I’m Kari Michalski APRN CNM, the owner and midwife at Thrive Midwives. I divide my time between Minneapolis and Minnetrista, soaking up the best of those worlds and putting serious mileage on my Subaru. My loved ones would describe me as a kitchen creative, amateur cyclist, and science junkie.  When I travel, Lake Superior is often a grounding space, for kayaking, night fires, and a chilly swim. More recently, national parks have satiated my lust for travel, Big Bend being a favorite.

I have 23 years of experience in health care, first as a labor and delivery nurse at a busy metro hospital, then as a nurse-midwife. After 10 years as a hospital and then birth center midwife, I started my home birth practice in 2016. Attending home births safely and independently requires years of experience, a firm grasp on evidence-based practice and evolving scientific research, choosing highly qualified support staff, and a commitment to family-centered care. Focusing on home birth gives me the ability to innovate clinically and intimately connect with families that desire low tech, high touch care.

The name of my practice “thrive” emerged out of the desire that everyone in the birth environment (birthing person, partner, loved ones, doula, and midwife) be enriched by this journey, strengthened, respected, and honored. Birth is not about surviving a medical experience, it is about stepping into parenthood from a place of wholeness.

At Thrive Midwives, you will work with someone who knows you, your values, your story. Visits are longer and more comprehensive than conventional clinics, so that nothing is missed, and your health priorities are fully addressed. Other advantages to choosing care with me include receiving unbiased information, truly informed consent, and integrative care (nutrition, supplements, essential oils, bodywork, medical referrals, prescription medications, and herbal therapies) to address your health needs.

You will benefit from a master’s trained (ski-u-mah!), board certified nurse-midwife. Because of my extensive and varied professional experience, I also have a list of wonderful care providers in various specialties (family medicine, perinatology, lactation, physical therapy, chiropractic, obstetrics) to refer you to should you need a broader care team.

About Nurse-Midwives or CNM’s

Certified nurse-midwives (CNM) are licensed by the state of Minnesota, and board certified nationally to provide health care from adolescence through menopause. Minnesota law supports the autonomy of CNMs as independent care providers, with the ability to prescribe medications if needed. At Thrive Midwives, I assess, diagnose, and treat a variety of health concerns. I can refer clients to necessary specialists, have comprehensive lab services, and collaborate readily with other skilled folks so that you receive thoughtful, seamless care.

Types of Midwives Practicing in Minnesota

Sometimes it is confusing for consumers to understand the differences between the types of midwives practicing in the home setting. Here is a link to a publication by the American College of Nurse-Midwives exploring the different credentials. Midwife comparison chart-ilovepdf-compressed (1) There are CNM’s or certified nurse-midwives, CPM’s or certified professional-midwives, LM’s or licensed midwives, and TM’s or traditional midwives. In terms of academic training and scope of practice, certified-nurse midwives are the most highly trained to provide comprehensive care. In order to become a CNM, one must have a university level master’s or doctoral education in the discipline of nursing and/or midwifery. We are the only type of midwife who can practice in hospital, birth center, and home.