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Home > Patient Information > Service Listing > Buffalo > Nurse-Midwifery

Nurse-Midwifery

Quality, family-centered maternity care

Certified Nurse-Midwives: Quality Health Care Providers

Lifetime Health Medical Group nurse-midwives are professionals who have received training in both nursing and midwifery. They work closely with our obstetricians, specializing in the care of healthy pregnant women and providing care to women of all ages. All Lifetime Health nurse-midwives are certified and licensed in New York State.

Professionals on Staff

Sheila Pace, CNM
Wendy Zitzka, CNM

The Philosophy of Nurse-Midwifery

Nurse-midwives believe that pregnancy, labor and birth are natural processes. They work with each woman and her partner to develop an individualized plan of care. They recognize that pain medications, fetal monitoring and other technologies are sometimes needed to provide a safe and satisfying birth experience for you and your baby.

Lifetime Health Medical Group nurse-midwives are highly trained and skilled individuals, constantly on the alert for any problems or complications that may arise during pregnancy and delivery. Lifetime Health's obstetricians are also readily available to you and our nurse-midwives for consultation or referral if necessary.

Our Nurse-Midwives Provide a Wide Range of Care Including:

  • Quality prenatal care for women who anticipate a normal, healthy pregnancy and delivery.
  • Education, counseling and support throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery.
  • Family-centered maternity care guiding women, their spouses and other involved family members to a safe and satisfying birth experience.
  • Early recognition of complications in pregnancy and prompt access to an obstetrician when a consultation or referral is needed.
  • Routine gynecological care for healthy women to include birth control, menstrual problems and screening for sexually transmitted diseases.

What to Expect

During Pregnancy the Nurse-Midwife will:

  • See you for your prenatal visits and encourage you and your family to bring in any questions you may have regarding your pregnancy.
  • Discuss feelings and discomforts sometimes associated with pregnancy and help you find ways to address any special concerns.
  • Help prepare you for labor and birth and inform you of childbirth and breast-feeding classes and other resources to assist you with the first months of parenting.
  • Consult with our Ob-Gyn specialists and communicate with your personal physician as needed.


During Labor the Nurse-Midwife will:

  • Be available to answer your questions and help you decide when to go to the hospital.
  • Join you at the hospital and be available to you for the remainder of your labor.
  • Assist you with your delivery and provide ready access to a Lifetime Health Medical Group obstetrician should complications arise that cannot be handled by the Certified Nurse-Midwife.

After the Birth of Your Child ...
One of our nurse-midwives will see you each day while you are in the hospital. If you prefer, your final follow-up visit after the birth will be with the nurse-midwife who delivered your baby.

Is a nurse-midwife right for you?

  • Nurse-midwives provide emotional support and share their care and expertise during and after your pregnancy.
  • With a nurse-midwife, the patient is involved in decision-making towards giving her the kind of birthing experience she desires.
  • Individualized labor and delivery techniques as well as prenatal care with a nurse-midwife lowers the odds of a Cesarean section.

Although we encourage you to establish a relationship with one nurse-midwife, you may take the opportunity to meet both of our nurse-midwives. That way, you will be certain to know the nurse-midwife who will be with you at birth.

Nurse-Midwifery is offered to all Lifetime Health Medical Group patients anticipating a low-risk pregnancy who would like to be cared for by a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM). Nurse-Midwifery care complements our Ob-Gyn Services, continuing Lifetime Health Medical Group's commitment to providing quality, family-centered maternity care as an integral part of a total health care program.  

Convenient Locations:

Amherst Health Center
Empire Drive Health Center
Mosher Health Center