Midwifery Care of Holyoke to Host Celebration Marking 30th Anniversary

HOLYOKE — Midwifery Care of Holyoke will mark 30 years of service to the region with a free community-wide party at the Holyoke Merry-Go-Round this Saturday, Oct. 3 from 3 to 5 p.m. The group will celebrate the achievements of its patient-centered midwifery and well-women practice, which include improved healthcare outcomes for women in the Pioneer Valley region.

National Midwifery Week, Oct. 4-10, is designed to raise awareness about midwives in the U.S. The anniversary comes as midwifery becomes more widespread in the U.S. as a safe, viable, and cost-effective option for expectant mothers in delivering their child.

“The birth of a baby isn’t just the birth of a baby; it’s the birth of a mother, father, sister, and cousin. Many American hospitals view birthing as a solo process, but here, every person is there to support the mother and baby,” said Nina Kleinberg, a certified nurse midwife since 1981.

Added Spiros Hatiras, president and CEO of Holyoke Medical Center and Valley Health Systems Inc., “Midwifery Care of Holyoke is set to attend approximately 450 births this year alone, giving our region much to celebrate. Midwifery Care’s exceptional nurse midwives provide quality, compassionate care that supports women at every stage of the birthing process and beyond.”

Born out of the state Department of Public Health’s Infant Mortality Task Force in 1985, Midwifery Care of Holyoke was founded to help mitigate community-health challenges such as teen pregnancy, infant mortality, and young children living in poverty conditions commonly found in high-risk, low-socioeconomic populations.

Midwifery Care of Holyoke’s bilingual (English and Spanish) nurse midwives provide prenatal care and attendance at birth and also offer well-woman visits, pre-conception counseling, fertility management (including artificial insemination), and care after menopause.