Homebirth

We ask that you call us when you first go into labor so that we are aware of the possibility of birth. When you are in active labor, we will come to your home and prepare our equipment. Our birth bag, in addition to the supplies gathered at your home, will have all of the essential midwifery tools needed to have a safe homebirth. Upon arrival, we will listen to your baby’s heart tones and check your vital signs to make sure that you and the baby are healthy and labor is progressing normally. When possible, there will be 2-3 people from our team present at your birth.

During active labor, depending on your needs, we will provide support as necessary, but we are usually very hands-off. Your sacred birth space is a place for you and your support people. If you feel that you will need a lot of hands-on support, we encourage you to hire a doula. Also, any older siblings should have a dedicated person to care for their needs during labor. We offer water birth* as an option to provide pain relief and relaxation during active labor. Please speak to our team if this is something that you are considering.

Once the baby is born, we make sure that you and your baby are transitioning well. We help initiate breastfeeding, if desired. Initiation of breastfeeding within the first 1-2 hours is best practice. We believe in minimal separation from your baby. It is our standard practice to delay cutting the umbilical cord and have the baby remain on your abdomen or chest in the minutes after birth.

We typically stay for several hours to make sure that you and your baby are both stable, bonding is established, breastfeeding initiated, and you have voided and eaten. Your newborn exam will be performed at least one hour after the birth so that you have time to latch and bond with your baby first. We never take your baby from your side.