Kristi Rhodes, CNM

Originally from the pacific northwest, Kristi is a Certified Nurse Midwife with over 25 years of maternal child nursing experience in the Treasure Valley area, including the attendance of thousands of births. After her own first child was born in 1994, she was transformed and inspired by the experience. Kristi graduated with her RN in 2001 and went back to graduate school in 2010 to pursue her Master’s in Midwifery from Frontier Nursing University. She has been working as a full scope nurse midwife since 2013, attending births at the Boise campus St. Luke’s. Kristi places emphasis on the importance of health promotion, information sharing and support with the goal to facilitate every family to have a safe and positive birth. Kristi recognizes that many factors influence each women’s unique childbirth experience. She is an advocate for shared decision making and informed choices, appreciating the vulnerability in birth. She encourages you to move freely, to follow your body, and to labor and push in positions that feel right to you. Kristi has a deep love and respect for birth and she believes birth leaves a deep imprint that we carry the rest of our lives.

As a midwife, Kristi works in collaboration with OB/GYN physicians should the need arise when care may need to overlap with a physician. Nurse midwives can prescribe pain medications such as nitrous oxide, IV pain medication or an epidural for pain relief if that is desired. However, there are many non-pharmacologic labor options at St. Luke’s, such as acupuncture, Jacuzzi tubs in every labor room, showers, yoga balls, massage etc. Whatever your birth preferences might be, the Idaho Stork Midwives of Women’s Health Associates offer care the midwifery model is known for with the safety net and medical options offered in a hospital setting.

Kristi has three grown children and has three granddaughters. She loves spending time outdoors, especially camping, cooking, live music and spending time with her family.