I’m Juanita Nelson, the director and primary midwife of Community Midwives. Please feel free to read through the services below. You can also call me directly at 1-970-749-4092 or see Community Midwives page on Facebook.

I provide comprehensive, personalized midwifery care to women and their families in the Four Corners region. Licensed in both Colorado and New Mexico, I am a Certified Professional Midwife. I attend home births for low-risk women including prenatal care, labor support and delivery, postpartum care, and newborn care. I encourage and provide in-depth breastfeeding support to any breastfeeding woman. I do in-depth birth counseling regardless of intended birth location or provider. I do well-women care including annual pap and breast exams. All clients have access to my herbal pharmacy including evaluations and recommendations. Birth Empowerment classes, immunization workshops, herbal classes, and parenting classes are all available.

PRENATAL CARE
Women can start prenatal care at any point in their pregnancy, but I find it best to start around 7-8 weeks gestation. Try not to wait until very late in your pregnancy as establishing care benefits you and the baby in ensuring everything is normal and healthy. However, each woman and situation is unique so call and discuss it with Juanita if you have any questions.

THE INTERVIEW
Typically, women call and we set up an appointment to do an interview. This is the 1st of a two-step process. This is an opportunity for the woman, her partner, and Juanita to meet face to face and talk about what the woman wants regarding her care and what services are provided. Usually, this means discussing the range of “normal” and the unique situations of each woman. This visit usually lasts about an hour and is free.

INITIAL EXAM
Next we set up a time to do an initial exam. This is the second part of the two-step process and involves going over a complete family and personal history, a head-to-toe physical exam, and drawing initial lab work. The purpose of this visit is to establish that everything is looking normal for this pregnancy and to address any issues that might need specific attention. This visit takes about 1 ½ to 2 hours.

PRENATAL EXAMS
Prenatal visits are scheduled after the initial exam based on how many weeks pregnant the woman is. Usually, you will be seen every month until you are 28 weeks pregnant, then every 2 weeks until you are 36 weeks pregnant, and then once a week until you deliver. These visits are always scheduled for at least 1 hour giving you, the client, ample time to bring up any questions and concerns so that we can discuss them. Often we will spend time discussing nutritional and lifestyle choices and how to best optimize these for a healthy pregnancy. We will discuss preparing physically and mentally for birth and the postpartum period. You will receive a handout of how to order your birth supplies. Some lab work is done at specific intervals depending on each client’s specific needs.

PRENATAL HOME VISIT
At around 36 weeks, we will do a home visit at your planned birth site. During this visit we will discuss all the specifics of preparing for your birth including checking your supplies and orienting everyone to both your space and the midwives’ procedures.

LABOR AND DELIVERY
When a woman goes into labor she calls and lets us know what is happening. We come to the house when it feels like labor becomes active or when the woman feels like she needs our support. Juanita and her assistants provide support for the duration of labor based on each woman’s individual needs.

Women have the choice of birthing in the birth tub provided by Juanita if they so desire. Many women find that water birth is a great way to increase their relaxation and thereby hastening the birth process but it is by no means mandatory. Some women find that they are not comfortable in the water while others feel they are never getting out!

Birth usually happens in the client’s home surrounded by her family and birth “team.” Babies are born into a calm, relaxed environment and bonding between the baby and the parents is a natural extension of a natural birth. Babies are encouraged to nurse as soon as possible. A complete newborn exam is done. Babies are weighed and measured and any needed medications are given at that time if so desired. Usually the midwives stay for three to four hours after the birth to make sure that everyone is doing well and there are no concerns. Moms and babies stay in their own homes in their own beds surrounded by their loved ones.

POSTPARTUM VISITS
Home visits by the midwives happen at 1 day and 4 days postpartum. These visits include newborn exams, nursing evaluation and support, and new mom exams. Metabolic and hearing screens for newborns are typically done at this time. Paperwork for registering the baby (the Birth Certificate) is completed and sent to the State. Mom’s needs are identified and provided for.

At two weeks and six weeks, new moms bring their newborns back to see us at the clinic. We make sure that nursing is going well, baby is growing and developing, and parents are adapting to their new roles. Often we will do a PAP smear now if it wasn’t done prenatally.

The six month and 1 year visits are a chance to check in and make sure that you and baby are progressing through the first year. And mostly because we want to play with your kid!

WELL WOMAN CARE
Well woman care provided by Community Midwives is based on natural therapeutics and modalities. We use nutrition, herbs, and diagnostic testing to support women. PAP smears, breast exams, STI evaluations and treatment are all available.