Midwifery Care
"You are a midwife, assisting at someone else’s birth. Do good without show or fuss. Facilitate what is happening rather than what you think ought to be happening. If you must take the lead, lead so that the mother is helped, yet still free and in charge. When the baby is born, the mother will rightly say; 'We did it ourselves!'" ~Tao Te Ching
Consultation
Let's meet for a 30-minute consultation to discuss the ins and outs of midwifery care, learn about each other, and address questions that you have. This visit provides a great opportunity to have questions clarified about home birth and Licensed Midwives. We can then see if you are an appropriate home birth client, and move forward with scheduling an initial prenatal visit.
Prenatal care
Visits with are every 4-5 weeks until the third trimester, every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, then weekly until the birth of your baby. Additional visits may take place as necessary.
What to expect of your prenatal care:
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An initial prenatal visit of 1.5 hours, with all other prenatal visits being around 1-hour in duration
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Individualized educational information and counseling related to emotional and physical health
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Shared-decision making
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Children and family involvement in appointments as you desire, if applicable
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Knowledge of herbal and alternative therapies
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24/7 on-call services
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Physical exams including breast and pelvic exams as necessary
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Referrals to appropriate physicians and community resources as necessary
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Online access to your client chart
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Lending library and water birth tubs
Labor and birth
Every labor is unique. I am trained to hold space for the wide range of normal and to recognize when the balance shifts and more assistance is needed. I believe that birth is a natural physiologic event and strive to help manifest an empowering experience.
At your birth you will have:
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A Licensed Midwife and trained birth assistant for the monitoring of you and your baby
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Water birth options with a birth team who is experienced and comfortable with water birth
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Involvement of partner, children, and other members of your birth team as you desire
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A thorough and gentle newborn exam conducted by the midwife before leaving your home
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Suturing of first or second degree tears, if needed
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IVs for hydration and antibiotics (if GBS+ and choosing antibiotics)
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Support with initiation of baby feeding
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In the event of a transfer to the hospital, your midwife will remain with you as support through the birth of your baby
Postpartum and Newborn care
I offer home visits at day 1 and 3 after the birth of your baby and either a clinic visit or homevisit at 1 week, 4 weeks and 6 weeks, totaling 5 postpartum visits. I am still available 24/7 for urgent needs during this time of transition.
I offer lactation support, emotional check-ins, and monitoring of the physical transition that you and your baby are going through. I also offer routine well body exams if needed, including a breast exam and pap smear.
Newborn care
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Thorough and gentle "head to toe" newborn exam conducted by midwife before leaving your home
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Vitamin K and antibiotic eye prophylaxis offered after birth and administered before leaving your home
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First newborn metabolic screen and critical congenital heart defect screening (CCHD) performed with pulse oximeter offered
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Hearing screen offered
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Baby weight checks and referrals to appropriate health care professionals as necessary
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Midwife will file the birth certificate
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24/7 on-call services for first two weeks of life
Postpartum care
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Monitoring of emotional and physical recovery and wellbeing
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Lactation support, if applicable
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Physical exam including breast exam and pap smear if indicated
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Attention to emotional health and connection to appropriate resources
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24/7 on-call services