Expert Midwifery Care in Walnut Creek, CA
At RSVP, we offer a team approach to obstetric care. Part of our team includes our four wonderful Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNM), Lauren Lockwood, Lauren Abrahamson, and Savannah King.
As CNMs, our midwives are able to provide care to women across their live span, including before, during, and after pregnancy. They have extensive education in all aspects in women's health care, including gynecology. They hold advanced degrees in nursing and midwifery, and have years of experience providing skilled and compassionate care to women of all ages. When being cared for by a midwife, you can rest assured that they have the skills and knowledge needed to provide the care you and your growing family deserve.
Our team approach means that for the majority of our pregnant patients, they will be cared for by both our OB/GYN physicians and our midwives. Our midwives provide prenatal and post-partum care and attend births at John Muir.
We believe that our team approach allows for our patients to receive the best of both kinds of care doctors and midwives provide.
A Team Approach to Your Birth Experience
At RSVP OB-GYN, we believe that the best care happens when doctors and midwives work together. Most of our patients benefit from this integrated model, receiving support from both our OB/GYN physicians and our Certified Nurse-Midwives throughout their pregnancy journey.
Our midwives offer prenatal visits, postpartum support, and attend births at John Muir Medical Center—providing continuity, comfort, and clinical excellence. This unique partnership ensures that every patient receives the perfect balance of medical expertise and holistic support, tailored to their needs and preferences.
Meet Our Midwives
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Midwifery—Frequently Asked Questions
Your peace of mind is our priority. We’ve got all your questions covered
Can the midwives deliver my baby?
Yes. Both midwives can independently care for you during your labor, delivery, and postpartum. While the majority of births we attend are vaginally, we also can assist our physicians with c-sections. We are able to manage many common complications in pregnancy and labor, and work with our physicians collaboratively if a woman's pregnancy or labor unexpectedly becomes more complex.
What's the difference between a midwife and doula?
We get asked this all the time. A doula provides education & labor support, but is not medically trained, and therefore, does not provide medical care or advice. Nurse-Midwives are highly educated, medically trained, licensed healthcare providers. In simplest terms, doulas provide labor support, and midwives catch the baby.
Do the midwives provide home births?
No. We are only able to provide care in our office and at John Muir. For those planning on a home birth, please note we are unable to provide "congruent care" or be your home birth midwives' backup during a transfer.
Can I see a midwife if I am not pregnant?
Yes. Nurse-Midwives are able to provide a wide range of care, including preventative Pap Smears, contraception, gynecologic problem visits, lactation and breast concerns, ultrasounds, and menopause care.
If a midwife cares for me during labor, can I get an epidural?
Of course. Whether you are planning an epidural or not, we will support your decision. As midwives, we strongly believe that women have the right to choose how they labor. We understand that there is no one way to labor and deliver a baby, and our role is to provide physical & emotional support while providing medical care.
What is the difference between the care an OBGYN doctor and a midwife give?
This is hard to answer simply. As physicians, OBGYNs have extensive education and experience with a wide range of medical conditions, beyond women's health. This allows them to care for more complex medical diseases, including providing surgical intervention if necessary. Midwives, however, have a more focused knowledge and skill set in women's health.
When caring for pregnant people, this allows midwives to focus their knowledge and skills on keeping pregnancy and labor as normal as possible, with as little intervention as possible. This is why midwives are considered the experts in normal, low risk pregnancies and deliveries.
At RSVP, both our physicians and midwives share a physiologic philosophy of care-that is, care in accord with the normal functioning of a woman’s body versus an interventionist model. To learn more about the philosophies of care midwives and physicians may have, click here.
Support for Every Step of the Journey
We specialize in providing care across a lifetime
