Homebirth Midwifery

Homebirth

We became home birth midwives because of a drive to see individuals give birth in a manner that affirms their dignity and power. To see babies born in an environment that honors their being. We believe when you are given a supportive and safe environment, you are more able to tap into your instinctual wisdom and birth unhindered. We pledge to do our very best for you, to be alert and attentive to all aspects of your well-being, and to do our utmost to see that your child emerges into an atmosphere that is nurturing for the whole family. We acknowledge and appreciate your trust in us through these sacred times of transformation.

Fears arise and dissipate. Ideals are created and surrendered. Identities grow and evolve. Giving birth can be loud or quiet, long or short, intimate or social, painful or blissful, and often, in its wholeness, is a mixture of many of these things and more. Our philosophy embraces all of these experiences as essential parts of the process.

While each birth unfolds uniquely, these principles are held in common:

  • Gentle, Physiologic Birth: We foster a gentle birth by encouraging you to eat, drink, rest, and change positions frequently during labor. We practice delayed cord clamping and respect the bonding process.

  • Personalized, Trauma-Informed Support: Your desired level of privacy, touch, and encouraging words is honored.

  • Inclusive Environment: Partners, siblings, doulas, and other chosen support people are welcome at your birth.

  • Mindful Monitoring: Attention is paid to your baby's heart rate, your vitals, and the overall safety of the birth as it unfolds.

Prenatal, birth, and six weeks of postpartum care for you and baby.

What you can expect from Southern Oregon Midwifery:

  • Appointments every 4 weeks from conception through 28 weeks, every 2 weeks from 28–36 weeks, and weekly from 36 weeks until birth.

    For more details about our prenatal and postpartumcare click here.

    • Comprehensive Birth Services: From 36 weeks to 42+6, we provide continuous care and support during labor, birth, and the first hours after birth.

    • Supportive Environment: We support you or a loved one in catching your own baby, if desired.

    • Medical Consultation and Referral: Available as needed.

    • Immediate Postpartum Support: For both you and your baby.

    • Complete Birth Equipment: We bring a complete set of birth equipment to your home, including herbal remedies, pharmaceutical medications, an oxygen tank, resuscitation tools, and a Doppler for monitoring your baby's heart rate during labor.

  • Six comprehensive postpartum visits to ensure ongoing support and care.

    For more details about our prenatal and postpartum care click here.

  • Sometimes, warning signs indicate that intervention is necessary beyond our scope of care. Whether it's your or your midwife's intuition, vital signs outside of normal limits, or other warning signs during pregnancy, birth, or postpartum, these can result in a transfer of care to a physician or hospital. You will receive a document listing our transfer criteria at your first visit so you know what types of complications could risk you out of midwifery care. When complications arise, we are grateful help is available.

    Midwifery care is ideal for many pregnancies and births; midwives are experts in physiologic birth and are trained and skilled in managing many complications that can arise suddenly and be resolved quickly at home. However, when situations and symptoms arise that are outside of normal, and risk is increased, hospital-based care can help us reach a healthy outcome. Usually, transports are not an emergency, but rather something we can talk through calmly and make the best decision.

    Very rarely, 911 is called to responsibly respond to an emergency. If we transport during labor, one of your midwives will attend your birth at the hospital, continue to advocate for your family, and provide support. Postpartum care continues in your home when you are released from the hospital.

  • We will respect your choices. We support your efforts to inform yourself and to be inquisitive. We thank you for what you teach us.

    You’ll have direct access to us, to ensure you have the support and information needed to be successful. Count on:

    • Regular check-ins to measure progress and guide follow-up calls.

    • Ongoing support via secure chat

    • Access to our resource library

FAQs

  • Doulas provide educational information, emotional validation, and physical support to a birthing person and their family. A midwife offers this same care while also having the added medical responsibility for the safety of you and your baby. All of the Southern Oregon Midwives have spent time serving as doulas and always welcome a doula addition to the team. Over the years, we have found doulas to be particularly valuable for first-time parents as they are able to remain with the family during the (sometimes long) early stage of labor. In these cases, doulas are able to focus more on emotional and physical support while the midwives are tuned into medical needs.

  • A recent study published by Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) revealed that in typical pregnancies, a planned home birth with skilled midwives offers lower rates of unnecessary medical interventions while providing safe outcomes, and positive benefits for the birthing parent and baby. The study looked at the outcomes for 17,000 persons who intended to deliver at home and found high rates of successful vaginal deliveries and vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) deliveries, low rates of gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia, low rates of low APGAR scores, low rates of emergency transport to hospital with the primary reason for transport being “failure to progress,” and low rates of interventions like pitocin or epidural.

  • The decision to have a homebirth is a profoundly personal one. We are happy to talk with you about your unique history and experience in order to help you determine if a homebirth with Southern Oregon Midwifery is right for you.

  • Yes. We love waterbirth and will help you figure out if it is right for you. The vast majority of our clients spend at least a little time laboring in water—whether it’s the shower, your bath, or in one of our birth tubs.

  • Although very infrequent, baby storms do happen. We have partnered with other midwives in the area to support each other if all of the babies decide to come at once.

  • We have attended many births in apartments, and we are experts at working in small spaces. As you enter your due range, you might want to inform your neighbors you are planning a home birth.

  • We’ve got you covered. As your new family bonds and gets to know each other, in that golden hour after birth, your midwives will begin tidying up the birth space. We will whisk away the tub, begin a load of laundry, and take out the trash. Our goal is to leave you feeling serene while you snuggle your new baby.

  • We have many tools to manage pain in your home. First, we will remind you to listen to your body. Move when it tells you to move. Walk, squat, get in the water, and rock your hips. As midwives, we follow your lead and will offer gentle direction when appropriate. We will squeeze your hips and rub your back and/or assist your people in doing that for you.

  • Birth is powerful! Birth is intense! It is overwhelming and profound. But there is a difference between power and suffering, and while birth can toe that line, we do not want you to suffer. You may decide that the hospital, with an epidural, is the best place for you to give birth. We will always honor and respect your decision on where and how you birth your baby.

  • Great! We would love to serve you! Let’s meet and talk about your pregnancy.

  • We strongly believe that people should feel safe wherever they decide to deliver. We would love to support you in any way we can. Check out our Conceirge Midwifery option.

  • Often, yes. Many insurance companies will reimburse for midwifery services. Southern Oregon Midwifery does not directly bill insurance; however, we have partnered with a third-party biller, Birth Professional Billing, who specializes in out-of-hospital midwifery billing.

    This service is offered for reimbursement purposes only, meaning you will pay for midwifery care in full in advance of your birth, and then work with Birth Professional Billing to secure reimbursement.

    Our hope is that paying upfront allows you to budget accordingly without being surprised by a bill months or years after the birth of your baby.

    To verify benefits at no charge, please visit the Birth Professional Billing website and enter the information needed after clicking the "Verification of Benefits" tab.