Mom Brittany Mallette gave birth to her first child, baby Shiloh, seven weeks ago.
“It has been absolutely blissful. We have enjoyed every single second of her,” Brittany said. “Very tired at times, but ultimately it’s just been great. We’re so in love with her.”
Like many moms, Brittany wanted a more holistic approach in her birth plan. “The plan was important because I was super nervous having a child for the first time,” she explained.
That’s why she chose to work with a midwife. “It’s definitely more of a hands-on approach. They’re really part of your whole pregnancy. They’re there during the labor and the delivery, and even during the postpartum,” Brittany said. “I kind of wanted someone to know, all right, this is my plan. This is what I kind of want my vision during the delivery and labor.”
Brittany selected Carilion’s certified nurse midwife Holly Borkert for her care. “So, I took care of her for the bulk of her pregnancy,” Holly said.
Holly has observed an increase in women in Southwest Virginia choosing midwifery care, especially in the past year. “Women are looking for a provider that has more appointment time, that has more dedicated time to spend with them. They’re looking for somebody that they know, someone who has seen them throughout their whole reproductive lifespan, and midwifery at Carilion offers that,” she said.
As certified nurse midwives (CNMs), Carilion says its methods of care and healing are guided by the best available evidence, centered on the individual’s decisions, values, and preferences. “Nurse-midwives recognize that pregnancy and birth are normal physiologic processes and affirm the autonomy and strength of all persons. CNMs collaborate with a supportive group of physicians and have immediate access to them should the need arise. Their practice attends births at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Roanoke, Virginia. Always attentive and compassionate, Carilion’s CNMs help families achieve their best birth experience,” according to it’s website.
Carilion Clinic announced the expansion of maternity care offerings in January of 2025.
Services were previously focused on the New River Valley. Now, teams are accepting patients across several new locations, and no referral is required.
- Roanoke – Highland Ave.: 540-985-9715
- Roanoke – Riverside: 540-526-2273
- Rocky Mount: 540-484-4836
- Christiansburg: 540-731-4578
Certified nurse midwives help meet patients where they are, improving access to care and lowering maternal mortality and morbidity rates. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 6 percent growth in employment of certified nurse midwives over the next decade. Carilion has now expanded to eight midwives on staff.
Read more here about area midwifery services and the increased demand in Southwest Virginia.
In addition to Maternity Care, Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) offer everything from routine preventative exams for adolescent and adult women to post-menopausal care. Carilion’s CNMs also offer hospital-based births, providing expert care and medication options during labor and delivery.
“Midwife means ‘with woman.’ Our goal is to provide evidence-based, client-centered care throughout the lifespan, with a focus on wellness, shared decision-making, communication and counseling,” said Maria ‘Tina’ Johnson, director of Carilion Midwifery Services. “Whether you need an annual exam, contraception or care during the prenatal and childbirth experience, our team is with you every step of the way.”
May 5 is International Day of the Midwife, a day to recognize and raise awareness about the midwifery profession. While midwives primarily focus on pregnancy and delivering babies, they do much more, including routine preventative exams for teens and women and post-menopausal care.