Certified Nurse-Midwife · Lakeland, Florida
Midwife in Lakeland, Florida
Ashley Payne is a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM, C-EFM) and the midwife behind Lakeland Birth & Gynecology. She cares for women through the whole lifespan, not only during pregnancy: annual exams, birth control, hormones, menopause, weight care, and yes, pregnancy and birth when that is where you are.
If you have been looking for a midwife in Lakeland who will actually sit down with you, this is what that looks like.
Ashley Payne, APRN, CNM, C-EFM · Serving Lakeland, Winter Haven, Bartow, Plant City and the surrounding Polk County area.
Scope of care
What a midwife here can care for
Everyday gynecology
Well-woman visits, Pap and cervical screening, STI testing, vaginitis, pelvic pain and period concerns.
Contraception
Counseling across every method, including IUD placement and removal and Nexplanon.
Hormones and menopause
Perimenopause and menopause symptoms taken seriously, with hormone therapy when it is appropriate for you.
Pregnancy and birth
Continuity prenatal care, planned home birth for appropriate candidates, postpartum and newborn care.
Telehealth across Florida
Follow-ups, medication management, contraception counseling and lab review without the drive.
Medical weight management
Individualized care, including GLP-1 and GIP medications when clinically appropriate.
What to expect
Your first visit
You book online or call the office, and you are asked what brings you in rather than handed a stack of forms and a seven-minute slot. At the visit we go through your health history, what you have already tried, and what you want to be different. Exams and testing happen when they are indicated, and only after you know why.
You leave with a plan you helped make: which labs, which medication or method, what to watch for and when to come back. Results are reviewed with you, not left sitting in a portal without explanation.
Please do not send health details through the website. Once you are established, use the patient portal or call the office so your information stays in a secure clinical system.
Common questions
Questions patients ask us
What is a Certified Nurse-Midwife?
A CNM is an advanced practice registered nurse with graduate-level education in nurse-midwifery and national board certification. CNMs provide full-scope women's healthcare, including annual exams, contraception, prescriptions, labs, imaging orders, pregnancy and birth care, and menopause care.
Do I have to be pregnant to see a midwife?
No. Most patients at Lakeland Birth & Gynecology are not pregnant. Annual exams, birth control, period problems, STI testing, hormones and menopause care, and medical weight management are all core parts of the practice.
How is midwifery care different from a typical office visit?
Mostly time and continuity. Visits are longer, decisions are made together, and you see the same midwife instead of whoever is available. Care is still evidence-based and informed by current professional guidance.
Can a midwife order labs, imaging and prescriptions?
Yes, when clinically appropriate. That includes cervical screening, STI testing, blood work, ultrasound orders, contraception including IUDs and Nexplanon, and medications.
Do you offer telehealth?
Yes, for eligible patients located anywhere in Florida at the time of the visit. Some concerns still need labs, imaging or an in-person exam first.
Do you provide care for VBAC or VBA2C?
We're happy to talk about birth options after a cesarean, including vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) and, in some situations, birth after two cesareans (VBA2C). Each history is reviewed individually, including prior birth records and how this pregnancy is going. Eligibility is never assumed or guaranteed.
Do you take insurance?
Care is currently self-pay. Lakeland Birth & Gynecology is currently out-of-network with Florida Blue / Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, with in-network participation anticipated soon. A superbill can be provided for you to submit yourself; reimbursement is not guaranteed.
Keep reading
- Home birth in Lakeland
Planned home birth care, what is included and what it costs.
- Women's health in Lakeland
Annual exams, screening and gynecologic care with no pregnancy required.
- Birth control options
IUDs, Nexplanon, pills and unhurried counseling on all of it.
- Services & Pricing
Transparent fees for every service, with no form to fill out first.
- Types of midwives in Florida
LM, CPM, CM and CNM explained in plain language.
- Doula vs. midwife
Two different roles on your birth team, and why families often have both.
Ready when you are
Book online any time, or call the office if you are not sure which visit you need. We are happy to help you choose.