Midwifery

Birth is often a mystery—at least that’s what we’re led to believe. But closer examination reveals basic physiological truths that underpin normal birth for both the mother and baby. Certain truisms can indicate risk, such as a pregnant woman’s prenatal nutrition and medical history, but, in the end, birth is a complex orchestration of hormones, […]

When a newborn emerges from the womb, it leaves behind a warm, dark, and physically stimulating environment that includes the mother’s heartbeat, the sounds of children or other adult voices, and the rocking, jostling, and rhythmic steps of the mother moving about. Upon birth, a baby will turn toward the familiar sound of its mother’s […]

photo credit: Carmen Hibbins For most women, navigating pregnancy is difficult. There are decisions to be made: maternity care, labor preferences, place of birth, newborn care, breastfeeding, etc. Not to mention vaccines. Currently the CDC recommends the influenza vaccine for all pregnant women. When making the decision to accept or decline the flu vaccine, it’s important […]

Get ready for a major soapbox post. I get it. Those of us who choose to birth outside the box are different. We make choices that don’t necessarily follow mainstream society norms. Our choices may not be in alignment with what is embraced by the obstetrical model of care. Our choices may make medical professionals […]

It’s that time of year. The time when we bake cookies and fudge and tasty pies. The time when the workplace break room is littered with holiday candy and plenty of chocolate. It’s a time when it feels almost obligatory to feed the sweet tooth. But what if you’re pregnant? Does pregnancy give you an […]

People who have never given birth outside of a hospital may have no idea of the differences between hospital and out-of-hospital birth. What’s the big deal? You can have a natural birth in the hospital. Why would someone want to have their baby at a birth center or (gasp!) at home? The answer is not […]

There’s a midwife for every woman. What’s right for one woman may not be right for another. So, how do you choose the right midwife for you?

Visualize what would make you most comfortable. Sit with that image awhile. When there is clarity around what you want, everything else will fall into place.

The vitamins and minerals are easily assimilated by your body because they are from a food source. Seriously, this is powerful stuff.

…just having someone else calling the shots on things you may or may not care much about, hands your power over to that person or institution for the things you do very deeply care about.

I was recently at a local birth circle. It was “Meet the Midwives” night, and I was one of the midwives asked to attend and answer questions about midwifery, home birth, and birth center care. One of the attendees asked this question: What’s the difference between the medical model and midwifery model of care?

I had a beautiful, wonderful home birth, with all of my older children, my mother, and my husband in attendance. Afterwards, my midwife whispered in my ear, “See, your body knows just what to do.” She was absolutely right, and it transformed my life.