Jordyn Giorgi was nervous about her second birth. Three years ago, when the 32-year-old Jefferson County mom delivered her daughter Anistyn, she labored for 30 hours. “It was a pretty grueling labor,” Jordyn says, and in the end, she needed a C-section because her labor failed to progress.
When she found out she was pregnant with her second baby, Jordyn wanted to deliver vaginally, also known as vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). While VBAC deliveries can pose potential complications, including uterine rupture, research is clear that a successful VBAC is lower risk than a planned repeat cesarean for both moms and babies. National data shows that approximately 78% of women who try for a VBAC succeed. Jordyn wanted the best support she could find, given her desire for a VBAC. And she felt like she needed a different provider.
“I didn’t feel like I had the support I needed with my first birth, so I wanted to go the midwife route the second time around,” Jordyn says.
Certified Nurse Midwives (CNM) are advanced practice nurses who specialize in pregnancy and women’s health, offering a model of care that emphasizes personalized support, holistic treatment, and informed decision-making. Midwifery patients often experience a strong sense of empowerment, greater emotional support, and lower rates of interventions like C-sections –all while, at BJC, still benefiting from the safety and resources of a hospital setting.
Finding a great midwife
A simple online search led Jordyn to BJC Medical Group certified nurse midwife Kari Reimann. From the first appointment, Kari made Jordyn feel calm and at ease, was responsive, and never made her feel rushed.
“Every experience I had with Kari and her team was so comforting,” Jordyn says. “She always made me feel valued and like I was never wasting her time—I really appreciated that.”
With Kari in her corner, Jordyn immediately felt the support she’d been searching for to help with her second pregnancy.
Kari also believed Jordyn could have her desired birth experience, an unmedicated VBAC. “I was OK with accepting whatever was to come, but I wanted to try for a VBAC,” Jordyn says. “I didn’t feel judged for wanting it or for wanting to try for an unmedicated birth. Kari was very reassuring. She’d say, ‘Jordyn, you can do this.’”
Kari is particularly passionate about informed consent and shared decision-making. She says, “Having open and thorough discussions about both risks and benefits about multiple aspects of prenatal care, including lab work, ultrasounds, medications, etc., is essential to keep the patient at the center of care and to ensure best outcomes for moms and babies. This time-intensive approach to care helps build a trusting relationship with each family, which translates to a cohesive team between provider and patient in the birth process.
Achieving her birthing goals with a midwife by her side
As Jordyn neared the end of her pregnancy, Kari booked her for an induction at 42 weeks to jump-start labor if Jordyn hadn’t already started experiencing contractions. However, Kari assured Jordyn that she believed the baby would be there by then—the induction booking was a precautionary measure.
Kari was right. Jordyn went into labor at 40 weeks and five days.
Jordyn called Kari before she left for Missouri Baptist Medical Center, and when she arrived at the hospital, nurses checked her in and showed her to her room.
According to Kari, “Choosing a BJC midwife is the best of both worlds: true midwifery care with a low intervention approach that trusts in a mother’s innate ability to birth – in a hospital setting with an exceptional team available if risks arise. This makes it a wonderful option for all moms, and specifically moms undergoing VBACs, with an OR and 24/7 in-house OBGYN, anesthesia, and NICU team available, in the rare case of a true emergency.”
For Jordyn, thankfully there was no emergencies, her labor progressed without complication.
“Kari came into the room and told me, ‘Just listen to your body,’” Jordyn says. With Kari there, she felt motivated and empowered. Kari asked if Jordyn wanted a mirror so she could watch her baby emerge as she pushed, noting how that can help keep moms focused.
“Seeing the baby there in the mirror, it motivated me,” Jordyn says. “I pushed her out in seven minutes.” Jordyn welcomed another daughter, Gracie Kate, who is now 10 months old and thriving.
Jordyn remembers the thrill of being able to deliver as she intended, vaginally and unmedicated, with a caring and expert midwife at her side.
“Honestly, it was amazing,” she says. “I tell everybody about Kari—I have several friends who have given birth with her now.”
The mom of two likes how midwifery bridges the gap for people who don’t want an OB experience but also don’t want to give birth at home. “You have the support, but you’re still there in a hospital setting,” she says. “Kari was never in emergency mode. She was just so helpful and so kind.”