"My goal is to give women the birthing experience
they're hoping for."
Catherine Burke, CNM
Certified Nurse Midwife
The term "midwife" is derived from 13th-century Middle English and means "with women." Lakeside's Certified Nurse Midwife, Catherine Burke, embodies that concept. As an expert in women's wellness and primary care, Catherine assists women through every step of the birthing process. In providing pre-conception counseling, pre-natal care, delivery options, and post-partum counseling, Catherine brings a high level of medical expertise to the venerable practice of midwifery.
The practice of midwifery has evolved beyond simply assisting women in childbirth. Midwives like Catherine, who is also an R.N., are advanced practice nurses who specialize in all aspects of low-risk pregnancy, childbirth and post-partum care. Because of its long history, many people think midwives deliver only natural home births. But, Catherine says, "Today's nurse-midwives are trained in all types of birthing, including C-sections. I also provide pain management when my patients request it. We are experts, not just in childbirth, but in all aspects of women's wellness." Not all midwives are registered nurses like Catherine. But all must receive a high level of training and are licensed, certified and regulated by the State of New York.
Catherine believes in spending time with her patients, establishing trust, and being completely available to them. For example, her pre-natal visits take at least a half hour. (Women who receive pre-natal care from Catherine have a lower-than-average rate of Caesarian sections.) "My approach is getting to know women, their partners, and their families so I can help them fashion the birth experience that is in line with their goals."
Catherine specializes in well-women gynecological care, including family planning, preconception counseling, pre-natal care, vaginal deliveries, breastfeeding, and post-partum counseling. She also performs pap smears and annual exams, and is licensed to offer pain management, such as epidurals. And she has experience in community health, having worked in Mexico and Honduras to help indigenous women provide better healthcare in their villages.
Catherine only practices at Lakeside Memorial Hospital, where she delivers an average of 55 babies a year. She says the Lakeside Birthing Center is quiet, intimate and family-oriented. Moms get private rooms with their own whirlpool baths, which are usually shared in most hospitals. And it's not unusual for children and grandparents to be present at births. "It's the way the childbirth experience is supposed to be," Catherine says." Doctors take time with you, and the nursing staff cares. Nurses play an important part in the birthing process, providing women another level of comfort and care. It's simply the best place in the region to have a baby."
Catherine has birthed over 1,000 babies, but the experience is far from routine. "I still cry when babies are born," she says. "It's an honor and a privilege to be with families at the most important time of their lives."