Home Birth Midwifery
About Homebirth Midwifery
I am a midwife. I work with birthing folks and families during the childbearing year. I attend planned births at home. Mothers and families who choose homebirth see pregnancy, labor and birth as a normal healthy process. Some reasons mothers and families may choose homebirth include:
- Quality one-on-one care
- Non-interventive care
- No separation of the baby and the mother
- Increased relaxation in the comfort of your own home
- Continuity of care
I believe:
- Pregnancy is a normal significant time in a mother's life.
- Pregnancy affects and is affected by all aspects of a mother's life: social, economic, professional, and familial.
- Mothers have the right to choose where and with whom they give birth.
- A mother can educate themself about care options and make appropriate choices for themself and their baby.
My homebirth midwifery care includes:
- Complete prenatal and extensive postpartum care
- Lab work and ultrasound(s) if necessary
- Nutrition counseling
- Home care for labor and delivery
- Newborn procedures (if requested) and exams
- Notarized birth certificate and social security card paperwork
- Recommendations and assistance in using alternative therapies such as body work, nutrition, mental health exercises, stretching, and herbs to achieve and maintain a healthy pregnancy.
Continuity of Care
I spend time with my clients – getting to know them, educating them and helping them think through options to make decisions. A typical prenatal visit with me lasts 60 minutes. Studies indicate that homebirth midwives provide the safest and best maternity care for healthy pregnant women, while spending on the average of 5 to 15 times more hours with clients than do obstetricians, at about half the price. Our time spent together helps us develop a strong, trusting relationship.
I will accompany you in labor through the active part of labor and birth, and then provide extensive postpartum care including several follow-up visits.
Homebirth Is Safe for Low-Risk Women
Home midwifery care makes sense for normal pregnancies because home birth midwives are skilled at keeping the pregnancy normal. If something does shift out of normal, I will consult with specialists and make referrals when needed.
A common concern regarding homebirth is “What if something happens?” I am trained in the detection of complications. My goal is to guard the health of mother and baby and remain alert for any possible complications. When a problem is detected early, we can often reverse it with simple measures such as nutrition and/or a change of laboring position. When we cannot correct the problem, I can faciliate a safe, smooth transfer of care to the provider of your choice.
Statistics indicate that for the low-risk woman and her child, the morbidity and mortality rates are the same or lower in a planned homebirth with a midwife than for matched populations of birthing women in the hospital.
I am honored to attend the miracle of a growing baby and a beautiful birth!
Downloadable Files
- Six Myths About Homebirth (Word document)
- Home Childbirth from a Prepper's Point of View (Word document)
- Home Superior to Hospital Birth, from British Medical Journal British Medical Journal (Word document)
- Homebirth: Making It Happen (Word document)
- Is Homebirth Right for You? (Word document)
- Is Homebirth for You? Six Myths About Childbirth Exposed (Word document)
- Joyce's Resume (Word document)
- Tips for Dealing with Anxiety and Insomnia (Word document)
- Tips for Dealing with Carpal Tunnel (Word document)
- Tips for Dealing with Constipation (Word document)
- Tips for Dealing with Morning Sickness and Nausea (Word document)
- Tips for Starting Labor (Word document)
- Tips for Turning Breech Babies (Word document)