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Midwifery programs emphasize relationship-building by listening to, educating and empowering women to care for themselves and their babies. Working in collaboration with a maternal fetal medicine team, they can minimize unnecessary interventions for low-risk pregnancies — which comprise over 90% of all pregnancies — with a holistic, nurturing and personalized approach. 

They are also trained to identify at-risk pregnancies and refer, consult and collaborate with specialized physicians, including maternal-fetal medicine experts and obstetricians.

“I didn’t choose a midwife over a physician,” Dr. Sochol said. “In some ways, I chose both."

Midwives offer patients the full scope of comprehensive well-woman care throughout their life. Services include pre-conception counseling, well-woman visits, pap smears, IUD, guidance throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery and post-partum care.

“I was so impressed by Vandy’s bedside manner and her capabilities that I didn’t have any doubts about choosing her to deliver my child,” recalled Dr. Sochol. “To me, it wasn’t so much about ‘midwife versus physician,’ it was about my feeling of trust in Vandy. That’s so important through a pregnancy and delivery.”

In addition to PBMC, several Northwell Health hospitals offer expecting mothers midwife services. These include: 

• Huntington Hospital 
• Long Island Jewish Forest Hills
• Long Island Jewish Medical Center
• North Shore University Hospital
• Staten Island University Hospital
• South Shore University Hospital
• Phelps Memorial Hospital Center

Midwifery services also extend to many of Northwell's physician practices throughout the tri-state area.

Dr. Sochol’s son, Bodhi, was born on April 8, after a natural delivery. Everything went smoothly until Bodhi arrived in the world — when Ferrer realized the umbilical cord was wrapped twice around his neck. Fortunately, Ferrer was able to quickly and gently remove it, but help was only steps away if needed. “That support is one of the advantages of delivery at PBMC, whether by a midwife or a doctor,” Ferrer said. 

“As midwives, we work side by side with our doctors throughout the pregnancy and during delivery, if necessary,” Ferrer said. “It’s easy to coordinate things because we’re all right here.” Indeed, PBMC has 24/7 coverage by eastern Suffolk’s largest team of board-certified neonatal nurse practitioners, newborn intensive care specialists, anesthesiologists and obstetricians. 

Dr. Sochol felt secure in PBMC’s web of care — doubly so, because she’d arranged to have PBMC physician Kamal Singh, MD, be her son’s pediatrician. 

It’s a key decision for every person during pregnancy: Who will lead their care and help them during labor and delivery? Both midwives and OB/GYN doctors are highly trained and certified, so what goes into the choice? 

As Dr. Sochol noted, sometimes it’s a matter of comfort. You want to feel safe, supported and at ease throughout the process, and a multitude of factors can combine to produce that feeling.

Benefits of midwifery programs

Many women say they feel heard when they come to
a midwife, Ferrer said. In fact, the mantra for the American College of Nurse-Midwives is: Listen to women. “We spend a lot of time listening to what women want during pregnancy, delivery and the postpartum period. We work very hard to support a patient’s birth plan, whatever it is,” she said. 

Every plan is individualized, Ferrer added: Some lay out a non-medicated approach and others include interventions, such as receiving an epidural to control pain. Importantly, plans are flexible and can be adjusted as needed. If a pregnancy is considered high risk, for instance, Ferrer might recommend an OB/GYN who can help coordinate a medical team to manage preexisting or new conditions. If a patient requires a C-section, a doctor would perform it. 

In every case, Ferrer said, the key at PBMC is coordination and collaboration, not competition. 

“The team approach at PBMC means that as a patient, you’re supported every step of the way,” Dr. Sochol said. “I loved working with Vandy, but I also appreciated that she had so many resources at her fingertips. I knew she wouldn’t hesitate to tap into them if necessary for my care.”

This article was updated October 7, 2024.