EDITORIAL: Mat-Su Midwifery really delivers

Sept. 2, 2007

Frontiersman Editorial

This was the message gleaned Saturday at the organization's Wasilla-based birthing center. While the healthy birth of a new addition to the family is cause enough to celebrate, Mat-Su Midwifery held its first salmon bake blowout to mark more than two decades of service.

For 23 years, Mat-Su Midwifery has been helping Mat-Su Valley mothers and families with natural childbirth, and Saturday's celebration was an eye-opener on how the good work of one organization can affect a community.

Since its beginning, Mat-Su Midwifery has helped deliver some 2,000 babies and now average about 120 to 130 births a year, said Judi Davidson, who runs the center. Sharon Evans started the operation and was enamored of the families and their new arrivals - and some not so new - at Saturday's salmon bake.

So were we.

Happy families, giggling children of various ages, all brought into the world helped by the midwives at Mat-Su Midwifery. Midwives are highly trained and skilled, and must be certified by the state to practice. Judging by the smiles, laughs and hugs Saturday, our local practitioners are also downright good people as well.

Evans, who was grinning from ear to ear Saturday, said she runs into people around town she helped deliver. Now 23 years after beginning, she's delivering the children of some of her first patients.

Although Mother Natured tried to rain on Mat-Su Midwifery's parade Saturday, her gloom couldn't quite cut through the sunshine of dozens of children laughing, playing and meeting new friends.

Like most newspapers, we feel an obligation to bring readers the &#8220breaking” or &#8220hard” news about crime, intergovernmental disputes, economy or another number of important community issues. It's also gratifying to tell stories like that of Mat-Su Midwifery and the local babies being born there, growing up and returning.

Look for Tuesday's Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman for an expanded feature on Saturday's event.

Sneak a peek

You can still get a sneak peek at the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman's new Web site, which goes live on Tuesday. Visit www.frontiersman.com and click on &#8220HERE” under the top headline.