Donna Rarey: Midwife
Posted on 03. Jul, 2009 by kratzerb in Lens Flare
Multimedia and story by Katie Tschopp
Being on call 24/7, making house visits at any hour of the day or night, and working with new moms are just parts of Donna Rarey’s life. A nurse since 1981, Rarey became a midwife in 1998 after seeing her first granddaughter born in the hospital.
“I realized nothing had changed since I had had a baby and I was really bummed out about it, and I just wanted to make a difference,” she said.
Within two weeks Rarey had all her transcripts and was on the way to earning her midwifery license.
In 2004, Rarey formed The Midwives Cooperative with Lynne Salzburg and Jessica Stevenson. Together, the trio meet soon-to-be moms who then pick one of the midwives as a primary. Two midwives go along to all the births because they feel there should be one for mom and one for baby.
Together the three women deliver about six to eight babies a month.
While she enjoyed nursing, Rarey feels that she has found her calling as a midwife.
“It’s just that every birth is a miracle,” she said. “It’s like, I get up and hope, today’s a baby. It’s fun. I never felt that way with nursing. It was a job. This is a calling.” She has delivered three of her grandchildren, something that she considers a very special experience. One of her best births was with a woman who was in the bathtub having a water birth, and her husband was leaning over, holding her, when he got so close that he accidentally pushed Rarey into the tub.
“I couldn’t see, and Lynne, the other midwife, was telling me what to do,” Rarey remembered. “So that was like, one of the coolest, delivering blind.” Rarey and the other midwives only accept low-risk moms and low-risk babies, but Rarey said statistics show that planned homebirths are just as safe as hospital births.
“I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t know it was safe,” she said. “I’m not that kind of a live on the edge person.” Rarey has not lost a mom or a baby, but she realizes it could potentially happen.
“I am the guardian of normal,” she said. “But that doesn’t always guarantee the outcome you want.” She’s had scary moments where she has had to resuscitate the baby, or deal with a mom who is bleeding excessively, and those are the times that Rarey rethinks her career choice.
“Those are the moments where you think, oh I want to be the Wal-Mart greeter, you want to give it up,” she said. “But you know you don’t.”
MIke W
25. Jul, 2009
Cool story. very motivational
Jessica Stevenson
26. Jul, 2009
Wow, Katie! I have worked with Donna for the last 8 years and could not have captured her as well as you did in this interview and photoblog. This is truly the essence of Donna. She is a great midwife with excellent boundaries and a hearty sense of fun and humor. I loved it. What a sweet piece.
Rebecca F
26. Jul, 2009
Great exposure and lovely coverage of a time honored valuable profession. Florida is fortunate to have the Gainesville midwives in practice. Keep up the good work ladies!
Sheri Frickey
26. Jul, 2009
Thank you for bringing attention to this amazing midwife and the art of midwifery. Donna and Jessica Stevenson were my midwives for the birth of my son in June. They were attentive, loving and caring through out my pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum care. They do care for the whole woman in a total holistic approach. There was a day I was feeling very sick and was still in bed when they arrived at my home for a prenatal check up. Donna took one look at me all cozy in bed and crawled right up so that I didn’t have to move. They are always concerned for the mothers comfort. I will miss them until the next baby decides to come along!
Becky R
07. Aug, 2009
Donna & Jessica delivered our 5th baby almost 6 years ago now. I’ve had 3 hospital births, a birthing center birth, and finally a home birth. The home birth, with Donna & Jessica attending, was the most peaceful, sweet experience of them all! They were warm, capable, and a joy to have around for such an amazing, special occasion. I encourage couples to consider home birth–it’s so beautiful and private!
Jane Houston
15. Aug, 2009
Beautiful profile, you are awesome!
Tara Ross
17. Aug, 2009
I’ve had 3 hospital births and chose to try water birth with my 4th and final baby. Speaking over the phone and then finally meeting Donna put all my fears to rest.
Mary Bennett
22. Aug, 2009
Beautiful story that captures the essence of midwifery. I had the pleasure of being at home with the care of Jessica and Lynne during my very first and very long labor at home. I ended up transferring for a c-section after being stalled at 8 cm for hours but wouldn’t have traded my home birth experience. It was amazing because I was totally supported and left to listen to what my body needed to do. Even with transferring to shands AGH I knew it was okay. My care with midwives during my first and second pregnancies was far superior to my care with my wonderful obstetrician. Midwives guide women through physical, emotional and spiritual transitions of pregnancy and parenting. Midwives and doulas should be the standard for pregnant, birthing and postpartum women. We are fortunate to be in a place where we have skilled OBs, perinatologists and neonatologists when needed but that reliance on medical technology has turned nearly every birth from a normal biological event to an emergency waiting to happen. God bless our midwives who are continual witnesses to the miracle and mystery of birth. What an amazing gift.
Bill Bartmann
02. Sep, 2009
Excellent site, keep up the good work
Heart
03. Sep, 2009
I am so inspired by this interview and video. Thank you Donna for sharing your passion, gift and soul, not only in this piece, but with women, babies and families in our community.