Women’s health clinic in Palmer adds midwife to the team

PALMER — Tamara Little, MSN, CNM, APRN, has joined the medical practice of Mat-Su Women’s Health Specialists in Palmer. Little is a certified nurse midwife who will also be completing her certification as a family nurse practitioner in early 2021.

“We’re excited to have Tammie join our growing medical practice,” said Mark Palmer, who is the director of the clinic. “She has an outgoing, friendly, energetic personality. She gives us another great clinician to serve the healthcare needs of our community.”

Little joins the established team at Mat-Su Women’s Health Specialists that includes Dr. John Houghton and Dr. Christy South, both board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology.

Little earned a Master of Science in Nursing, Nurse-Midwifery degree at Frontier Nursing University in 2014, and began practicing as a nurse-midwife in 2015. Before that, she had an extensive and exciting 15-year-long career working as a registered nurse in various positions, including the emergency department, adult intensive care, pediatric intensive care, the children’s emergency department, and as a helicopter flight nurse.

She loves being with patients and has never lost her passion for the one-on-one contact that comes with nursing care.

“A lot of ICU nurses and ER nurses in particular – where you’re seeing a lot of death and a lot of horrific injuries and illnesses – get burned out, and I never did. I never got tired of taking care of people and I never wanted to not be right there holding a hand at the bedside,” she said.

What Little most wants for her patients is that they feel in charge of their birthing plan and are supported no matter which route they choose. What expecting mothers might not know, is that midwives can be available to provide care during any sort of birth experience.

“If they’re going to have a C-section, they can still be cared for by the midwife throughout the pregnancy and have the midwife there for the C-section, assisting; or they can have a very natural birth with no pain medication and no epidural and receive the same hands-on care from the midwife, throughout their pregnancy,” Little said.

Little started her career in the medical field as a unit clerk on a telemetry floor, and then moved to a telemetry technician position while attending nursing school at Aurora University. She now looks forward to moving into her future role as a family nurse practitioner, as it will expand the scope of care she can provide the community, however, she will continue to play her role as a nurse midwife.

Little’s skill set is an ideal match for Mat-Su Women’s Health Specialist, Palmer noted. The clinic is actively seeking new patients and even offers same-day appointments when patients call before noon. “Our goal is to accommodate our patients and make it as easy as possible to schedule an appointment that suits their schedule,” Palmer added.

Little has lived in the Mat-Su Valley for the past six years, but has worked in Anchorage for most of that time. She most looks forward to caring for women and families within her own community.

She has been married to her husband JJ for 24 years. They have eight children, two boys and six girls ranging from ages three to 23. Together, they enjoy camping, hiking, canoeing, and essentially anything together as a family outdoors.

Mat-Su Women’s Health Specialists in Palmer, Alaska provides healthcare for women at every age and stage of life. Their team of providers offers women’s wellness services including annual women’s health exams, prenatal care, menopause treatment, high-risk pregnancy care and delivery. Call 907-746-7747 to make an appointment. Mat-Su Women’s Health Specialists also has telehealth/virtual visits available. For more information, visit www.matsumedicalgroup.com/ob-gyn