I often get asked about the requirements for a home birth. "I live in a small apartment, can I give birth there?" "I live on the third floor, is that ok?" "We are a multigenerational family sharing space." "What will I do with my older kids?" "Will I need a Doula?" Long story short, it actually takes very little to create a safe cozy space to give birth in. Here are a couple pointers. The Birth Room The ideal room to give birth in is the one you’ll feel most comfortable. It n

While home birth is typically thought of for only "low risk" pregnancies, very little information is available regarding how risk is determined. Here is a handy breakdown of conditions that would require consultation, referral or transfer of care. Contraindications for Home Birth I do not assume primary care of clients with the following conditions: Active TB Heart or Lung Disease Liver or Kidney Disease Cancer Bleeding disorders Any other major medical problem or congenital

There are lots of simple changes you can make and small preparations you can plan for in order to make your home birth successful. Here are a few of my favorites. Nourishment It is important to eat and drink regularly in pregnancy, and labor is no exception. When you get depleted it will quickly evidence itself in your labor pattern, energy, ability to cope with pain, and sometimes, the baby may show non-reassuring heart tones that lead to a preventable transfer to the hospit

Who is the ideal candidate for a home birth? I often get inquiries from families who want to know if they can safely birth at home. Often they’ve been led to believe their pregnancies are “high risk” because they are over 35, they’re overweight, they’ve had a prior cesarean, they weren’t supposed to be able to get pregnant in the first place, it is an IVF pregnancy, they had a previous pregnancy complication, a doctor once told them they are too small to give birth, etc. Whil

I pride myself on being a VBAC supportive provider, rather than a "tolerant" provider. I welcome you to explore my services and how I can support you in having the VBAC that you desire. Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have regarding VBAC. Having a successful VBAC is largely dependent on the provider. My clients' vbac success rate is 88% in those who have had one prior cesarean. In those that have had two prior cesareans, the rate is 75%. Statistically, wom

Prenatal care with a Midwife follows The Midwives Model of Care which includes: Monitoring the physical, psychological, and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle Providing the mother with individualized education, counseling, and prenatal care, continuous hands-on assistance during labor and delivery, and postpartum support Minimizing technological interventions Identifying and referring women who require obstetrical attention. As your Midwife, I s