Childbirth Professional Day - Meet Teresa Buell

1. What is your Childbirth Profession? Midwifery 

2. Describe your profession and why someone would want to choose your profession for support in pregnancy and/or childbirth. Midwife means "with Woman" and is one of the oldest professions in the world. Midwives are best known for pregnancy and birthing care of women, but we also take care of women throughout the lifespan--providing healthcare and self-care support for teens through menopausal women. Midwives listen to women, are "with them"" through labor and birth (big difference from physicians who mostly see you for delivery only--we are there to support your labor and through the first hour or so after your birth), and advocate for them. Midwives are passionate about serving women, participating with the women in her care and helping her have a birth positive birth experience. We are guardians of normal, natural birth and strive to provide high-touch, evidenced based care that is cost-effective and individualized.

3. Why did you get started in your profession? Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to deliver babies. (Didn't know then that moms did all the work!). About 20 years ago I read, "I don't know if you choose to be a midwife or you are born into it" and I thought "AH HA" that's ME. I didn't think it would happen in SD in my career lifetime, but midwifery is growing in SD!!! I was the only midwife in Sioux Falls when I started and now there are seven of us at the two hospitals and two others doing home births in the Sioux Falls area. 

4. In detail, what is your personal childbirth philosophy? I think that women have an innate ability to create and birth their babies. Women's bodies are wonderfully made for this and most births can happen naturally if we are patient and women feel respected. We need to keep working to reclaim normal, natural birth. Accomplishing this on a large scale takes efforts on many fronts as pregnancy and birth are affected by so many things. Women's psychosocial, physical and spiritual wholeness is influenced by their place in society, their resources, their support systems, their significant relationships and their self-worth--and during childbirth, their care providers. Therefore, as much as possible women need to be supported in all those things and they then can be powerful in birth. They know their bodies and their babies the best. I believe each woman and birth challenges me to be better at this. I want women to feel trusted, listened to and empowered to make decisions that impact their own care and their babies. Every day it is a privilege to walk along side women and learn from them and do my best to honor them. Each birth is a blessing.

5. If you could tell all pregnant women in the world something, what would it be? "Birth works!!! You are strong and can be powerful in birth. Trust and nurture you body and spirit and surround yourself with people that honor you."

6. How long have you been in your profession? Are you certified? If yes, by who? I have been a midwife for 15 years. I am a member of the American College of Nurse Midwives and certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board and licensed to practice in SD by the Board of Nursing and the Board of Medicine. I also recently became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

7. Do you have a business name? How can people contact you for pregnancy and childbirth support? Sanford Women's Nurse Midwifery Service. You can contact me at 328-4600 or midwives@sanfordhealth.org

8. Where do you practice? I practice with three other midwives at Sanford in Sioux Falls.