Midwifery Care, Now Close to Home

A woman embraces a person in medical scrubs, showing emotional support.

A more personal, supportive approach to pregnancy and birth, backed by the safety and experience of our OB/GYN team.

Led by Caitlyn Schollmeier, Certified Nurse Midwife, our program brings the midwifery model of care to women and families in Coffee County, Franklin County, and surrounding communities.

What is Midwifery Care?

Midwifery care is a model of women’s health care that focuses on listening, education, prevention, shared decision-making, and supporting normal physiologic birth when possible. Certified Nurse Midwives are advanced practice nurses with graduate-level training in pregnancy, birth, postpartum care, gynecology, contraception, and women’s health.

At our practice, midwifery care does not mean giving up medical options. It means having a provider who takes time to know you, explain your choices, and support your goals while working closely with our physician team if higher-level care is needed.

Studied benefits of midwifery care include:
• Higher rates of spontaneous vaginal birth in many studies
• Fewer unnecessary interventions in many low-risk pregnancies
• Lower cesarean birth rates in some studies
• More positive patient experiences during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum

What Makes Midwifery Care Different?

Midwifery care often includes:

More time for questions
Education about what is happening in your body
Discussion of birth preferences early and often
Support for movement, positioning, comfort measures, and physiologic labor
Attention to emotional health, family support, and postpartum recovery
Respect for your goals while staying honest about safety
Care that sees you as a whole person, not just a pregnancy

You can expect:

Shared decision-making
Support for low-intervention birth
Hospital-based safety
Collaborative physician backup

The First Midwifery Program in Our Area

For many families in our area, midwifery care has not been available close to home. Our practice is proud to introduce a midwifery program designed for patients who want a more personal, relationship-based approach to pregnancy and birth without having to leave the community they already trust.

This program gives patients access to the midwifery model of care within an established OB/GYN practice, combining the warmth and education of midwifery with the resources of a medical team experienced in both routine and higher-risk obstetric care.

Can I Still?

Can I still have an epidural?

Yes! Midwifery care supports your birth goals, including medicated or unmedicated birth. Choosing a midwife does not mean you have to give birth without pain medication.

Do midwives only do home births?

No. Certified Nurse Midwives often care for patients in hospitals, clinics, and birth centers. Our program operates as a part of an OB/GYN practice and we care for patients in labor and postpartum at Vanderbilt Tullahoma Harton Hospital (VTHH).

Can I still see the doctor if I need to?

Yes. Our midwifery program is collaborative. If your pregnancy becomes higher risk or you need physician-level care, our OB/GYN, Dr. Bryan Myers is available.

Meet Our Midwife

Caitlyn Schollmeier CNM, MSN

Caitlyn Schollmeier is an Advanced Practice Nurse and Certified Nurse Midwife with more than a decade of experience in maternal health. Her background includes work as a military medical technician, labor and delivery nurse, doula, and full-scope midwife. She earned her Master’s Degree in Midwifery from Vanderbilt University.

Caitlyn believes women deserve care that is personal, respectful, and grounded in both evidence and genuine support. Her approach honors birth as a normal physiologic process while also valuing modern medicine when it is needed. She does not believe in pushing one type of birth, but instead helps patients understand their options, feel confident in their decisions, and receive care that is safe, compassionate, and clinically sound.

As a mother of four, including twins and two VBAC births, Caitlyn brings both professional expertise and personal experience to her care. She is passionate about bringing the midwifery model to this community through education, shared decision-making, support for physiologic birth when appropriate, and close collaboration with the OB/GYN team when additional medical care is needed.

Whether you are hoping for an unmedicated birth, planning an epidural, preparing for an induction, or looking for women’s health care that feels more personal, Caitlyn’s goal is to help you feel heard, prepared, and supported.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please reach us at swest@obgyntn.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.

What is a Certified Nurse Midwife?

A Certified Nurse Midwife is an advanced practice nurse with graduate-level training in pregnancy, birth, postpartum care, gynecology, contraception, and women’s health. Midwives care for patients through normal pregnancy and birth, while also recognizing when additional medical support is needed.

What happens if my pregnancy becomes high-risk?

If your pregnancy needs a higher level of medical management, our midwife works closely with the OB/GYN team. Some patients may continue with shared care, while others may need to transition primarily to physician care depending on the situation.

Can I see the midwife and still deliver at the hospital?

Yes. Our midwifery program is designed for patients planning hospital-based care. You can receive the support and education of midwifery care while still having access to hospital resources.

Do midwives only support natural birth?

No. Midwives support informed birth. That may include movement, positioning, hydrotherapy, breathing techniques, and low-intervention labor when appropriate, but it can also include induction, epidural, medication, monitoring, and medical support when needed.

Is midwifery care safe?

For many low-risk pregnancies, midwifery care is associated with excellent outcomes, fewer unnecessary interventions, and high patient satisfaction. Safety is always the priority, and our collaborative OB/GYN model allows us to involve physician care when needed.

Can I transfer into midwifery care if I’m already pregnant?

Yes, in many cases. If you are already pregnant and interested in midwifery care, we can review your history and current pregnancy to see if the program is a good fit.

Can I see a midwife if I’m not pregnant?

Yes. Certified Nurse Midwives also provide women’s health care, including annual exams, contraception counseling, Pap smears, preconception counseling, postpartum care, and common gynecologic concerns.

Does insurance cover midwifery care?

Midwifery care is typically billed similarly to other prenatal, birth, postpartum, and women’s health visits. Coverage depends on your insurance plan, so our office can help you understand what may be covered.

How do I schedule with the midwife?

Call our office at (931) 962-0450 and let us know you are interested in midwifery care. We can help schedule your first visit and answer questions about whether the program is right for you.