If you are visiting here because you are newly pregnant, Congratulations!
My name is Alexandra Wagner. I am a South Carolina Licensed Midwife (LM) and Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) serving the Midlands of South Carolina since 2004. In my work I aim to uphold the Midwifery Model of care, which means that pregnancy and childbirth are viewed as family-centered, normal life processes. We take the time to provide individualized care, as each woman and her family is regarded as unique.
I firmly believe that women are inherently strong. I believe that we are gifted with numerous abilities, some of which we might only first discover through our journey into motherhood. I am thankful to have personally traveled this path four times in my life, and to have rejoiced in the glow on the faces of hundreds of new mothers who continue to inspire me.
Pregnancy will ask of you to be flexible and patient. To take excellent care of yourself express yourself, and give of yourself. To be resourceful, creative, and to assimilate lots of new information. For some this may mean willingness to make a few lifestyle changes to benefit their growing baby, such as smoking cessation, or incorporating new eating habits. Treating your body well during pregnancy will set the stage for a strong birth and a healthy outcome. Since your discovery of this pregnancy, you may find that you have a sudden need to know about all sorts of new things; I strongly encourage you to explore!
The natural labor process will have you endure discomfort unlike anything you have ever felt before. It will try your patience and is a very challenging place to be, but you won't have to go it alone. Your birth team will come alongside you with encouragement, to massage your hips, to wipe your sweat and tears, to remind you to eat and drink, walk with you, and so help you navigate this thing called BIRTH. We welcome family and partner participation and give you all the space you need as long as we can safely carry out our duties.
As a SC licensed midwife I may only provide care for healthy, low risk mothers and their babies. Therefore, an important part of my care centers around careful monitoring of you and your baby to identify any deviations from normal if they were to occur, and informing you of all findings at all times so that we can make any changes or decisions together as needed. That said, our primary focus is not on trouble, but on supporting your good health. I also support the notion that parents' informed choice, requests, and traditions should be respected. In return, I expect parents to take responsibility for their everyday health and to communicate any concerns immediately to me. Thus, in what I like to call partnership of care, we set out to achieve the birth you desire.
I hope you will peruse these web pages and feel free to ask questions about our services and midwifery in South Carolina. Please use the contact form provided.
Be well, and let me know if I can assist you with your plans for your childbearing year.