring a doula can enhance the overall experience by providing reassurance and a sense of empowerment. It is always beneficial to have someone with experience who can guide you through the process, answer questions, and provide support tailored to your specific needs.
What can I expect when I meet with my midwife for prenatal care?
During your pregnancy, you will have about 10 to 12 appointments with your midwife. These visits are important for the care of both you and your baby, offering clinical support, advice, and emotional encouragement. Typically, your first appointment will occur around 8 to 12 weeks after your last missed period, which corresponds to a gestational age of 6 to 10 weeks.
Your midwife can conduct physical exams, lab tests, genetic screenings, and basic ultrasounds. For more complex ultrasounds, we work together with maternal-fetal medicine specialists about four times during your pregnancy. If your situation requires it, we will also coordinate with obstetricians for more advanced care for you and your baby. After your initial consultation, you’ll see your midwife approximately every four weeks until you reach 28 weeks of gestation. From 28 to 37 weeks, your visits will be every two weeks, and once you reach 37 weeks, you’ll meet weekly until you give birth.
Once your baby arrives, you will have two follow-up visits with your midwife in the first six weeks postpartum, and another appointment three months later.
Where will I give birth?
Our midwives attend births exclusively in hospitals. If you are looking for alternative birth options, we can recommend other midwives in the city. Our midwives, along with our obstetrician colleagues, have the necessary privileges for triage, admissions, and birthing at The Mount Sinai Hospital, located on the Upper East Side at 1176 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10029. The Mount Sinai Hospital features a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and 24/7 anesthesia services, ensuring the safety and well-being of both you and your baby.
How will my midwife support me during childbirth?
Midwives specialize in supporting low-intervention, physiologic births—meaning that labor takes its natural course as much as possible. We aim to provide you with options, recommendations, and guidance to help you make informed decisions about your birthing experience. Discussions about your birth should start well before your hospital visit, and we recommend creating a birth plan that outlines your wishes, which your entire care team can follow.
Giving birth in a hospital has its advantages, particularly because we offer access to various pain management options, including nitrous oxide, epidurals, and IV medications. We also have resources for interventions, such as IV oxytocin, that your midwife might suggest during labor to help things progress more smoothly.
During your birth, your midwife is trained to assist you in whatever position you find most comfortable. At our facility, we practice delayed cord clamping and encourage immediate skin-to-skin contact with your baby, as long as you and the baby are both healthy.
Our obstetrician colleagues are always on call, so if there is ever a need for surgical assistance, we'll have them readily available to ensure the safety of you and your baby. We work as a team, and your midwife will continue to support you through any type of birth you may choose.
For vaginal births, we generally recommend that patients stay in the hospital for one to two days. Your midwife will visit daily to check on both you and your baby, address any questions or concerns, and make sure you feel supported and ready to go home when the time comes.
What if I change my mind and decide I want an obstetrician at my birth?
Sometimes, midwifery care is just not the right fit, and other times, your health or your baby’s health may become more complex and require our obstetrician colleagues to take over your care. If medical complications arise, prioritizing the health and safety of both you and your baby is our main goal. Rest assured that your midwifery team will be there every step of the way, ensuring clear communication and a seamless transition to obstetric care. Our team of experienced obstetricians is here to provide support and guidance, should you choose to meet with them. Remember, you are not alone in this; it’s all about ensuring the best outcomes for you and your baby.