You Are Complex: Meet Certified Nurse Midwife Arielle Herron
Health

You Are Complex: Meet Certified Nurse Midwife Arielle Herron

Here at Vibrant Health, we believe health is an inside job, unique to you.After all, you‚re one-of-a-kind and your needs are complex ‚ that‚s whyyour supplements should be too. To celebrate all of the beautiful complexities of our lives, each month we‚vebeen highlighting individuals in our community ‚ taking a peek into thebehind-the-scenes of their work life, wellness rituals and all the wonderfulthings that make them who they are. And with World Health Day coming up April 7th, we thought it would be beneficial to hear from someone who works in healthcare day in and day out. That‚s why for this month‚s Vibrant Health series, we decided to catch up with Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) and Advanced Nurse Practitioner (APRN) Arielle Herron, who works for a private practice right here in Connecticut. In this inspiring interview, we got to chat with Arielle about demystifying midwifery care, the importance of self-care, and her go-to healthcare mantra: ‚calm is a superpower.‚ We hope you enjoy our series‚and remember, keep being you! How would you describe yourself in three words? Passionate, grounded, dedicated What‚s a day in the life as a Certified Nurse-Midwife look like for you? I work full time for a private practice in Manchester CT. This means I care for women both in the office setting and at the hospital. Certified Nurse-Midwives care for women throughout the lifespan. I see a wide range of patients at varying stages of life, from young teens to post-menopausal women. A typical day in the office would include prescribing birth control and placing IUDs, performing annual exams and pap smears, seeing pregnant patients and ordering appropriate tests, answering questions from the triage nurses, and addressing problems such as diagnosing and treating urinary tract or vaginal infections. In the hospital, my role is to care for women in labor and attend their births, as well as triage patients who need evaluation for various concerns. I also check in on women post-partum and assist with breastfeeding. What led you to this career path? Prior to graduate school to attain my CNM degree, I was a labor and delivery nurse for many years. I have actually been caring for laboring women since I was 21 years old! A decade later after invaluable experiences as an RN I found myself back in school after working with a nurse-midwife who inspired me to follow this path. It has been a journey that I am so thankful for. What do you love most about the work you do as a CNM? Definitely attending births! Helping women to have the best possible experience no matter what the circumstances is my goal every time. I love the moment the baby is making their way earth side, those first breaths, the excitement from the parents, the skin to skin and delayed cord clamping. That is a gift I can give to families, to make their experience as positive as possible. When things are not going as well, I can manage whatever problems arise and keep things calm, while intervening and calling for physician backup whenever needed. In healthcare, "calm is a superpower.‚ I am grateful for all the years I had of watching and helping emergencies be handled when I worked as a nurse. I was able to glean bits of wisdom from other providers along the way. Every experience is another arrow in my quiver. 2021 has been designated as the "International Year of Health and Care Workers." How can the community step up to ensure health care workers, including nurses and midwives, feel supported throughout the pandemic and beyond? I would simply encourage people to be kind. Additionally, 2020 was the Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, but many people in America don‚t know who midwives are or what we do. I would encourage women to look into midwifery care. There have been barriers in place surrounding full scope midwifery practice in the U.S for many decades, but the evidence is undeniable: midwifery care results in excellent outcomes for women and their babies. The tide is changing, and more and more midwives will be working in America! World Health Day is celebrated on April 7th. What‚s something you wish people were more aware of when it comes to women‚s health? I wish that more people were aware that they have options. If the care you are getting doesn‚t feel right, check out the midwifery model. Favorite healthy on-the-go snack or work lunch? A fabulous salad with all the fixings and lots of delicious dressing! To keep hydrated, I add True Lemon raspberry lemonade (there are so many amazing flavors) to my water! It‚s a product that is chemical free, has only 10 calories, and is sweetened with just a touch of sugar and stevia! I recommend it to all my patients. When you‚re not working, what do you enjoy doing in your spare time for self-care? Self-care is everything! I love listening to self-help books and music that mellows me out. I spend as much time outside as I can, and I don‚t overwork myself...laundry piles will forever exist. What does wellness look like for you? Wellness looks like balance! Balance in my work/home life is most important. I have three children at home who need me. I know that in medicine it‚s really easy to get burned out. The practice I work for is especially special in this arena, and there is an excellent amount of balance in my schedule. Thank you for being a part of our community! Want to be featured on our Vibrant Health blog? Send an email to Ashley at aaudet@vibranthealth.com