Pregnancy

I always recommend that mamas find and secure a midwife as early as possible during their pregnancy if they are planning a homebirth, because we are limited to taking only a handful of families each month. For many people, that means sending a picture of your positive pregnancy test right from the toilet-- No, seriously. This gives ample time for getting to know each other, building trust, and getting the full benefit out of your care. With that being said, if you are interested in care with me... Please reach out soon. You can fill out the intake form on the Contact/Initiate Care page.

The first prenatal visit is typically scheduled around the 12th week of pregnancy. This is usually the earliest that we are able to hear your baby's heartbeat with a doppler. During weeks 12-28 of pregnancy, we will meet every 4 weeks. Then, until baby makes their arrival, I will begin to see you bi-weekly starting at 28 weeks, followed by weekly visits at 36 weeks (or more often, as needed). These prenatal visits are in-depth, and usually last anywhere from 1 hour to an hour and a half in the comfort of your own home. Feel free to have your partner, children, or any other support people present that you would like-- It is usually a good idea to have anyone you are planning to have at your birth present for at least one prenatal visit.

During this time, you'll have plenty of opportunities to ask any questions that you may have, and I will also strive to help you *thrive* during your pregnancy, rather than just survive it. We will work together to find the root causes of symptoms you may be experiencing. I'll check over your vitals, such as blood pressure and pulse, and complete a urinalysis (used to assess dehydration, possible illnesses, protein in the urine, etc.) at each visit. If any lab work or ultrasounds are desired at the time of the visit, I will take care of ordering them for you. For information about lab work that can be completed, see the FAQ page.

At the end of the visit, we'll dive into the super fun part: measuring your fundal height to assess how well your baby is growing, palpating your belly to see what position that your baby is in, checking for normal amniotic fluid levels, and hearing their heartbeat! 

At your 36 week visit, I will leave you with your birth kit, which has all of the disposable items that we will use at your birth-- I do not require that my clients purchase their own birth supplies. I simply ask that you add a few items that you likely already have around your home into the birth kit that I provide to you, such as: towels, washcloths, baby blankets, a couple of newborn diapers, and a bowl for the placenta. During this visit, we will also take some time to fill in any gaps that might still be missing about how you envision your birth going, where you are planning for the birth to take place, who will be there, etc. 

If at any point during your care, things start to shift into a situation that would potentially risk you out of care, I will come alongside you to try to remedy the issue whenever possible, so that your dream birth is still within your reach. Because we work so closely to establish trust and a strong relationship throughout care, we are able to catch most things before they become a major complication. At the end of the day, though, my job as your midwife is also to make sure that you are your baby are safe, and to know when a higher level of care is appropriate. I always guarantee midwifery care, even though I can never *guarantee* a homebirth... Though, you and I both want to achieve your dream birth that ends with you snuggled up in bed with your sweet baby. Rarely, things do come up during pregnancy or labor that require a higher level of care, and we are thankful for that option should it ever be needed. If this does happen, I will still remain by your side throughout the entire process and, in the event of a transfer of care, I will still attend your birth (in the role of a "doula," so long as no other mothers that are in labor need me), and I will still provide postpartum care and continue to support you once you are back home. 

Labor, Birth, & Immediate Postpartum

I am on call beginning at 36 weeks of pregnancy. When you are in active labor, you will call me and I will arrive to your home with all of the supplies needed for your birth (in addition to the birth kit left at your home at 36 weeks). This includes equipment needed to manage a resuscitation and blood loss, items to complete sutures for tears (if needed), a weight sling and measuring mat to collect the weight and measurements of your baby, and all of the supplies needed for waterbirth if that is something you planned on (birth pool, birth pool liner, hoses, adapters, sump pump, etc.), and much, much more.

I will also call 1-2 birth assistants to your birth to ensure that I have all of the hands needed to provide safe midwifery care and detailed charting. These birth attendants are usually other midwives, student midwives, or birth assistants and they are well-trained in the homebirth setting. They act as an extra set of eyes and hands to help me ensure you are getting the best possible care from me.

During labor, I highly encourage eating to boost energy levels and endurance. And since I offer intermittent monitoring, you are free to labor and move into any positions that feel like they serve you the best. I sometimes offer guidance on positions changes, homeopathy, rest, etc. as needed or wanted. We will work around whatever positions feel best for you in order to listen to your baby with the doppler. I will begin to listen more and more frequently as your labor progresses and contractions get closer and closer together. 

I do not generally complete lots of cervical exams. An initial one upon my arrival can be completed, if desired... beyond that, the "standard of care" is one every four hours, if that is something that you are interested in. I really try to limit them if your water has already broken to reduce the risk of infection and to buy us as much time as possible at home. You can always decline cervical exams. Sometimes they can give us some helpful information that things are moving in the "right" direction, but they don't give us a timeline of how much time will be left for your labor, etc. They're simply a tool, but not inherently necessary. Plenty of mamas actually birth without every having a cervical exam during their pregnancy or labor.

Once your long-awaited baby has arrived, I like to get them onto your chest to snuggle in for a bit. We don't cut the umbilical cord right away... Usually not for at least an hour or so (you could say it is *beyond* delayed cord clamping). We will help you get comfortable in your bed, monitor your vitals, baby's vitals, make sure that you get some food in your belly, and that baby has had a chance to nurse and be held. After that, I complete a thorough newborn exam, usually right within your reach, to ensure that your baby is looking happy, healthy, with all of their reflexes working properly from their head to their toes. Then, we can take care of cutting the cord. Some families may also prefer to do a cord-burning ceremony or a lotus birth instead, which I fully support and can help with! You get to decide what happens to your placenta: Encapsulate it, get some "placenta prints," bury it under a special plant or tree as a memory of your birth (some families keep their placenta in the freezer until they are ready to plant it), or dispose of it!

Sometimes, people voice concerns about birth being messy. And while some birth spaces may be a little bit "messier" than others, I am blessed with amazing birth assistants that will help me to keep your home tidy. (Usually, by the time that we leave, no one can tell that you just had a baby in your home. We can even take out your trash and start the laundry before we leave!)

After the newborn exam, I will help you get up and get to the bathroom for your first postpartum potty break! We'll help you get cleaned up some, get you into something comfortable, and make sure that you're able to use the restroom okay. During this timeframe, I will also assess your bottom for any lacerations in case you need sutures or instructions for proper healing. I'll help you get tucked back into bed, and make sure that you've had some more food in your belly... And get baby snuggled up (because it will probably be time for them to eat again, too!). 

Once everyone is settled, stable, and feeling good... Myself and my team will begin to pack up the equipment, provide thorough postpartum instructions, and leave you to rest with your baby. This is usually around several hours postpartum. Of course, I will remain on-call for you, with any questions. And I will be back to check on you and baby sometime between 24-48 hours.

Postpartum

Does a single 6 week postpartum check up actually qualify as full-spectrum postpartum care? I don't think so. After the birth of your baby(ies), you will *always* be "postpartum," and you deserve so much respect. You will continue to receive in-depth, quality care throughout the duration of your recovery. I will come to your home for a postpartum visit at 24-48 hours, followed by additional visits at 1, 3, 6, and 8-12 weeks... That's a total of five 1+ hour postpartum visits! During this time, I check on your physical and mental health while you're transitioning into your "Fourth Trimester" with this baby. I will also weigh your baby, assist with lactation or provide referrals for extra help if it is needed, check on how their cord is healing, and make sure that they're doing okay overall. At the 24-48 hour visit, I will also complete a Critical Congenital Heart Defect (CCHD) screening, and a Newborn Metabolic Screening (if desired). You can also schedule a visit to come see me at another Midwife's office (located in Mason, OH) to complete your newborn's hearing screening, if desired. 

Most providers don't stretch care out beyond 6 weeks, but I have found that sometimes families need some extra help between 8-12 weeks. I want to make sure that you have all of the resources that you need to take care of yourself and your baby... So, care with me doesn't end at 6 weeks (unless you want that). And, of course, if you need a resource for something beyond that timeframe, I will always be happy to point you in the right direction! That's another reason I am always updating my Community Resources page-- These resources don't deserve to be hidden away in my mind. They're yours for the taking, and I am so happy to share them with everyone! If you ever have a provider/program that has treated you well, I'd love to add them to the list of resources for other families to have the opportunity to work with, as well! I tend to think about this page as a way to help families create their "virtual village" that can support them through their childbearing years.