Pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding are natural, normal functions of a woman’s mind, body, emotions, and spirit, all of which are equally important. As a midwife, I seek to nurture a woman’s sense of personal strength and self confidence so that she may realize birth as an empowering and enlarging life experience. I do not feel I “deliver” babies; I assist and support women to give birth. I believe that women are uniquely suited to attend other women during this life passage. Most of the world’s women give birth with midwives who serve as guides to the total pregnancy experience. Birth at home among family members, coupled with continuous care by skilled attendants, can provide an optimal environment for the majority of women. When birth is integrated into life as a family event, the family is strengthened as well.
As a care-giver, my clinical skills, intellect, and intuition all serve as valuable tools in my work as guides to understanding the process of pregnancy and birth. I believe the things which matter most in creating a physically healthy pregnancy are those things you have the most control over, including good nutrition, exercise, and the elimination of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. On an emotional, psychological, and spiritual level, I recognize that birth is not an event which is isolated from the totality of a woman’s life. I endeavor to assist women to become as conscious of their personal processes as possible so that they may have a broad base of resources to draw on during their birth experiences. My responsibility is to make you aware of any concerns I have based on my past experience and current perception. I seek to offer informed choice, not merely informed consent. You are my client, never my patient. Any decisions regarding options are yours to make. At the same time, there are limit to what I am willing to take on as a responsible care provider. When and if my limits are reached, I will let you know immediately.
I offer my services as a team working in partnership with clients before, during, and after the birth of their child. For me, midwifery is a continually evolving process and I am always learning from my experiences. Working in partnership with clients means I am supporting you to create your own experience. You are responsible for the birth and I am assisting you in taking that responsibility. It also means that we must all be in agreement regarding the care needed and my ability to provide such care. Complete prenatal care creates the opportunity to develop a relationship before the birth as well as to establish the parameters of well-being unique to each individual client.
Any environment, whether home, hospital, or birth center, presents a distinct set of risk factors for birth. Nothing can guarantee a perfect outcome. I believe each woman has the right to an informed choice of the environment she perceives as safest for her and her baby. Many women do not appreciate mainstream obstetrics’ approach to pregnancy as a problem waiting to happen. My care reflects their own desire to trust birth and themselves. For such women, homebirth is a logical choice. I endeavor to create an environment which supports women in opening to their own intuitive process rather than imposing artificial interventions or attempting to make labor conform to a specific pattern. When allowed to follow its natural course, pregnancy usually results in the birth of a healthy baby and mother. The range of natural variation is extremely wide. Occasionally, a critical situation arises during pregnancy or labor which necessitates specialized care that cannot be provided in a home setting. In such cases, a previously established medical back-up system will be relied on for appropriate care.
Little Dude, 2010
Why Choose Homebirth?
• Allows labor and birth freedom
• Allows parents to choose whomever they’d like to attend their birth
• Provides woman-centered care during pregnancy, labor, and birth
• Promotes family bonding
• Allows mother and infant bonding
• Reduces interference with bonding and breastfeeding from hospital policies
• Allows the mother to be more comfortable
• Allows the baby to be more comfortable
• Reduces risk of infection
• Reduces maternal morbidity rates from complications and interventions
• Prevents unnecessary medical intervention
• Reduces risks from errors in hospitals
• Promotes a less painful labor
• Produces emotional well-being
• Reduces risks from poor staffing levels in hospitals
• Reduces risks of tampering with baby
• Provides less disruption and stress for the entire family
• Provides affirmation that birth is a normal yet profound life event
• Provides as much as or more safety than a hospital
Why Choose Water Birth?
• Speeds up labor
• Reduces blood pressure
• Gives mother more feelings of control
• Provides significant pain relief
• Promotes relaxation
• Enables the mother to assume any position which is comfortable for labor and birth
• Conserves her energy
• Reduces the need for drugs and interventions
• Gives mother a private protected space
• Reduces perineal trauma and nearly eliminates episiotomies
• Reduces cesarean section rates
• Is highly rated by mothers – typically stating they would consider giving birth in water again
• Is highly rated by experienced providers
• Encourages an easier birth for mother and a gentler welcome for baby
• Easy clean-up! All birth mess is contained within the tub
Exciting new research shows that giving birth in the water decreases your baby’s risk for contracting Group B Strep (GBS) by 66%!
