mom says MIDWIFE has BECOME PART of the FAMILY

Sarah Moline says Jen Janke has become part of her family because she helped create it.

Sarah and her husband, Steve, have four children: Stella, 7; Jude, 5; Aksel, 3; and Liv, who was born last December. Janke, a certified nurse midwife at Essentia Health - Fargo, has cared for Sarah during all four pregnancies and delivered her two oldest children.

“There is a unique relationship between a woman and midwife,” says Sarah, who lives in Fergus Falls, Minnesota. “I have a special place for Jen in my heart. She’s experienced what no one else has – my child coming into the world. There’s an intimacy you experience with a midwife.”

Sarah says Janke has become part of her family because she understands how important it is to involve the whole family in a pregnancy and birth. Janke makes sure Steve feels part of the pregnancy and a partner in the birth. The midwife also involves their children when they come along for an appointment. “Jen puts the ultrasound on my tummy and lets the kids find the baby’s heartbeat,” Sarah says. “One of Steve’s roles at the birth is to announce if the baby is a boy or a girl.”

Sarah started seeing Janke in 2005 on the recommendation of her own mother, Liz Strom. Mother and daughter scheduled their well-woman visits with the nurse practitioner who was working at a clinic in Alexandria.

“I immediately fell in love with Jen,” Sarah recalls. “She saw me as a person and wanted to get to know me. She answered my medical questions but she also asked about my life. It was not just a doctor/patient relationship. It was a personal relationship.”

By the time Sarah and Steve decided to start their family, Janke had completed her training as a certified nurse midwife. They never considered seeing anyone but Janke.

“I live in Fergus Falls and I chose to drive one hour to Alexandria for every appointment,” says Sarah, who was working full-time as a teacher. “I wanted my birth experience to be as natural as possible and I wanted to have a relationship with a midwife.”

Janke asked what kind of birth experience Sarah wanted. “She realizes that it’s my experience,” Sarah says. “It’s not just a delivery for Jen, it’s that baby and that special delivery. She wants you to have a safe experience and what’s best for you and the baby. She really takes what you say, and she respects and values that.”

Sarah had the most thought-out birth plan for her first child, Stella. She says Janke did her best to accommodate her wishes during labor, offering encouragement and alternatives when something didn’t work. “Jen was my rock,” Sarah recalls. “She was steady and calm, encouraging. I counted on her.”

Janke delivered Sarah’s two older children while the two younger ones were delivered by a midwife on duty in the Birthplace at Essentia Health - Fargo. When Jen moved from Alexandria to Essentia Health’s 32nd Avenue Clinic in Fargo, Sarah says she didn’t hesitate to follow her due to the personal care she has received and the relationship they have developed.

“Jen’s love and passion for her job radiates out of her,” Sarah says. “I get to experience that not only during my appointments, but during the birth of our children.”

Sarah says friends and family who have chosen a midwife share her own passion for the practice. “There’s something special about a midwife and their heart for a woman and a baby,” she says.

Find A Midwife

Essentia Health has 10 nurse midwives who serve women in Fargo, West Fargo, Detroit Lakes and Park Rapids. To see their profiles and short videos, go to essentiahealth.org and click on “Find a Medical Professional.” Then choose “Obstetrics” and “Midwifery.” You can also call 701-364-8900.