Collaboration

My word of the day.

I had the awesome privilege today of meeting with two incredible women/professionals.
Now, I have always said that I have been gifted with an innate compass in regards to choosing/pursuing/attracting/recognizing/welcoming/maintaining relationships with the most incredible women.  This morning was a perfect example.

Belly Blossom Doula, Melissa Tuton is a very dear friend of mine who has a beautiful nurturing spirit, and following the birth of her beautiful daughter, has fallen in love with the birth process and serving women and families as a doula.  She is my first "attuned" childbirth educator that has prepared to teach classes using the curriculum that I wrote and got published this summer.  Melissa will be teaching in Issaquah, at Gilman Village at Village Pediatrics come fall.  I am thrilled she is joining me on this path.  Her enthusiasm and her warm, intelligent, nature will be a gift to all who have the privilege to sit in her classroom.

and speaking of classroom...

Staci Scott, NP at Village Pediatrics has arranged with her partner to have Melissa teach classes in their darling space at Gilman Village in the heart of Issaquah.  A small class of 3-4 couples, ideal for birth education, will be a perfect fit in this sweet location.  Staci is as passionate as we are about the idea of having a birth with as little intervention as possible and is quite clear about the long term medical benefits it can have for children.
In addition to what Staci has made available to us, I am equally ecstatic about the service that she provides in the Issaquah community and plan to shout about Village Pediatrics from the rooftops.  I am always learning, and largely because I am willing to ask what might be considered a stupid question.  Here is what I learned today after I asked, "Why would someone choose to go to a nurse practitioner if they have a pediatrician?"
Nurse Practitioners can provide ALL the services, ALL the diagnostics, ALL the prescriptions, ALL the examinations, ALL the tests, ALL the well child and sick child visits, as a Pediatrician...the difference is in the amount of time spent (45 minute visits compared to the industry standard pediatric visit being 15 minutes) and philosophy, a nurse practitioner isn't going to jump straight to the antibiotics, they will discuss diet, emotional well being, physical symptoms and work together with the parents (who know their children and what is normal/not normal) to diagnose any problems and their solutions on a much more holistic level, because they have the time to do so.
I left the meeting wondering, why would anyone choose to go to a pediatrician if they had a nurse practioner?
Curious?  Check out her website here:
http://www.villagepediatrics.biz