There are many reasons why a woman will choose to forgo the usual physician and hospital approach and have her baby outside of the hospital. Regardless of the reason, out-of-hospital birth with a licensed midwife is a safe alternative for maternity care and birth.
Read moreKaitlin's Birth Story: Emery
10/24/18: I texted Alex at 4:30pm and told her that I had been cramping through the night and off and on through the day. I texted her again at 6:30pm and let her know I had just had some blood tinged mucus. She asked if I was having any regular contractions and I told her they were about 10 minutes apart. She said great and to keep her updated. I also texted April (nurse friend) and let her know that I had lost some mucus plug. She told me to take a bath and maybe some Benadryl. I took a lavender bath along with Tylenol pm about 9pm. Ben and I went to bed about 10:30-11.
Read moreElise's Birth Story: River
"2 days after my due date I had been having contractions consistently since 6am every ten minutes. Naps, cleaning, chiropractor appointment, walking, and eating all that day didn't speed things up. I would have bouts where the contractions would be 5 minutes apart but would slow back down any time I rested. I gave my birth team a heads up that this looked just like my other labors and we were going to be in it for the long haul.
Read moreKasandra's Birth Story: Kaylee
“In early 2016, I was diagnosed with PCOS (poly-cystic ovarian syndrome) which meant when my husband and I decided to have a child, it would be very difficult. (Reading that line “when my husband and I decided” is quite funny now.) Shortly after that I started praying to God to make me fruitful; I had no idea what that would entail for me!
Read moreTricia's Birth Story: Emiliana
"Kingston (first son) had been sick with a fever so Zach (husband) slept with Kingston in his room so we could try and prevent Teddy (second son) from getting sick. Our plans were for the boys to be in the room during Emiliana’s birth. Unfortunately Teddy started coughing early Tuesday morning. It was a rough night for him. He did throw up twice on me that night from coughing. I think I maybe got about 3 hours of sleep.
Read moreWays for Dads to Bond with Baby
Most of the time, it’s easy for mom to be able to bond with her baby. She’s been feeling her little one inside her for nine months, gave birth and then is feeding the baby frequently (or for what feels like all day!). But what about dad? Where does he fit in when it comes to caring for and bonding with his child? It’s not uncommon for fathers to feel left out once baby arrives, but here are some things dad can do to bond with his child from early on:
Read moreNutrition During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
When you’re preparing to become a mother, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what is best for you and your baby. What foods should your eat, what vitamins to take, and if there is anything you need to avoid. I’ve tried to break down the multitude of information out there and put it together in a way that would be easy to read and reference...
Read moreYour Placenta....It's What's Good for You!!
“You ate your what?!?!”
“Ewwww….that’s gross!! We’re not animals!”
“What are the benefits of doing that?”
“How do you eat it?”
“Do you have to have a home birth to do that?”
“How do I find someone to help me with it and what does it cost?”
These are the questions/statements I hear most often when people find out that not only do I encapsulate placentas, but that I ate my own! When people hear about placenta encapsulation, they usually react in one of several ways: 1) Curiosity, 2) Disgust, or 3) Fascination. I’m going to answer the questions that many people ask when they want to learn more, and then you can decide for yourself if placenta encapsulation is right for you!
Read moreAmelia's Birth Story: Londyn
Londyn Beth was born March 12, 2016 at 5:22pm, weighing 7lbs. 11oz. (exactly the same as Jameson) and was 20 1/4inches in length. Londyn came 7 days late and we were all anxiously awaiting her arrival. We had a beautiful water birth at our home in Lubbock, Texas with Grandma Robertson visiting to witness the birth. It was perfect, she is perfect and once again I’m reminded of the beauty, the sacredness and the miracle of birth. Here’s how the story went...
Read moreChildbirth Education Classes....Why do I Need Them?
Statistically, people do more research when buying a car than they do when having a baby...isn't that shocking?! I think childbirth education (CBE) classes are the equivalent to taking Driver’s Ed when you’re a teenager: 1) You take them because you want to and should know what’s going on within the “vehicle”, 2) So that you learn how to take action to make appropriate decisions, and 3) So that you don’t have regrets after the fact if things don’t go your way. But what type of CBE class should you take? Where should you take them? When should you start? What will the classes discuss? Do you need to take them if you already took CBE classes with a previous pregnancy or if this is your 2nd, 3rd, 10th child? What happens if you don’t take them? Keep reading if you want to find out…
Read moreKnowing Your Options & Creating a Birth Plan
Did you know that the average couple spends more time researching what car to lease or what house to buy than they do preparing for the birth of their child? Don’t be a statistic! Learn about your options so that you can make the best decisions possible regarding your pregnancy, birth and the start of your baby’s life. In doing so, you can use these options and the ones that are important to you, to create a birth plan to share with your care provider and your doula to make sure you all are on the same page (and if you’re not, it’s time to think about finding someone who is). Here are some choices you have that you may have never thought about or known were choices before…
Read moreParty vs. Privacy: Who Should You Invite to Your Birth?
The conversation usually starts with a client asking, “Who can I have at my birth?”, but the answer to that question isn’t really what they’re looking for since my response is, “Anyone you want!”. I then help them to rephrase their question so they can ask what they’re really wanting to know…..“Who should I have at my birth?” And that’s a great question, but not one that I can answer for them…
Read moreInterview Questions to Ask Your Care Provider
When you are interviewing your care provider (midwife, nurse-midwife, or doctor) before signing on for care (and you definitely should!), it’s difficult to know what questions to ask. Some people worry that by asking questions, they will inadvertently offend the provider, or that they will “ask a stupid question” and be looked down upon. I’ll tell you this right now….if your care provider is offended or treats you poorly for asking a legitimate question, they’re not the provider for you! So how do you know what questions to ask and how to go about interviewing a care provider? I’ll walk you through it…
Read moreLacey's Birth Story: Emalynn
I discovered I was finally pregnant with Emalynn almost 8 months after my husband and I began the journey to become pregnant. It seemed like those 8 months were truly years. I was anxious that something was wrong and that we wouldn’t be able to get pregnant. The day the test showed positive, I was an emotional wreck. Earlier that week I had taken 2 pregnancy tests and they had shown negative. The fact that it was positive was a shock, even though I wanted it so badly, and even though my body had been telling me for a while that it was beginning to support a new little life. I had been feeling sick and very tired. The positive pregnancy test was definitely an answer to all of our prayers. This was my second marriage and my 4th pregnancy. Our daughters were 13, 12, and 9. We had all been dreaming and praying that we would get the privilege to add another member to our family.
Read moreA Midwife's Own Birth Story: Part Two "Hunter Jackson"
When I became pregnant with Hunter in 2010, I was not only thrilled that we would be welcoming a new little one into our family, but also that I would have the chance to give birth differently than with my daughter. While her birth was wonderful (see my other blog posting “A Midwife’s Own Birth Story: Part One Keira Sage”), it felt like something was missing for me. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I knew I wanted something different….something more empowering.
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