Prenatal Care
You can expect the following as routine prenatal care:
- Free Initial Consultation. At this initial meeting/interview, we can get to know each other and see if we are a good match.
- Comprehensive prenatal visits which become more frequent as you near your due time.
- Standard prenatal visits include monitoring the mother and baby's vital signs, growth, and over-all wellbeing. Lab work is offered and explained.
- Education is a primary component of your prenatal care. Practicing in the Midwife's Model of Care, we strive to educate our clients about the many choices offered during the childbearing year, providing research, and resources to support your informed choices.
- Preventative care such as nutrition, herbal remedies, and complementary alternative therapies are common modalities used in our practice. We also hold space to talk through the emotional aspects of pregnancy and birth preparation.
Labor & Birth
While each birth unfolds uniquely, these principles are held in common:
- We come to your home for your birth when you are ready for our support. For some women, this is in early labor, and for others it is when labor is very active.
- You can count on having at least two skilled attendees present to help meet your needs at your birth.
- A complete set of birth equipment is brought to your home, including herbal remedies, pharmaceutical medications, an oxygen tank and resuscitation tools, and a Doppler for listening to your baby's heart rate during labor.
- To foster a gentle, physiologic birth, sensible strategies are relied on, such as encouraging the mother to eat, drink, rest and change positions frequently during labor, delayed cord clamping, and respect for the bonding process. Water birth provided!
- Each mother's desired level of privacy, touch, and encouraging words is honored.
- Partners, siblings, doulas, and other chosen support people are welcome at your birth.
- Mindful attention is paid to the baby's heart rate, mother's vitals, and to the overall safety of the birth as it unfolds.
Postpartum Care
Your "babymoon" includes holistic midwifery care:- Six standard postpartum visits take place in your home. No need to go out!
- Education, support and resources are offered to encourage healing and bonding.
- Wellbeing of the mother and baby are supported through breastfeeding assistance, checking in on sleeping and eating patterns, and monitoring of vital signs, including weight checks.
- Safe herbal remedies and nutrition advise is offered to speed recovery or address concerns.
In the event of a transfer
Sometimes, warning signs indicate that intervention is necessary beyond our scope of care. A mother's or midwife's intuition, vital signs outside of normal limits, or other warning signs that sometimes occur during pregnancy, birth, or postpartum can result in a transfer of care to a physician or hospital. You will receive a document listing our transfer criteria at your first visit so you know what types of complications could risk you out of midwifery care. When complications arise, we are grateful help is available.
Midwifery care is the ideal for normal pregnancies and birth; midwives are experts in normal, physiologic birth, as well as trained and skilled in many complications that can arise suddenly and be resolved quickly at home. However, when situations and symptoms arise that are outside of normal, and risk is increased, hospital-based care can help us reach a healthy outcome for birthing women and babies. Usually, transports are not an emergency, but rather something we can talk through calmly and make the best decision.
Very rarely, 911 is called to responsibly respond to an emergency. If we transport during labor, one of your midwives will attend your birth at the hospital and continue to advocate for your family and provide support. Postpartum care continues in your home when you are released from the hospital.