Getting to Know Jennifer Nash, CNM

When did you know you wanted to be a midwife/physician? 

I received the call to be a midwife as a teenager. My best friend of 21 years was born at home with a midwife and introduced me to the idea and it is the perfect fit for me.  

What’s your favorite part of your job?

There are so many parts that are my favorite! But I think overall, the best part is building relationships with women and their families. I love watching families grow and empowering them in their transitions.

How do you see the birth community changing in the years to come?

I am hoping we will see a greater desire and support for physiologic birth.  I believe that will mean more midwives, birth centers, and family centered care. 

What are your favorite resources for women in Austin?

I think there is a fantastic childbirth education and doula community in Austin, better than anywhere else I’ve lived. 

What’s your favorite way to exercise or where do you spend time outdoors in Austin?

I walk my dog, Quinn, and her puppy cousins, Roslin and Seamus, almost every day on the trails by our house. I also enjoy yoga, dancing, riding my bike, running, and canoeing, but don’t make enough time for them. 

How would you encourage women or what would you say to them about the process of pregnancy and delivery? 

The biggest encouragement I have for pregnancy and birth is to trust to process and yourself. It is easy to get focused on change and be afraid of it, but if you trust the process and your own strength, you can enjoy it more.  

How many babies have you delivered? 

As a midwife, 95 (I am probably the only provider in our practice who is keeping track, but I can’t wait to reach 100). 

What was one of your favorite moments in a birth?

There are little things that make every birth a little special and different.  Some of the most special are when I’m wrong. It keeps me on my toes. 

How long have you been in practice?

I have been a midwife for almost a year now. I have worked with childbearing families for 6 years prior to that. Mostly as a labor and delivery nurse, but also as a childbirth educator, doula, and postpartum/newborn nurse. 

What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned lately?

I recently discovered that I love chai tea and drink it every day. 

How is your view on birth different now that you’ve experienced it so many times?

The longer I work in the birth world, the more I trust the process.  It is easy to over-medicalize birth in this technological world, but it is pretty amazing how well things turn out when we just keep our hands off. 

What is something that surprises you about deliveries?

Even though I’ve been at thousands of births, it is surprising that I still learn something every time.