Benefits of Having a Home Birth with a Midwife
The normalcy of birth is promoted with midwifery care.
The birth setting is where the family feels familiar.
Information is shared and decisions are made together.
Emotional support is provided.
An awareness of the spiritual significance is acknowledged.
Care is individualized and continuous. A relationship is established between the client and care giver based upon trust.
Having a home birth can be empowering for women. The birth experience is important too not just "a healthy baby, healthy mom".
In home birth, the family's values are honored. The partner has an opportunity to be involved. Siblings can attend the birth. Some families attribute having a home birth with reducing sibling rivalry later.
Safety of Home Birth
The MANA Statistics Project, the largest study done on homebirth in the United States with over 16,000 homebirth participants, showed 89% success rate with giving birth at home, 87% VBAC rate, and 86% of mothers were exclusively breastfeeding at 6 weeks postpartum.
"We have a secret in our culture, and it's not that birth is painful. It's that women are strong."
-Laura Stavoe Harm
Midwifery Care Package
Prenatal Care
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Routine prenatal visits at the Willow Tree Family Center
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Monthly prenatal visits until the 30th week of pregnancy
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Bimonthly prenatal visits from 30 weeks until 36 weeks
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Home visit at 34 weeks (birth team attends)
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Weekly visits after 36 weeks
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Labs and routine prenatal tests provided
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Access to ultrasound
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Optional birth pool kit if hydrotherapy in labor is desired
Home Birth
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Continuous hands-on labor support and birth assistance
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Verbal guidance for a gentle delivery
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Immediate postpartum care until mother and baby are stable (usually 3-4 hours)
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Newborn exam including weight, measurements, and any routine medications desired
Postpartum Care
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Maternal and well-newborn care visits
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24 hour home visit
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3-5 day home visit
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2 week visit at the Willow Tree Family Center
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6 week visit at the Willow Tree Family Center
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Breastfeeding support
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Routine newborn tests
Waterbirth
Water birth is said to be the easiest transition for your baby when entering the world. The temperature and texture of the water emulate the environment of the womb, making the birthing experience as natural as possible for your baby.
Water birth is beneficial for the mother and the baby. The pool gives the mother a protected and private space to gently birth her baby. Hydrotherapy can provide significant pain relief decreasing the need for drugs and interventions. The water’s natural buoyancy promotes freedom of movement and relaxation allowing the perineal muscles to become more flexible and less likely to tear. Water can be soothing to the mother decreasing tension and anxiety, which can speed up and shorten the length of labor.
Birth Team
Gentle Strength Midwifery has a birth team of two midwives and one student midwife. Sandra McCurdy is the primary midwife and she works very closely with Rebecca Burkett, LM, CPM, of Allomother Midwifery. Students are trained birth assistants, doulas and are enrolled in a MEAC accredited midwifery school.
