Today we’d like to introduce you to Krista Elyse Cho.
Krista, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
After having the opportunity to shadow a certified nurse midwife while attending a conference at Emory University during high school, I knew my calling. I was so enamored with the nurse midwife’s skills and the relationship she had with the laboring mother, I knew without a doubt the kind of care I wanted to be able to provide to women.
I attended Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing and received my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Immediately after graduation I started working at a large volume pubic hospital in Dallas as a Registered Nurse in Labor and Delivery.
While working as an RN, I was accepted full time into Texas’ only Doctor of Nursing Practice program in Nurse-Midwifery at Baylor University’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing. I immersed myself into the fast track BSN to DNP program, and graduated Cum Laude after creating and implementing a program to help increase breastfeeding continuation rates among teen mothers. I also have traveled internationally to help implement delayed cord clamping research in rural hospitals in India.
After graduation, I began working as a certified nurse midwife at University of Texas Medical Branch. I was then introduced to the deAyala OB/GYN practice by a midwife colleague at the Katy Birth Center. Dr. deAyala was looking to expand his practice and offer midwifery care, and we both knew this was going to be a good relationship. I began working at deAyala OB/GYN as the first certified nurse midwife in the Memorial Hermann system in January 2017. I am beyond thankful to be able to blaze the trail for other midwives, and to expand midwifery care into more hospitals in the Houston area.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One life lesson my mother has taught me is, nothing worthwhile is ever easy! I was one of the youngest graduates from the Doctor of Nursing Practice- Midwifery program at Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing. From a young age, I knew that I wanted to be in the medical field. I used to play “doctor” with my stuffed animals all the time!
School was always a breeze for me, but once I started college, I definitely had to learn how to study. During my freshman year at Baylor, I honed my desire for midwifery and started looking into schools that offered a graduate degree in nurse-midwifery. I knew I wanted to go as far as I could, educationally, so I was only looking into programs that resulted in a Doctor of Nursing Practice, DNP. There are only a few schools in the country that offer this specific program and I had plans to get into one of them. Many of the programs prefer 1-5 years of experience as a registered nurse in labor and delivery. I knew that I wanted to go straight through school. I wanted to get my bachelor of science in nursing, BSN, and continue onto getting my DNP in midwifery without stopping.
I worked while pursuing my bachelors degree as a birth doula to gain hands on experience with labor and birth. Doing so only solidified the career path that I had chosen, and I knew I’d stop at nothing until I was practicing midwifery. I was accepted full time into the DNP program at Baylor University and was scheduled to start immediately after I graduated with my BSN– no breaks! I was so excited, but knew there would be a long road ahead of me. I began school shortly after I started working as an RN, and it was definitely a challenge. I was in a fast track BSN to DNP program that moved at an accelerated speed. These types of programs leave minimal time for extracurricular activities, work, and family time. I encountered a life changing experience that should have been a setback during my last year of the program, but it only fueled me to continue and finish strong. I persevered, and I am so thankful that I did! After graduation, I took some time to travel and enjoyed a bit of a break. Once I had visited some of the places that were on the top of my bucket list, I began to look for work.
Finding a job in a field that is so specific is somewhat of a challenge. There is not an abundance of jobs as a certified nurse midwife. At several job interviews I was met with “Wow, you look quite young!” therefore, my age has certainly been a challenge for me.
A lot of people do not think I am as credible because I look young. I frequently am asked if I have children, as if that will provide some extra reassurance as a healthcare provider. Until a year ago when I had my daughter, my response had always been no. I knew that I wanted to experience everything birth had to offer and planned to have an unmediated birth at home with my family, my certified nurse midwife, and my doula as my team. Having my baby was an amazing experience but it was not easy.
My pregnancy was a normal, healthy pregnancy with the few normal discomforts that come along with being pregnant, but I embraced them. When my due date came and went, I was ok with that. When my midwife started talking about having to consider an induction because I was overdue, I had to come to grips with that as well. I went into labor naturally the day I was 42 weeks pregnant. My labor was long and hard, but it was prosperous. My baby emerged into my midwife’s hand at our home, in our bed, without any complications. I was able to embrace everything labor and birth had to offer.
Experiencing birth has made me a better midwife. I understand and can empathize with my patients even more than I did before.
Having a baby has also made it extremely difficult for me to be away. I am very torn between following my heart to work, and leaving my heart at home with my baby girl. I am beyond blessed to be able to be a part of a practice with Dr. deAyala where I can do both. I can work as a CNM, and still have time with my family!
deAyala OB/GYN and Associates of Houston – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
deAyala OB/GYN and Associates is a forward-thinking OB/GYN practice. I am so thankful to be able to have a healthy collaborative relationship with a “midwife champion” physician. Dr. deAyala is very caring and always takes the time to consider our patients. Our office provides state-of-the-art medicine in a pleasant and comfortable environment. Comprehensive well woman visits, family planning, prenatal care, management of gynecologic and menopausal conditions, hormonal evaluation, and weight/fitness assessments are all things that we address on a daily basis. It is so nice to be able to work alongside of a provider that respects natural family options regarding pregnancy, labor, and birth.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
My proudest moment/s as a certified nurse midwife is having the honor of being present at a delivery! It is so amazing to help guide life earth-side. Whether it is her first of fifth baby, every delivery is an amazing experience. It is such a blessing to be in the room when a woman becomes a mother. Being able to watch her lay eyes on her fresh new baby gives me goose bumps every time!
Contact Info:
- Address: 902 Frostwood Drive,
Suite 108,
Houston, Texas 77024 - Website: www.deayalaobgyn.com
- Phone: 713-827-4744
- Email: echo@deayalaobgyn.com; kgyer@deayalaobgyn.com
Image Credit:
Let it be Photography
Preslie Cox Photography
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