Pregnancy Care
All visits during your pregnancy will usually take anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour. We will spend time talking about your physical and emotional needs, along with discussing your plans for the pregnancy and birth. Additionally nutrition, pregnancy discomforts, and family relationships & stresses will be reviewed.
During each visit, the following will be assessed: your blood pressure, measuring the baby's growth, feeling the position of the baby, urine check, and listening to the baby's heartbeat with a doppler (or fetoscope if desired). At least one prenatal visit will be in your home around 36 weeks, this will be a birth plan visit; again reviewing your plans for the birth.
Home Birth, Water Birth and Postpartum Care.
One-to-one care and support is provided during labor according to the individual needs of the woman and her family. Some women enjoy hands-on support and guidance while others want solitude and independence. We take my cues from the individual families. We encourage the use of water during labor and have extensive experience in water births, including one of my own births.
After the birth, the Assistant and Midwife will stay for 2-3 hours to ensure that mother and baby are stable and that breastfeeding is off to a good start. During that time we will also complete a newborn exam. We will visit the new family in their home within 24 - 48 hours and accomplish the newborn screening test. A one or two week visit in the home and a six week postpartum office visit are included.
Breastfeeding Care
We provide years of personal breastfeeding experience, and have helped numerous mothers overcome breastfeeding problems. We also refer clients to lactation consultants and to La Leche League for additional support.
Holistic Well-Woman Gynecology
We provide annual well-woman check-ups in our offices; including Pap exams, lab work, testing and treatment for vaginal and urinary infections, and menstrual cycle issues can be addressed. We work with both natural remedies or pharmaceuticals, depending on necessity and client desires.
Family Planning
A full range of family planning options are available. We can provide counseling on natural family planning, lactational amenorrhea, barrier or non-hormonal contraceptives, and hormonal prescriptions. Also preconception counseling can be addressed.