Our Philosophy
Fears arise and dissipate. Ideals are created and surrendered. Identities as 'parent’ grow and evolve. Giving birth can be loud or quiet, long or short, intimate or social, painful or blissful, and often, in its wholeness, is a mixture of many of these things and more. My philosophy embraces all of these experiences as essential parts of the process.
Childbirth is a powerful rite-of-passage, whether it's your first baby or last. Every parent desires a healthy baby and a safe journey through this transition.
~ I trust physiology. In healthy individuals, risks are minimized when pregnancy and birth are allowed to progress normally. Un-medicated, uninterrupted births can result in smooth hormonal and neuro-chemical releases to support physiologic birth and encourage the baby to be alert and participatory in the birth experience.
~ As a midwife, I am a guardian of a wide spectrum of normal. For example, it is 'normal' to recognize a due range instead of a due date. Some labors take more time than others. Some babies navigate the pelvis in different positions than others. I recognize that “normal” contains a lot of variety.
~ I respect your choices. I support your efforts to inform yourself and to be inquisitive, and to make choices about risk and safety based on your own perspective. Healthcare is complicated and deeply personal, and I trust parents to navigate complex decisions.
~ Education is central to my care. I provide time and resources with the goal of offering individualized education to the families I work with. I teach Childbirth Education Classes and offer long appointments so you can learn and ask questions.
~ Responsive skills and experience matter. With nearly 30 years of experience attending community births, I am prepared to respond to moments when birth doesn’t go as planned. Sometimes, a midwife’s job is patience and space-holding, and sometimes the job requires quickly recognizing when emergency skills are required.
~ Your choice of a natural, physiologic birth is a basic human right.
~ Together, we work in an environment of mutual trust to bring about the best outcomes for each family. Our trusting relationship is a core element to good midwifery care.