January 4, 2018 by gentlemidwife

Looking Back & Looking Forward!

As we head into 2018, I want to say thanks to each of the families we served last year. It is always an honor to be asked to care for each mom & baby, and it’s a special privilege to be present when the miracle of birth occurs. It was definitely a year full of variety, with many random & unusual situations and circumstances. Babies ranged from 6 lbs to over 10 lbs, arrived anywhere from over two weeks early to just past two weeks late (!), most came during the night (yay for cooperating with my own sleeping baby!), many were fast labors, and all the moms were amazing! Being a midwife you end up walking with families experiencing great joy as well as heartache when families have to say goodbye before they meet their little ones. There are also the situations that tax your skill and abilities, and the challenges that leave you researching and looking for answers. I am grateful for the opportunity to expand my experience an education, but I’ll also be honest and admit that I’m hoping for less of these experiences in 2018!

Some of our sweet babies in their “born at home” onesies!

I continue to be grateful for the help of my backup midwife, Rose Marie (who took such good care of clients when I was out of town, and then later on maternity leave), and that of my assistant, Lynelle. Besides being a great assistant, Lynelle also expanded her experience when she ended up catching her first baby (my son!) just as Rose Marie arrived. That was a special surprise for her! Having a team of ladies to depend on, call when needed, and work with definitely helps to make the work of midwifery much more sustainable long-term.

Fun birth memories with Rose Marie and Lynelle!

As we head into a new year, and anticipate the first babies of 2018 due soon, here’s a few updates:

We have some new resources in the library! Two NEW books were published in 2017 that are excellent reads for pregnant moms. The Positive Birth Book by Milli Hall is just what the title describes. And my new favorite pregnancy book is Mama Natural’s Complete Guide to Pregnancy & Birth. It’s a week-by-week guide that covers all the details from growth & development of baby to what you should be eating, thinking about and considering-all from a natural perspective! So far my clients have enjoyed it so much that I now own 3 copies so moms can keep it longer! We also have a copy of the “Why Not Home?” Documentary, which is available for those of you who may want that perspective as you contemplate home birth.
A *NEW* birth kit item: upgraded camera! While we can’t promise you professional photos (we are midwives, not photographers!), we have been delighted to add better photos for families who find that aspect important to them. A number of our families are delighted to have some better-quality photos before, during and after birth, especially if hiring a birth photographer is desired but out of reach financially. We occasionally add a third member to our team if photos are something you really want, and a number of our clients have been delighted with the result. Be sure to ask about this at your next visit.
New Playdates! We hosted our first mommy meet-up/playdate in the fall of 2017, and it was SUCH fun to see the families and clients that have become friends-we miss you! It was popular enough that we plan to do it again, so if you want to be alerted specifically about the next date, be sure to let me know!
Fun with moms and babies at our first playdate!
New, upgraded phone for the midwife. 🙂 I know, it’s about time! But if you don’t have my new number and are a former client (current clients all have the new # by this time!) be sure to drop me an email and ask for it!
And finally…a new student! Charity is just beginning to “test the waters” to see if midwifery is her calling, so she’s hoping to attend births in January (as long as babies give her enough time to get here!). We’ll see where things go, but we’re excited to have Charity join our team this month!

And as always, please let me know if you have any topics or suggestions of things you’d like to see covered in future blog posts. I hope to make the website more educational for clients, and would love to have it become a helpful resource for all expectant families! Be sure to follow Gentle Delivery on facebook and instagram, as well, as you never know what news or info may pop up over there!

Blessings in 2018…until next time!

January 10, 2017 by gentlemidwife

2016 Highlights for Gentle Delivery

What a year 2016 turned out to be! I’m very thankful for the many clients I was privileged to work with, and for the many special memories that were made. When it comes to births, 2016 was extremely unpredictable, and I’ll be thankful if 2017 isn’t quite as adventurous. We had one very early baby, one very late baby, a set of twins, a baby that came so fast we didn’t make it in time (!), and about everything in between. 🙂

A few highlights and items of interest from the past year:

– Great birth team and back-up midwife:

Rose Marie, Lynelle & Myself with twins!

I was grateful to have the ongoing help of my current student, Lynelle Martin, as well as the help, support and back-up services of Midwife Rose Marie Spicher. These ladies are great to work with! Since relocating to PA several years ago, I have really missed the network of midwives that I used to assist and work with, and Rose Marie has been such a blessing to fill this niche. I’m grateful to know that clients are in caring, capable hands during the times I need to be off-call or out of town.

– Opportunities to further my education: Attending one day of Midwifery Today’s International Conference in Harrisburg, PA was a great way to meet up with other

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Bridge Certificate

midwives, listen to lectures on issues and complications during labor, and make new friends in the midwifery world. I also had the opportunity to attend the Midwives Alliance of PA Educational Retreat, where we spent two days learning about a variety of subjects such as congenital heart defect screening, perinatal mood disorders, atypical findings in newborn exams, and more. Updating my Neonatal Resuscitation Certification and CPR at the local Mt. Nittany hospital is always a great way to get better acquainted with the closest hospital in my area, and I enjoy the learning opportunities these occasions afford. Finally, towards the end of the year, I submitted the needed proof of 50 hours of continuing education credits in certain areas (pertaining specifically to emergency and complications during labor and immediate postpartum) and applied for and received my “Midwifery Bridge Certificate”. This ensures that my education and training as a Certified Professional Midwife are also up to the standards set forth by the International Confederation of Midwives to ensure competent and qualified care for women.

– Addition of CCHD screening at postpartum home visits:

Trying out the Pulse Oximeter

One new requirement for midwives providing out-of-hospital births in PA is that of submitting Critical Congenital Heart Disease screening result along with newborn blood screening test. This year Gentle Delivery added a Pulse Oximeter to our kit, and we’ve been successfully performing this test on all of our babies since this fall. We’re happy to be able to try to offer our moms and babies a full range of services-did you know that free hearing screenings are also now available for our clients?

– First Public Event: “Birth Expo 2016” & “Why Not Home?” Film Screening

Celebrating Birth Expo 2016

We are attempting to help educate the public on the full variety of choices they have locally when it comes to birth-this includes support (such as doulas), care providers (CNM’s, CPM’s and OBGYN’s), choice of birth location, and resources that help them to succeed in parenting (such as breastfeeding and babywearing). With these thoughts in mind, Gentle Delivery hosted the first “Birth Expo” for Centre County in July 2016. We were very excited about the support of over 30 businesses and birth professionals that came together for the day, and we’ve received alot of positive feedback from parents who found out about resources they didn’t know were available in this area. Viewing the new film “Why Not Home?” also provided a way for more families to hear about the option of home and midwife-attended birth. The big question now is whether to host something similar in 2017…if we did, would you be interested in helping to make it happen? Please contact me with your interest!

– New Resources in the Library

The library in the prenatal office continues to grow, with more books and resources added in 2016. Some of my personal favorites include “Redeeming Childbirth” by Angie Tolpin and “Your Best Birth” by Rikki Lake. Check out the list of Recommended Reading to see all of the titles available for clients to check out.

– Gift bag for Newly Expectant Moms

Helping moms to connect with local support services and resources is something we are passionate about! Due to being located in a university town, many of the families we interact with don’t have any family or previous connections in the area. One way we have attempted to help with this is by giving each family who comes in for an initial interview a free bag full of samples from natural-minded companies, coupons, and lots of cards, brochures and information from many area birth professionals and mommy/baby-centered support groups and businesses. If you or your business would like to be included in this welcome bag, send us an email or message and let us know!

– Our own special gift to new babies…

And while not necessarily “important” news, we’ve had fun giving our babies in 2016 special onesies to commemorate their big event! I have fun taking the time to make each of these little shirts for our babies, and clients in 2017 can also look forward to this little “thank you” gift that we pass on to our families.

Thank you for allowing us to serve you all in 2016, and blessings to each of you as you head into the new year! Remember, too, to follow this blog for future updates, “like” us on Facebook to receive current info and informative articles (Gentle Delivery), and watch for our photos of new arrivals on Instagram @gentlemidwife . We’d love to keep in touch!

April 13, 2016 by gentlemidwife

News & Updates from Gentle Delivery!

There have been lots of things happening around here this spring, and I thought it would be good to give you all some updates on exciting new developments at Gentle Delivery Childbirth Services. Here’s a brief summary of assorted news items…take a minute to check out what is going on!

Addition of Pulse Oximetry Screenings for Critical Congenital Heart Defects (CCHD):

My new Pulse Oximeter just arrived in the mail last week, and I’m excited to be offering at-home CCHD screenings in keeping with PA legislation. These screenings have been mandatory in hospitals since Act 94 was passed in 2014, and this year midwives are being asked to join in reporting these screening results. This is a simple, non-invasive test that I will perform at the home postpartum visit within 24-48 hrs of your baby’s birth. To find out more about the testing, click here.

Matthias helping me try out the new pulse oximeter!

New Apprentice for 2016!

As some of you know, I’ve been working on confirming a regular assistant/student, and I’m glad to be able to introduce you to Lynelle Martin. You can find out more about her by clicking on the “Current Assistants/Students” page, and those of you with babies due this year will be meeting her as she helps out with prenatals once a month and attends home visits. She recently finished her Neonatal Resuscitation Certification, giving clients the added benefit of two CPR and NRP certified attendants at births.

Midwifery Today Conference:

I’m looking forward to writing up a more detailed report about some of the things I learned as I attended a day of the Midwifery Today Conference in Harrisburg, Pa. I enjoyed lively conversation with Lynelle and Rose Marie (another midwife I want to introduce you all to at a later time!) on the drive down, and was encouraged as I visited with many other midwives from all over the country-including Kathy, the midwife who delivered several of my siblings and was instrumental in getting me started in this field. Midwifery conferences tend to attract an extremely diverse group of midwives (ranging from Amish to Hippie and everything in-between!), and there are so many things to learn from each one. The added benefit is more CEU’s that I am required to get each year in order to keep my certification.

Lynelle, Myself and Rose Marie after a long day at the conference!

YourWaterBirth.com Account Set Up:

I now have an account with Your Water Birth, a business offering affordable waterbirth and homebirth supplies, and if you are a client you can contact me for a code that will give you a 10% discount on your order! While there is a very affordable option in State College for those wishing to rent a birth pool, this company offers a great deal for those wishing to purchase their own pool and supplies. Check them out!

Travel Dates for Winter 2017

Just giving you all a heads up that my family will be taking a 3 week trip to the Midwest from Jan-Feb 2017 in order for my husband to teach at a Bible School for young people. We’re excited about the opportunity, and I will be glad to give you referral information if you are looking for a midwife over that time. For those who like to plan ahead, here’s your chance! <smile>

Advertising Cards Available:

I recently printed up some post-card sized advertising cards that contain contact information, a testimonial and information about the CPM certification. These will be on display at the area kids’ consignment sale at the end of April, but if you would like some yourself to pass out to friends, family and/or local home-birth-supportive businesses, I’d be happy to provide you with a stack!

New Babies:

And lastly, no update is complete without a few pictures of sweet spring babies! Blessings as you enjoy the lovely spring weather that is here at last!

Nothing like a peaceful newborn!

so sweet and tiny

Ready to call it a night and tuck everyone into bed!

February 6, 2016 by gentlemidwife

The Peaceful Birth of Talitha ~ Part 2

Here is the promised second part to Talitha’s birth story. If you want the background leading up to where this story begins, click here.

By this point in the afternoon, the noise from downstairs was almost constant, as Chris was doing his best to finish the basement project up by evening. Lucy had called telling us that their ETA was around 8pm, and just ecstatic to hear there was a good possibility that she might get to be around to see her nieces’ birth (we had told her before that we would love for her to be there, but also told her not to get her hopes up, as there were still two weeks until the due date. I think she prayed pretty hard!). I think it was around 5 or 6 that I went ahead and took a dose of castor oil, hoping that it might help things move along in order to have a baby by morning. We were just getting ready to sit down for supper around 6:30, when Rose arrived at the door-she thought she’d just come hang out, and check in on us! During supper, she noted that I was having to breathe through contractions pretty consistently, to which I replied that “I can still talk through these so I’m trying not to notice them”. She just smiled. Chris ended up clearing out of the basement around 8pm (Joel finally told him he’d better just clear out-he hardly had time to finish the project after waiting so long to start in the morning!), giving us about 20 min. to sweep, dust, and start getting the bed ready, when Daniel & Lucy arrived at 8:15. Lucy assured me that she could make the bed. By now I was starting to notice the contractions, so I took Rose to see where baby things were, and we talked more about where we were planning to do the birth, etc. We opted to “camp out” on the main floor, as Daniel was going to be banished to the basement, and we were hoping the toddlers would sleep through the birth in their own beds upstairs. One huge blessing of home birth is the ability to be flexible with the birth location! (oh, and we became more flexible as the evening wore on…)

At 9pm, I felt that release of pressure and felt the trickle that made me think my water had broken…and sure enough, the next contraction confirmed that! Now THIS felt like the “real deal”, and I knew I didn’t have much time before needing a place relax free from distraction. I told Joel that it might be a good idea for the children to go to bed (they were still super excited about the arrival of their aunt and uncle), and he caught the drift, and hustled them off to bed. Daniel disappeared, and it didn’t take real long for our living room/fireplace room to be transformed into a birthing room! Joel had borrowed a large air mattress which he set up in front of the wood stove, and Rose & Lucy got all the supplies out and in good order. I found it most comfortable to sit on the ball, as it helped to be able to move and relax at the same time.

I had always dreamed about having lovely music playing while I labored, and during my pregnancy had been very blessed by the “Sleep Sound in Jesus” CD by Micheal Card. Joel so sweetly made sure to put it on, and I can still remember how special it was to meditate on some of those lovely songs between and during contractions. The mood of the room was so peaceful, with the lamps turned low, Rose & Lucy quietly chatting in the corner, Joel holding my hand (and not minding my squeezing him…during labor I DO NOT want to be touched, but I sure need his hand to squeeze!), and these sweet songs filling the air. The one in particular that stood out to both of us was “Even the Darkness is Light To Him”…the lyrics that kept repeating in my mind were “so you are safe as the light grows dim, even the darkness is light to Him…The Father above does not slumber or sleep, He wakefully watches our ways, then there’s no reason for you to weep…would not Jesus safely keep…?” Even though it was intense, it was also amazing to me to feel so at peace and at rest, after so many events, activities, responsibilities, etc. that had taken place those last weeks and months.

Time seems to stand still during labor, or at least you lose all ability to gauge time. I think I spent about 45 min. or so laboring on the ball, and feeling grateful that this time I had a chance between contractions to completely relax and prepare for the next one (so unlike my previous birth!), even though they were coming about every 2-3 minutes. Joel would encourage me, Lucy would ask questions about labor and birth, we’d all chat for a little bit, and then another one would hit. Although I have such peaceful memories, I’m also struck with the fact that I vividly remember thinking “this is the hardest work I have ever done in my LIFE…how on earth can women forget how hard it is to have a baby?!” So there is one perspective on the roller coaster of emotions in labor! Another thing, that when I’m not in labor I can laugh about, but the one piece of instruction that stands out the most to me from all my years of working with other midwives and childbirth educators, the thing I remember is “if your lips are loose then your cervix is too”. I can’t remember who said it, but it sure is practical! For some reason, that is a point I can focus on, trying to keep my face muscles loose, and thinking about how it means everything else is loose and open, too.

Sometime between 10:15-10:30, I all of a sudden wanted to go to the bathroom. Once again, you’d think I’d know, but when Rose asked if I thought it was time to push, I told her that surely things weren’t that far yet, and that I was positive this was just a result of the castor oil. She looked skeptical, but being the sweet midwife that she is, she just said to go ahead. As I moved to the bathroom, Joel left to get something in the kitchen. Once I sat down, I felt one massive contraction coming on, and immediately needed his hand. After several extremely intense back-to-back contractions, there was that massive feeling of pressure, and instant change in tone. At this point, Joel strongly encouraged me to move off the toilet…and I’ll admit that inside I was thinking that that was a totally crazy suggestion…lots of babies are born on the toilet…and how on earth can I move now?!? However, Rose had quietly brought in the birth stool, and when I saw it next to me it looked possible to move, which we did as soon as the next contraction was over. I can honestly say that I don’t find pushing enjoyable…it’s like the last sprint in a long race, and I wonder if I’m going to be able to do it…but within 2-3 contractions, our little Talitha entered this world at 10:46pm. Only 1 hr. and 46 min. after my water broke and active labor started-and the castor oil wasn’t even necessary! She seemed a bit stunned, and took a bit to pink up and really cry…I kept rubbing her over and pinching her toes and telling her to breathe…Rose commented that I sure couldn’t quit being a midwife, could I? Once she gave a good long cry I held her close, and was amazed-she was no little baby, and she had a lovely head of dark hair!

Less than an hour old here, I think!

The remainder of postpartum went well…I moved from the bathroom (seems like births have a habit of happening in the tight, small quarters of the house!) and snuggled into the temporary bed set up in front of the cozy woodstove (that night was one of the coldest we had that winter!), then Rose did the newborn exam. Even with all my determination to grow a smaller baby (her brother had been 9#), and all my attempts to eat a strict diet and exercise regularly, this baby girl weighed 8#15oz, and that at a good 2 weeks early! And no, my dates weren’t off! Big

Yoanna meeting her sister

sister Yoanna got to come down and kiss the baby, and her eyes full of awe were so sweet as she gazed on her little sister. After some food, and an absolutely lovely shower, I was packed off to my own bed upstairs. The ladies had the house looking normal again, Rose headed home (by now the snow had stopped, and the snow plows had gone through), and we enjoyed the pampering of Aunt Lucy for the next 4 days. Having her around to entertain the toddlers, cook meals, clean the house, and take care of all the little details was a tremendous blessing, and another gift from God.

Talitha Shalom means “Little Girl of Peace”, and it’s our prayer that she will embody this name as she grows, and that her life can be filled with God’s peace…just like the night of her birth was!

The children meeting baby the next morning

Three little ones to nurture!

Capturing her expressions

Dear Aunt Lucy and Uncle Daniel!

Less than 24 hours old!

Mama has her hands full!

Talitha with baby E-the one I caught just two days before my birth…this was their first time at church!

November 16, 2015 by gentlemidwife

Midwife + Nursing Baby = Crazy Stories!

For a little change of pace, I thought it’d be fun to recount some of the craziness that took place in my life over this past summer. With my third-born arriving in February, I took a break from delivering babies while we adjusted and recovered. As the summer came closer, and the due dates of those fist mamas approached, I’ll admit that I had some misgivings. For starters, it wasn’t like I was getting vast amounts of sleep. 🙂 Then, you add my dear, intense, unpredictable baby to the mix. The plan had been to bring the baby along, and make sure I had an assistant along to help out, should my baby need help while I was unavailable. I had these lovely visions of those “crunchy” midwives that you see doing everything toting their happy baby around on their back…but that’s not reality in my case!

my baby girl when these stories start…

My babies have all been of the “high needs” class, and baby #3 has been no exception. But that adds another dimension to the situation when you’re talking of bringing an extra little person along to something as unpredictable and intense as a birth! Thankfully, I was blessed with very understanding clients, and they were all duly warned beforehand that if I was hired, so was my baby…but I also promised to do my best to keep distractions to a minimum. So here are some tales from this past summer as I toted my little companion with me at all hours of the day and night!

As it turned out, I didn’t have alot of time to stress over how it was all going to work out, as my first mama went early. When I took the early morning call, I had to think that the timing was beautiful, as I had JUST finished feeding Talitha, and had just gone back to bed. (On another note, it also happened that my sister was staying the weekend, so Joel didn’t even have to babysit the other children!) This meant she was ready to be buckled into the van, where she promptly fell asleep-and she slept long enough for me to arrive at the house, unload, set things up and have my babysitter/assistant arrive to help me out. And it just happened to be my dear friend/helper who can now say she’s cared for ALL of my babies at births over the years. Beth did a great job of playing with Talitha, taking her outside for a walk when she was fussy, and acting as my second set of hands at the same time.

Beth entertaining Talitha

It felt like an answer to prayer, then, when my baby slept in the new baby’s nursery during the birth itself, and for the hour after. She even sat in her Bumbo while we finished cleaning up! With the exception of crying while the mama was in transition (this was when Beth took her for a walk!), she did really well. This made me figure that maybe this whole thing of bringing a baby along wouldn’t be so challenging after all…

Until the next birth! It was that evening that I realized that my baby girl does not appreciate Chipotle’s spicy chicken. I already knew that dairy products caused her stomach to protest, so I had forgone any cheese and sr. cream on my burrito the night before. But the chicken must have been too much. This time, a good friend from my church was along to help babysit, and provide any additional help we might need at the birth. All was well when we arrived, but as the evening wore on, Talitha protested everything…nursing…sleep, you name it. Lynelle ended up walking her up and down the road, and finally baby calmed down and went to sleep. But once she was down, she awoke for her usual night feeding, and blissfully slept through the birth and ensuing clean up. The biggest challenge, then, was getting home when it was her usual time to get up, and now mama wanted to sleep!

Fast forward several busy weeks…by this point, I had two mamas that could technically go anytime. And then at the last minute, I ended up taking over care for another friend, as her midwife had a planned trip out of town (planned well in advance-the hope was that this baby would arrive before she left!), and her baby had decided to take her own sweet time to arrive. Wouldn’t you know, the day this baby decided to come, all of my back-up helpers were either out of town or busy…and my own family was in the middle of helping to host a youth group of 20 from OH, as well as prepare for a big open house that the ministry my husband works for was hosting that evening. Timing can be amazing sometimes! 🙂 It’s also amazing, though, how God can work out all the details…a friend helped

Amy & Talitha

with my older children so my husband could finish his projects for the day, and one of the youth group girls graciously consented to being pulled into a totally unexpected job. Amy ended up not only caring for my baby, but also caring for the laboring mama’s older toddler, as well. The baby came in the middle of the afternoon, once again finding Talitha sleeping during the birth, and we made it back to the open house that evening just as they were ready to ask the blessing on the meal.

I had a couple of weeks to wait, then, as the next babies weren’t in any hurry to come. In fact, I had pretty much given up on being at either of them, as we had planned to be out of town for a weekend (again, this was planned before these mamas started care), and with both of the babies still inside, I figured the chances were slim that they would both wait on my return. But when we returned home from our little trip, both babies were still waiting! The amazing thing was that they also waited until after the following afternoon, when our church was having an ordination that my husband was part of…I wasn’t sure what I was going to do if I had received a call during that time! That evening, after a big, busy day in which Talitha missed a good nap, I got a call-and we decided that this time I should leave her home sleeping (she had just gone down), and hope that either I would be home by the time she got up, or else we’d figure out a plan B. I went on out, and after awhile realized I wasn’t going to be home to feed her, so my babysitter went by my home and brought Talitha to me, around 2am! She looked rather puzzled when she arrived, but after taking everything in, she nursed and went down for a good nap, waking once and needing some attention.

waiting patiently for mommy to finish paperwork

We went on to have a baby, and soon after I got another call-this time from the other mama. Things were happening fast, so after checking things over again, I left my newly-delivered mama in the hands of my assistant Gretchen, pulled Talitha out of bed and tucked her into her carseat, and raced across town. By the time I reached this home, I knew things were moving quickly, and since Talitha was sleeping, she just stayed in her carseat while I went in and joined my assistant (Lynelle) for the birth, which took place within half an hour of my arrival! Once Talitha awoke (about an hour later!), Lynelle brought her in and she was happy as a lark, and she did well the rest of the morning as we returned to the first mama and completed another appointment before we got home.

But the next birth was not so rosy from Talitha’s perspective…I had hoped that if things happened in the night, I could just let her sleep. My usual babysitter was unavailable, and after calling around, I found a friend who was willing to help out, and she brought Talitha to me when it was time for her to eat. Teething was in full force, and my little girlie was not a happy camper. I honestly don’t know what I would have done with out Heidi, who patiently walked her around the neighborhood until she went to sleep…

The last two births of the summer took place about a week apart, and both ended up being similar stories…both took place at some time during the night, both places Talitha protested being put to bed (I have a travel pack n play that would always take with me), and both times once she finished protesting, she went to sleep and was fine.

Sleeping peacefully in her bed

So thus ended the adventures of Talitha joining mommy at births!

As a general rule, I only take on 2 clients per month, as I find more than that very stretching…partly due to demands on family time, partly to the difficulty in sleeping after a birth when you have little ones at home, and partly because I want to enjoy being a mom besides being a midwife. 🙂 So doing 8 births in 3 months time was a record since I’ve been combining midwifery with family life. My husband and I marvel as we look over the summer…there were so many other things going on, besides these births, and yet we’re amazed at the way God directed and orchestrated these events. There is a dear older midwife around here that tells me God always s

eems to work things out in a perfect way…if I could just learn that from the get-go, it would eliminate alot of stress in my life! But this is a little picture of how things came together this summer, from just one perspective-that of having a nursing baby. Now that my baby is getting older, it will hardly happen anymore. On one hand, it looks much easier to not have that additional unpredictable factor included at births-and on the other hand, I’m going to miss my little buddy!

September 3, 2015 by gentlemidwife

My favorite conveniences for the first days postpartum…

If you’re like me, sometimes you roll your eyes at yet one more advertised item deemed a “necessity” for baby. Seriously, what more does a newborn need than diapers, a few blankets, and mama to snuggle with, sleep close to, and nurse whenever he wants? I’m not saying some of these accessories aren’t helpful-I have my favorites gizmos that I find to be a blessing (the bouncer and Bumbo being at the top of the list!), but I think we can forget that babies don’t need 101 items in order to survive the first days and weeks. That said, after having my third child earlier this year, I was reminded once again that there are some things out there, that while not necessities, can help in easing the transitions and recovery process during the initial postpartum period. I keep thinking I need to write them down, in order to share them with other mamas-to-be, so here’s my attempt at listing some of my very favorite postpartum items to have on hand:

Note: this list is totally of my own making, and the links given are solely for your benefit-these are NOT affiliate links, nor do I receive any compensation for posting these!

For Mom:

Depends/Disposable Underwear:
- No joke! This may be the only time in your life when disposable underwear seem wonderful. They are comfortable, keep you and the sheets clean, and make life easier…
  Snuggling with my littlest and the new big sister
A good quality, comfortable nursing bra:
- It’s been my experience that higher cost = higher comfort when it comes to nursing bras. My absolute favorite is the Bravado! Seamless Body Silk. It’s adjustable, has no wires, is easy to use, and adjusts to your continuing adjusting size during those first weeks!
Nursing Cups:
- These were new to me, recommended by a client. But I’ve found them to be a life saver during the days your milk comes in and your body is trying to adapt! They relieve some of the pressure, giving you some relief, and make it easier for a newborn to latch on. Depending upon my milk supply and the infant, I’ve used them for anywhere between 48 hours to 3 weeks as we get the latch/supply/demand/initial soreness figured out. If you struggle with inverted or flat nipples, these can also help to pull the nipple out, making nursing go much better. Here’s the ones I use: http://www.amazon.com/Pharmics-0813-0099-00-O-cal-ette-Nursing-Cup/dp/B002UKXLJK
Wish Garden New Mother’s Salve:
- Nothing beats this salve in being the ultimate for nipple care and repair. Used after every feeding, it helps relieve soreness, heal trauma, and is a general all-purpose healing salve for about anything else, to boot. We keep it around and use it for wounds, bruises, etc. when it’s not being used for a newly nursing mommy! Find it here: http://www.inhishands.com/new-mothers-healing-salve/
Maxi-Milk herbal tincture:
- Whenever I sense my milk supply is low, a few days of using this supplement always makes a difference. I keep it on hand for those times when baby is experiencing a growth spurt, sleep is in short supply, or when the schedule is unusually hectic. A hungry baby is an unhappy one, which then makes for a stressed mama! Nothing else I have tried works like this stuff does. Order it from: mountainmeadowherbs.com
Nursing pillow or several extra pillows:
- Having a good pillow handy during those first days of breastfeeding can help get baby in a good position, and keep your back from the strain of bending over…sometimes you don’t even realize you are bending over or getting uptight as you help baby nurse…but this can help you relax and save you from some stressed muscles!
A few good books:
- The first 2 weeks after baby comes are a critical time for you as a mom to lay low, rest, and enjoy these first days with your baby. I’m always amazed at how long it takes a newborn to nurse those first weeks, and I find that I enjoy having a few good books around from my “reading wish list” to enjoy makes that time feel like a mini-vacation.
Thank you notes:
- I know, you need to rest those first days, but I find, too, that those first 2 weeks while I have extra help around and meals coming in are the best times to write little notes. Once I start getting back into “real life”, that time evaporates. So I like to be prepared ahead of time, with blank note cards so I can keep from getting behind on writing notes to those who bless us!
  Enjoying my little “vacation”…you can see my little tote on the end table
Postpartum Tote:
- Before my baby came, I prepared a little portable tote basket with the essentials I would need, in order to eliminate trips up and down the stairs. It contained nursing pads, salve, diapers, wipes, and a few other items that I might need, and I kept it on the end table by the couch. It saved me many steps, as the rest of the baby items were upstairs!

For Baby:

Coconut Oil:
- This stuff is amazing for baby skin care! With the antibactieral properties, it helps to keep cradle cap and baby acne at bay, as well as nourishing baby’s tender skin, and adding moisture during dry months. This time I purchased the liquefied oil, in order to make it easier to use, and sometimes I’d add a drop or two of some sweet-smelling essential oil to lather baby with after her bath.
  All cozy in her muslin blanket while big brother holds her hand!
Bulb Syringe:
- The 2oz. size works the best, in my opinion. Many times your midwife will include one in your birth kit, but they can also be purchased from medical or birth supply companies. These are great for the occasional gagging babies due on mucus, or for cleaning out stuffy little noses so baby can sleep better.
Muslin Swaddle Blankets:
- I love these! While the name brands do seem to be the softest, the “off brands” work as well! The cotton is breathable, allowing baby to be comfortable while still feeling secure when wrapped tightly. And they make great nursing covers, or sun shades for baby…and they are big enough they can still be used when baby is past the newborn stage!
Baby Book:
- If I don’t have a baby book ready to write in, then I miss so many little events of those first few days. Plus, the extra time mama has to sit and hold baby also translate into a few extra minutes to jot things down as they happen, rather than trying to remember after the fact!
  Lots of love and kisses!

So, what are your favorite items? Anything you would add, or give to a new mama? I’d love to hear your suggestions and thoughts!

February 27, 2015 by gentlemidwife

Announcing our new arrival…

Baby Talitha joined our family on Feb. 18th, born at home, and weighing in at almost 9#! We are thoroughly enjoying her, and this explains why I may not have responded to your emails or other communication if you’ve tried to get in touch with me recently. More details regarding her birth will be shared eventually, once I have a chance to process everything, recover, and become a bit more accustomed to life with three little ones. 🙂

For now, here’s some pictures of our sweetheart:

Sisters meeting for the first time…midwife getting ready to perform the newborn exam

Happy siblings!

2 days old…

Sleeping peacefully all wrapped up

We love her!

October 16, 2014 by gentlemidwife

Remembering seven years ago…a thank you to many of you!

I had to stop today and remember what happened on this date seven years ago…it’s actually hard to believe it’s been that long! I’m sure the fact that it’s also one of my grandmother’s birthdays helps to remind me of the actual date, but it’s fun to take some time and think about and remember some of the dear people that played such an important role in the midwifery aspect of my life. It was on October 16 in 2007 that I had the great privilege and wonder of “catching” my first baby…

As a student midwife, I had been eagerly anticipating when this time would come. By that point, I had finished almost one year of the academic work required to complete my training, and I had been working, living and training at Family Birth Services, a birth center/training center since the end of May of that year. Living at FBS was like studying midwifery by immersion…that was seriously most of what you did all the time…live, talk, think, dream and study birth, babies and mothers. Since my arrival at the birth center about 5 months before this, I had spent many hours sitting in prenatal appointments, talking with other midwives, attending births in a variety of settings, and trying to take in everything I possibly could.

Family Birth Services was a wonderful setup for aspiring midwives. Besides being staffed by a lovely group of ladies (who didn’t mind questions and discussions going on into the wee hours of the night!), those of us who were students were offered the opportunity to truly get our hands into the work as the birth center offered discounted rates for those families who chose to have a student provide them with care. When I think back to the families I had the joy of working with (many of whom still stay in touch today!), it makes me incredibly grateful for the investment they made in my training. Getting the opportunity to learn how to care for mothers and babies while assuming a major portion of responsibility is one of the best ways to learn! And I’m grateful, too, for the midwives who tirelessly gave of themselves to supervise and ensure that the clients were still receiving safe, quality care while allowing the student to provide as much care as they were capable of.

So, come October, I was feeling mixed emotions about when I would get to play the primary role in my first client’s birth. At this point, I had already had two primary care clients who had already delivered…one who went preterm, and another who ended up delivering while I was gone at a required midwifery training workshop. I should back up here, too, and note that while I had been assisting with other births, each of us students especially savored the relationship we had with our “own” primary care clients-these were the ladies we were providing care to under supervision, and whose births we were the most involved with. Due to the fact that I had some ability to communicate in Spanish, I was give the opportunity to take on my own primary care clients earlier than most students, as there were no other students available at that time who were able to offer Spanish speaking care. My dear Spanish-speaking supervising midwife, Sorani, had her hands full as she not only worked to help me communicate with clients, but also worked to make sure I was covering all the details needed especially since I was so early in my clinical training.

Given the fact that my two previous clients had not turned out the way I was hoping, I was beginning to wonder what might possibly happen with my third client. Sorani patiently encouraged me to trust the Lord with the timing and outcome, and relax while we waited for this baby who was taking her own good time to come. I still remember getting the call on my phone in the wee hours of the morning, and thinking that here was my time to put into practice the things I had been learning! Things seemed to be progressing well, and since this birth was planned to take place at the birth center, my client decided to come on in.

I’ll never forget the thrill that went through me when, just about 2 hours later, I helped this beautiful little girl enter the world during a lovely picture-perfect birth. While the difficult births would take place later, this first one was beautiful…totally breathtaking to me as a new midwife, and thrilling as I realized again how much I was drawn to the birthing process and how fulfilling this work was-even at 4 in the morning! 🙂 I’m sure Sorani (who was supervising) and Peggy (the other student assisting) won’t forget how they had to pull me down to earth and remind me that I really should eat something before my blood sugar crashed due to the high I was on! 🙂 We had a special celebration with hugs and ice cream in the kitchen early that morning, and I was reassured that this was indeed the work that I thoroughly enjoyed doing.

While there have been lots of other experiences in the years since, this birth still stays clear in my mind. And on this day when I remember this particular birthdate, I also want to thank all of those who invested in my training…the families who allowed me to be a part of their birth experiences, the midwives who allowed me to be part of their practices, those who spent hours teaching/instructing/coaching me, the other students who I trained alongside of, and the Lord who opened the doors and allowed me to be involved in the beautiful & intense work of assisting new lives into the world. Thank you!

Baby L just a few hours after birth…dressed and ready to go home!

September 30, 2014 by gentlemidwife

Random Life Happenings…

Well, my hopes to keep up with blogging a post at least once a month fell to the wayside this summer! My big plans and ideas came to a rather screeching halt when we found out that we have another little one on the way…soon after that discovery I was sick enough with morning sickness that I found it hard to keep anything up besides the bare minimum! I’m very grateful to be past the 1st trimester by now, and we’re anticipating our new arrival to make his/her appearance come early March. This news does, of course, have ramifications for midwifery-at this point I am taking clients until the beginning of February, and will then take time off until May. For updates on my client schedule for the next months, feel free to check out the “current availability” tab.

We had a fun family trip out to KS for my sister’s wedding at the beginning of July. All of my immediate family (along with much of my extended family) lives in the central KS area, so it was good to reconnect with family and friends again. Making memories by taking horseback rides, going fishing, eating donuts with Grandpa, visiting the zoo, and in general being spoiled by all the grandparents, uncles and aunties made for a lovely time as far as the children were concerned! 🙂

Family Photo at Aunt Charis’ wedding

Two baby girls made their appearance in June, with both of them ending in lovely births. It’s always a special privilege to be involved when a baby makes it’s arrival…those first moments of a family being together for the first time, savoring the new baby looks, smells and cuddles are all so amazing and unique to each individual, and it makes me so grateful to be able to be a part of it!

Little baby K, and my sweet assistant Beth, who also helped me with the delivery of baby K’s big sister!

My little guy delighted to hold baby C. when she came for a visit!

Another new development that has occurred recently is taking on a new student here at Gentle Delivery Childbirth Services. At some point in the near future, I’d love to tell you more about Emily, but I’ll just give you a little teaser for now. 🙂 Those of you who are current clients will likely be meeting her in some of your upcoming visits, and from the interaction we’ve had so far, I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy her and her passion for serving mamas and babies in this special time of life. Emily is just getting started in her training, and I’m excited about having a steady assistant to help me out with visits and births during the months ahead!

September brought with it two little fellows, who both interestingly enough, decided to make their arrivals on Saturday nights! They both seem to be thriving, and if they continue at the present rate, won’t be little fellows for long! For both of these births, I had the assistance of Gretchen D, a midwife/assistant who lives nearby.

Baby R with Gretchen and myself

and here with baby L!

Hopefully it won’t be quite so long until next time…but there’s a little peek into my life the past while…and here’s a peek into what is to come, as birth kits are prepared for the upcoming fall babies!

Birth kits ready to be delivered to families at their home visits!

Have a lovely fall, and thanks for your continued interest in the work here. If you haven’t already done so, feel free to take a peek at our facebook page: facebook.com/gentledelivery. And keep posted on the blog for new pages coming soon!

June 21, 2014 by gentlemidwife

Another Birth Story!

We recently celebrated our daughter’s birthday, and I thought maybe you all would enjoy reading the story of her birth…this was written almost 2 years ago….just before the birth of our second:

Ever since my daughter was born, I’ve wanted to write down her birth story, both for myself and for her to read someday. Now that “little brother” will be making his appearance any time, I figured I really should get her story written before having another birth to get it mixed up with. So here goes….

Our baby was due June 26, which meant that I really wasn’t expecting to have a baby until the end of June, or maybe even the beginning of July. After seeing many first-time mama’s get so disappointed over not hitting their “due date”, and proceeding to go at least a week overdue, I was determined that I wouldn’t set such expectations.  This was one area where I really didn’t have an expectation…the week before she came, I was busily painting several rooms in our house (“nesting instinct” for sure!), and then Joel’s family hosted a surprise baby shower for us on June 18. While the shower really was a surprise, he had talked with me about dates for something, and I assured him that I would still be doing quite fine by Father’s Day weekend, with probably another couple of weeks to go yet. Shows you how much I knew, after all! During the last 6-7 weeks of my pregnancy, I had continued to get very swollen, and my blood pressure was creeping higher, so I wonder in retrospect if my body just realized that it was time to get the baby out.

I still vividly remember getting up Sunday morning and noticing some bloody show, and signs that my water had possibly broken. I wasn’t totally sure (and wouldn’t you know, that was the one weekend that another midwife was using my kit, so I didn’t even have the test strips to check it out!), but I started crying as I told Joel about it, which made me wonder if maybe I really was going to start labor soon. Since my mother had several labors where she experienced prolonged rupture of membranes, once again I didn’t want to count on anything happening very quickly. I figured it could be a good while yet before we saw any “action”, so I still got ready for church…I didn’t really want anyone asking any questions, and since our home is right off the road, I knew that EVERYONE would know that there was the possibility of something going on if I wasn’t at church and yet our vehicle was in the drive.  During the service I was a bit uncomfortable, experiencing some cramps and things, but still nothing regular. After church I had a humorous conversation with two moms about how I shouldn’t get my hopes up in going anytime soon…and inwardly I was smiling as I figured I probably only had days or hours left, and not weeks!

With it being Father’s Day, we had planned to eat lunch with his family down the road (they only live a mile from us, so it wasn’t far). Joel wondered if I still wanted to go, and once again I wanted to show up just to keep people from knowing what was going on. I still felt pretty good, though I could tell that the cramps were getting stronger, and I was beginning to lose a bit more fluid. Everything went fine until right at the end of lunch, when all of a sudden I just wanted to be home…and I was afraid that the pad I was wearing might not be catching all of the fluid! Joel caught the message that I wanted to go, so he made some remark about the pregnant mama needing a nap, and whisked me out…with my swollen feet and hands, no one objected to my not helping with dishes, or wondered anything about us leaving so quickly!

We came home and laid down, and right around 3 or 3:30pm, I experienced my first REAL contraction. Not one of those low-crampy kind of aches, but the actual thing. It woke me right up, and after that my adrenaline kept me from sleeping anymore. However, things still picked up slowly, with the contractions only coming every 10-15 minutes or so, and were fairly easy to relax through. At this point, we called our folks to let them know that it looked like I really was in labor, which of course made them all excited. I still was figuring on hours and hours yet to go, so I took care of some things around the house, and Joel had a friend over for an early supper (they sat out on the porch to talk). At about 6:30, the contractions got more intense, and started coming more frequently. Joel thought it would be a good idea to call the midwives and let them know, especially since one was coming up from Lancaster and had a two hour trip ahead of her. I told him that I was fine with letting them know what was going on, but that I probably had another 24 hours at least to go, so there wasn’t any hurry. He didn’t agree with me, which was a good thing!

By 8:00, we went ahead and had Rose come over, as Joel thought I should have someone here. He also called Debby and told her that he thought she should go ahead and come…and meanwhile the contractions were about 5 minutes apart, lasting around a minute. I changed into more comfortable clothing, and tried to get comfortable, though I wasn’t finding it easy. I finally got in the shower, which gave some relief. Rose wondered if I wanted to be checked, but I didn’t-I was afraid at this point that I was probably only at 2-3cm, and wasn’t sure I could handle that news with how intense the contractions were.  Joel started filling up the tub, as I always thought that I would like to labor in water…though our tub faucet wasn’t working well, and it took an hour to fill up! By 9:55, Rose suggested that she check me, and Joel encouraged me to…and I was a stretchy 6-7. That was encouraging, though the contractions by now were coming so close and so hard that I was finding it difficult to stay on top of them. The most comfortable thing I could do was sit on the birth ball, lean my head on the bed, and squeeze onto Joel’s hand…and there was NO way I could think about making the effort to get into the tub at this point!

That next hour was intense, with the contractions coming every 2-4 minutes, and lasting a good long time, and I was beginning to wonder how I could ever get through a whole night of this. I still remember thinking “they always say that when you think you can’t do it anymore, you’re almost through”, but then dismissing the thought as wishful thinking.  By this time, we were beginning to wonder where Debby was…Rose called her, and found out that she also figured she had a good amount of time to get there with this being my first baby and all, and she hadn’t left right away. I couldn’t blame her, as I would have done the exact same thing! Rose told her she should hurry…it was 10:40pm by that time, and I was close to 9cm. That surprised all of us! Just before 11:00, I started feeling pushy, and Rose said I was complete. Right about that time Debby walked in, so I felt like I could relax to begin pushing.

By this time I moved to the bed in a semi-sitting position, as it seemed to be the most comfortable for pushing. The pushing part was not at all what I was expecting…I guess I had heard enough moms say that they enjoyed that part of it as it felt like they were doing something, but I felt like I wasn’t making any progress, and there was a constant sharp pain near my pubic bone. It took only 35 minutes of pushing, and she was born with a nuchal hand…which I think attributed to the pain during pushing AND to the tear coming out!

Having that squalling little baby put on my chest was amazing…I kept looking down at her and thinking, “she’s mine to keep!”. Although we hadn’t had a sonogram during the pregnancy, Joel and I both felt like the baby was going to be a girl, so it almost felt like it was no surprise to see our little daughter. She pinked up and cried right away-just about as perfect as it can get. I was in for another surprise, though…I felt so sore that I could hardly move afterwards! The placenta came about 10 minutes after her birth, and I was so relieved to have everything all over, and thankful for how well everything had gone. Postpartum continued without incident, though it almost made me laugh to think of how difficult it was to get out of bed just to go to the bathroom, and how incredibly sore and tender everything was-and this was a small baby! I decided then that I did not believe the nonsense that is talked about in regards to a mom not needing pain relief if she is sutured right after birth, as she is still numb and on a high from the birth…that certainly was not the case! 

Rose was ready to go within two hours after the birth, and since Debby had been up the night before at a birth, she stayed the rest of the night to catch some sleep before heading back. We were so grateful for how the Lord took care of every detail, and gave us a wonderful first birth experience, and a beautiful, precious daughter!

our little princess!

Gentle Delivery Midwifery Services (Centre Co. PA)

"…He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." Isaiah 40:11

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