Womblove Birth Services

Midwifery Care- Is it for you?

Many people are not familiar with what a midwife does, how she was trained or how her care differs from a doctor or obstetrician. I recently spoke to a dad who said when his wife mentioned a midwife he envisioned an elderly medicine woman with no teeth lol! Todays midwives are a far cry from that, however we do strive to continue the ancient art that is midwifery. We also utilize the wealth of knowledge available to us now. All licensed midwives in the state of Texas are certified in neonatal resuciation, basic life support skills and carry oxygen, medications to inhibit excessive bleeding and even IV's. We offer comprehensive prenatal care including bloodwork and labs as well as ultrasound referals, we also provide newborn care for the first six weeks including newborn screening. Our training is intensive and thorough. We take our jobs seriously. Midwifery care is a wise choice for healthy moms and babies. Birthing with a midwife gives you many options such as home birth, birth center birth, waterbirth, VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) and vaginal breech birth. However homebirth is not for everyone. To find out if you are a good candidate for homebirth contact me here.

Midwifery model of care vs medical model of care

Midwifery Model of Care
*Focus on health, wellness & prevention *View labor & birth as normal physiological process *Offers continuity of care same care provider for prenatal, labor, birth & postpartum *Lower rates of using
interventions *Mother and family give birth with aid of midwife *Care is individualized

Medical Model of Care *Focus on managing problems and complications *View labor & birth as dependent on technology *Care is distributed to many (nurses, lab techs, on call dr's)
*Higher rates of using
interventions
*Doctor delivers baby with aid of mother
*Care is standard & routine

As a your midwife I offer personalized prenatal care in your home. Learn more about these services Womblove Midwifery Services.

Doula Support-to doula or not to doula, THAT is the question

Doula is another one of those unfamiliar terms. A doula is a woman who provides emotional and physical support before, during and after your baby's birth. I offer two types of doula support, pregnancy and birth doula support and postpartum support. As a birth doula I can assist you in finding a supportive caregiver, discuss your options, formulate a birth plan and assist you and your partner physically and emotionally during your labor and birth. As a postpartum doula I have helped hundreds of women with tips and suggestions to help ease the familys transition and aid mom in recovery as well as ensure succesful breastfeeding. Leanr more about my services here: birth doula & postpartum doula

Monitrice Services- say what?!?

A monitrice is someone trained in clinical skills related to child birth. This means that a monitrice will be an advisor for an expectant mother, helping her to prepare for the delivery, both physically (exercises, dietary changes, stretches, etc), and mentally. This does not include delivering the baby, which is the primary difference between a monitrice and a midwife. A monitrice will also usually be the first person contacted by the mother when labor seems to be beginning. The monitrice will usually come over and monitor maternal vital signs, including dilation, fetal heart rate, membrane rupture, and the position of the baby. This prevents false labor hospital visits dramatically.

Birth Photography-grunt, strain, push, smile!

One of my favorite jobs at every birth is catching amazing and unforgettable moments on camera. A mothers look of determination, a fathers look of adoration, a baby's first gaze into his mothers face, a siblings look of wonderment at first meeting. Contact me for prices and packages.

Private Childbirth Classes

There are many wonderful local options for childbirth education and preparation. The Bradley Method, Hypnobirthing/Hypnobabies and Birthing From Within are a few of my favorites. (check out my links for more info on these) However for those who are limited by time and scheduling I offer private childbirth classes that include a mixture of several methods in the privacy of your home. Contact me for fees and options.

Birth Pool Rentals-splish, splash and enjoy what is commonly referred to as the 'midwives epidural'

The benefits of water in labor and birth affect both mom and baby. Although most homes bathtubs can offer some comfort and relief to acheive the full benefit of water in labor and birth full body immersion is necessary. With this in mind I provide rentals of birth pools that provide depth, warmth and plenty of space for mom and her partner.