Lauren Braswell Is Newest Midwife at Women’s Health Specialists and Midwives of Dayton
Women’s Health Specialists and Midwives of Dayton (WHSMD) recently welcomed Certified Nurse Midwife Lauren Braswell as the newest member of its office.
Lauren earned her bachelors of science degree in nursing from Georgia State University in 2008. She then received her master’s degree in midwifery from the University of Cincinnati in 2015.
Between 2008 and 2015, Lauren also worked as a registered nurse in the labor and delivery units of hospitals in Georgia, Mississippi, Hawaii and Ohio.
For as long as she can remember, Lauren had a goal to become a midwife.
“My mom is an OB/Gyn nurse who works in private practice,” Braswell said. “She has always been such a wonderful role model. I used to go to work with her, and those experiences made me want to go into healthcare too.’
“I like doing labor support and having a personal approach with my patients,” she added. “I really enjoy the whole process of natural laboring.”
That personal interaction with patients is very important to Lauren. She said she loves getting to know each patient individually and learning about their story.
“I love meeting all different types of people,” she said. “And, it’s exciting to think that I could see a mom have a baby, and then someday see her daughter have a baby.”
There can sometimes be misconceptions about the role of midwives, and Lauren said she wants people to know that certified nurse midwives are well educated and collaborative with the other doctors at the practice.
“At WHSMD, we are a collaborative practice, with the certified nurse midwives and doctors working closely together,” she said.
Though the obstetrics side of midwifery is what initially attracted Lauren to the profession, she said she also enjoys all the other aspects of care she can provide patients.
“We take care of women at every point in their lives,” she said. “For a lot of patients, their midwife is the only health care provider they see throughout the year.”
A certified nurse midwife can provide patients with much of the same care an Ob-Gyn physician from helping women from the start of menstruation, through pregnancy and birth, or menopause.
Overall, Lauren said she wants to be an advocate for her patients and support them the best she can.
“I hope that I can give my patients all the information they need to make the best decision for them. I want my patients to feel like an active participant in their health care,” she said. “I hope my patients trust that I am giving them the best information but that they feel confident knowing that ultimately they have the final decision in their health care.
To make an appointment with Lauren or one of the other midwives or physicians with WHSMD, call (937) 890-6644. Or for more information about the practice, visit Women’s Health Specialists and Midwives of Dayton.
