What is a Midwife, Anyway? Understanding Modern Midwifery
Note: this article has been updated by Reb Huggins, CNM since originally…
Reb Huggins, CNM, is a certified nurse-midwife at Women's Healthcare Associates in Newberg, Oregon.
“Newberg is such a lovely setting: usually easy paced, but with the skillset to rapidly and expertly recognize and handle changes. We are small enough to really get to know our patients, but with all the resources of WHA behind us. This allows us to offer each woman what she needs—both emotionally and physically—within a proven system. We are able to provide care for high risk pregnancies at our Northwest Perinatal Centers, and for normal birth at our out-of-hospital Midwifery Birth Center—and the whole gamut in between. Being able to help women along that pathway with the resources we have within WHA is so important to providing continuity and quality care. I’m proud to be part of a team that recognizes each woman comes from a unique situation and has unique needs.”
Reb was born in California and moved to The Ozarks for middle and high school. She accepted a scholarship to attend the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, where she received her bachelor’s degree in nursing. Then, with four children at home ranging from age two to nine, she worked as a labor and delivery nurse and newborn intensive care nurse for more than 10 years before returning to the University of Utah for her master’s degree in nurse-midwifery and women’s health. Upon finishing graduate school, she and her family moved to Portland for its relaxed pace, bike friendliness and commitment to the environment.
Reb seeks to make a difference in the lives of women by making sure their experience with the healthcare system on their wellness journey is empowered through access to information and education about options—regardless of where they are coming from in their lives in terms of age, experience, education or spiritual background. She believes that all aspects of a woman’s life influence the choices she makes for her wellness and the care plan should be as unique as she is. Her clinical interests include lactation support, STD prevention and screening, and improving access to care for the LGBTQ community.
When she’s not working, Reb appreciates art and enjoys travel and music. She claims that some would find her taste in music surprising, as she enjoys dub step, techno swing, deep house, and indie rock—the louder, the better! She also enjoys horseback riding and was adopted by a feral cat, Shiro, that has become an important member of the family.
Graduate Degree:
Master of Science, Nurse-Midwifery / Women's Health Nursing Practice, University of Utah School of Nursing, 2010
Undergraduate Degree:
Bachelor of Science, Nursing, University of Utah School of Nursing, 1997
American College of Nurse-Midwives