Page Title
Midwifery care means 24/7 access to a midwife that supports your whole being - body, mind and spirit - from pregnancy through postpartum
Homebirth
Comprehensive Prenatal Care
Comprehensive prenatal care means addressing each individual on the many levels that make them whole to ensure a healthy pregnancy. I am interested in how this pregnancy affects you and the needs you have to make this experience fulfilling.
Individualized, evidence-based care is the priority.
Our hour long appointments allow us to cover:
- Clinical assessment of baby and mom (vitals, measuring uterine growth, checking baby's position, listening to baby's heart rate)
- Education on pertinent topics from pregnancy through postpartum (standard of care, evidenced-based practices, genetic testing*, lab work*)
- Emotional and spiritual changes and preparation for birth and parenthood
- Physical changes, discomforts and remedies
- Any questions, concerns or fears that arise
- Nutritional counseling
- Family, work
- Hopes and dreams for your pregnancy, birth and baby
- Resources for childbirth education, breastfeeding, pediatricians, counseling and psychotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractors, yoga, postpartum groups & more
Prenatal visits are scheduled: every 4 weeks until 28 weeks
every 2 weeks until 36 weeks
weekly from 36 weeks til birth
* Labwork, genetic testing, and ultrasounds are billed through insurance and not covered in the midwifery fee
Labor & Birth Support
The homebirth setting provides a supportive and safe environment for birth, allowing a woman to relax and follow her unique path in the laboring process, while being supported by her chosen care team.
Care in labor and birth includes:
- On call 24/7 for labor
- Continuous support over the phone in early labor
- Clinical assessment and monitoring of baby and mom from active labor through the immediate postpartum
- Evidence-based care and informed consent when any deviations present themselves
- A 2nd licensed midwife at the time of birth
- Comprehensive newborn exam
- Breastfeeding support
- Skilled emergency support, if necessary*
*Your birth team arrives with their complete birth bag, which includes emergency equipment (IV supplies, oxygen, resuscitation equipment and emergency medicines). Homebirth midwives keep up to date on neonatal resuscitation, just as hospital staff on birthing units do. Safety for mom and baby is our highest goal.
Photos taken by Ellen Keith Shaw
Postpartum Care
Postpartum care from homebirth midwives fills the medical gap like no other! Six weeks of in-home postpartum visits for you and baby include:
- Monitor birthing mom's health and recovery
- Monitor baby's growth
- Breastfeeding support
- Emotional counseling & support
- Nutritional counseling
- Family adjustment
- Birth control counseling
- Answer any questions & talk about this new life with baby
Visits are held on day 1, day 3, day 5, day 10, week 3, and week 6 and additional visits are made when a special circumstance warrants them.
Photos by Ellen Keith Shaw
Hospital Birth
Hybrid Care
Homebirth may not be an option for everyone. Hybrid care allows concurrent care alongside your OB visits for families birthing in a hospital but wanting the individualized care of a midwife. All of the above services are included, along with creating a birth plan, and laboring at home together for as long is medically safe and approved, while monitoring you medically. Together we decide when to make our way to the hospital, and remain with you one to two hours after the birth, to help establish bonding and breastfeeding. After the birth, postpartum care is established for the following 6 weeks in your home.
This is a great option for those who would like personalized midwifery care, but prefer birthing in the hospital or are risked out of homebirth.
Barbara Katz Rothman
