Introductions

2018 End-of-year Note
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2018 End-of-year Note

Recent & current clients received this letter in December. I’m posting it here to keep readers and followers current with Gentle Delivery as we head into a New Year:

Dear past & present clients of Gentle Delivery,

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Many of my #bornathome babies from 2018!

As the year draws to a close, I want to express my appreciation to each of you for allowing me to work beside you as you have welcomed new members to your family, or are anticipating new arrivals. It is such a privilege to be included in these beautiful times of life, and I am grateful to each of you for your continued trust and friendship.

In 2018 we welcomed many more boys than girls, with the smallest arrival being 7#1oz, and the biggest being 9#12oz. An interesting note is that about 75% of our babies were born in water this year! Lynelle continued to assist me with births this year, until she welcomed her own little boy in September. Since she has been taking a break, I’ve been grateful for the help of several other ladies including Kristina (who has been working with a local doula agency for some time) and Hannah, a midwifery student from the Lewisburg area. My latest birth was assisted by Rose, a long-time friend and soon-to-be licensed CNM!

I also continue to appreciate the help of my back-up midwife, Rose Marie. Having her available to cover when there is a special occasion, or being able to travel knowing that clients have someone local to call in case of emergency is a gift I don’t take for granted!

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Thankful to have such an array of great assistants and back-ups!

Another new feature that I was excited to add this year was connecting with an actual insurance biller who specializes in billing for midwifery care. This will hopefully result in better coverage and faster payment for those wishing to utilize insurance. More info is available at Napier Midwifery Billing.

I’ve enjoyed seeing many of you at the playdates we held every few months! This has been a great way to connect other local homebirth-minded mamas, and will hopefully help to build relationships in the community. I hope to facilitate more of these throughout 2019, so stay tuned for details.

My own family continues to keep me busy, with my oldest two being in 1st & 2nd grade. They attend a small co-op type school each morning, and I’ve enjoyed spending time helping out with some classes there, too. The two preschoolers are trying their best to catch up to their older siblings! We enjoyed several family trips this year, and are trying to treasure this time while our children are little. My husband, Joel, continues to work full time for All-Nations Bible Translation, and he’s been busy this fall finishing up his graduate work online. I am thankful for his support and help in making midwifery work feasible, as without his flexible work schedule and willingness to babysit, there would be no way I could keep up with midwifery responsibilities!

I’m looking forward to meeting a number of new babies already in the new year, and it looks like 2019 will be a busy one! May your new year be blessed, and thanks again for your interest in midwifery and home birth options in Centre County and beyond!

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The Martin Family – Fall 2018

The Return on Your Midwifery Investment
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The Return on Your Midwifery Investment

KeoniThe beginning of October found us celebrating “National Midwifery Week”, and the posts on social media about midwives and the personal care that they provide to so many moms and families got me thinking about the investment that midwifery care requires, on the part of both midwives and clients. Of course, one of the biggest investments that clients make is the cost involved. Sadly, many insurance companies are not willing to cover the costs of midwifery care, especially when it comes to delivering at home. This means that families have to weigh the costs, and determine if they can afford care out-of-pocket.

Oftentimes, it is easy to see the price tag (midwives are good at giving you all the costs up front, so you know what you are paying for at the beginning!), and think that a midwife must be making pretty good money.  But I wonder, have you ever stopped to think about all the “hidden costs” that are involved with midwifery? It’s easy to think that the only time the midwife is investing is the time you are with her…your appointments, your birth (and maybe you’re one that has quick births, so it doesn’t seem like THAT much time!), and a handful of home and postpartum visits. In communication with other midwives, I have realized that many clients don’t realize all the “behind the scenes” time and costs that a midwife incurs in order to offer safe, up-to-date, competent  & individualized care to each of the families she serves. So here’s an attempt to help you realize how much you are actually receiving in return when you choose to invest in midwifery care:

  • TIME: and not just the time you see her for your appointments and birth. On average, I spend about a minimum of 20-24 hours total with a client in-person (8-10 prenatal visits, 3-4 postpartum visits, and the birth…and of course, this amount of hours can be much more than this depending upon many factors!). However, there
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    After-birth paperwork

    are many hours spent on each client that you don’t see: writing notes about your history and ongoing care, filing paperwork for records, birth certificates, & tests, research when clients have questions or develop issues, answering questions via email, text & phone, submitting reports when required, attending state-required conferences, creating handouts with updated information, and the list goes on…

  • ONGOING TRAINING: if you stop and think about it, you don’t want to trust your life and the life of your baby to someone who practiced something 10 years ago, but has never reviewed her training OR has not continued learning, right?? But ongoing training takes time & money, especially when it oftentimes requires traveling for classes. Maintaining current CPR, Neonatal Resuscitation Certification and accumulating the needed CEU’s to keep your NARM certification current, CPM re-certification fees, and regular peer reviews are all ongoing commitments and costs that a midwife must stay on top of.
  • COLLABORATING CARE & NETWORKING: When a client develops a complication the requires more medical intervention, it can take a number of hours to locate medical professionals willing to see them, copy and fax records, contact the proper offices, and obtain referrals.
  • COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS: Another aspect of good midwifery care that is oftentimes overlooked is that of having good relationships with the local midwifery community. In order to have back-up arrangements (both for planned trips AND for unpredictable emergencies, which will occur at some point in a midwife’s career), a midwife MUST have a solid relationship with other midwives, and facilitating these relationships doesn’t just happen. Another aspect of community relationships is the side of the local medical community. To facilitate good transports when needed, a midwife needs to have a good relationship with local care providers.
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    Grateful to have good relationships with my back-up and colleague, Rose Marie!

    This translates into taking the time for peer reviews, staff meetings, staying up to date on local situations and politics, taking the time take thank you gifts and notes personally when services are received, and so much more. Having a positive relationship with local hospitals and doctors translates into better, quality care for clients, so it is a very worthwhile investment of the midwife’s time and energy.

  • OFFICE FEES: These costs are more obvious, but real nonetheless. You want to be able to reach your midwife anytime, ASAP, right? So she must maintain cellphone service and a working phone. Then there is the fax service that most medical offices require for sending/receiving medical records. Internet for research, copier for providing records for other medical providers & clients, ability to print forms, handouts, etc. I might also add that most midwives are doing all of their own office work, too, so time to order supplies, keep track of bills, payments, answer inquiries and all the paperwork that is required to run a business has to happen at some point!
  • EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES: quality equipment must be purchased and maintained in order to provide excellent, safe care. Dopplers, birth stools, testing machines, ability to sterilize instruments, repair of equipment when needed…all of these go into maintaining a midwife’s supplies.
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    Birth supplies ready during a labor

    Medications also need to be purchased in order to always have them on hand (even if you don’t use them frequently, you want your midwife to have them-and many of these items are not cheap!). Keeping emergency supplies to deal with the unexpected is also a real cost, as these things need to be keep up-to-date, which mean some items need to be purchased regularly, whether they are consumed or not.

  • RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION: You want your midwife to be able to get to you anytime…which means she needs a reliable vehicle in working order. Just last month we replaced all the tires on our vehicles, as my husband felt they were getting too thin to count on them during the winter weather. We also pay more to run an AWD vehicle as we have lots of snow & ice in PA. A midwife always needs to keep her gas tank full, and regular maintenance is a must.
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    A flat tire meant new tires for the vehicle had to be purchased ASAP!

    Oftentimes a midwife will routinely drive a separate vehicle to events in order to be able to leave at a moment’s notice, instead of driving with friends or family. This is additional expense she must pay for!

  • HOME & FAMILY COSTS: Another aspect of midwifery life, especially if your midwife has a family, is that of having reliable and available babysitting at a moment’s notice. Meals that can be prepared quickly, or household help during times when mom has missed lots of sleep attending births are also very real costs. A family certainly must work together in order to let mama help other families, and I am blessed to have this type of support from my husband and family. But we do pay for it-bringing in food/eating out at times and getting regular cleaning help are two ways our family has made midwifery life sustainable.
  • ON CALL STRAIN: The last item I will mention on this post is the physical, emotional and mental strain of being on-call. While most midwives stay in this field because they genuinely love serving families as they bring their babies into the world, there is the very real downside of always being on-call. If a midwife has a small, independent practice, this generally means that she is the one who always answers the phone unless she has arranged back-up. No matter how much you love what you do, there is a toll that it takes on your body to always be available. You honestly never know when the phone will ring, and you will need to totally re-arrange your plans and be ready for whatever is at hand, day or night. Most midwives’ friends get used to all plans being made with the contingency of “unless I’m at a birth”, but the honest fact is that sometimes it’s not a birth. Sometimes a client has an emergency right when you’re in the middle of a much-anticipated event, or right as you closed your eyes after being up for 40 hours, or…you name it! I’m not sure how one can put a price tag on this aspect, but it’s well worth whatever your midwife charges!

My hope is that this post can encourage families that they are making a wise investment when they utilize midwifery services, and perhaps give you a greater appreciation for all your midwife is doing to ensure that you receive quality, informative, excellent care. I’d love to hear your thoughts as you’ve read through this. If you’re a midwife, what would you add to this list (I know I haven’t covered everything!)? If you are a client who has benefited from midwifery care, what would you add or comment? Did any of these factors surprise you? Thanks for sharing your comments!

The Birth Story of Baby Darius
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The Birth Story of Baby Darius

It’s hard to know where to start with Darius’ birth story, as there were several starts-and-stops along the way during the last week or so of my pregnancy. Joel will shake his head and say something along the lines of “shouldn’t a midwife know when she is in labor?”, but once again I had trouble figuring it out.

To give some background (especially if you’ve read my previous birth stories), we had used our dear friend Rose as our midwife with our girls, and she ended up being the first one on the scene after Matthias was born (she was home on a school break THAT weekend, and our midwife was on her way from Lancaster, but Matthias came in a hurry-read his birth story here). We love her, but due to a variety of reasons (especially the fact that Joel has no desire to ever catch one of his own babies again) we decided that this time we needed to use a midwife who lives closer to us. In the past two years I have been blessed to meet and work with Rose Marie Spicher, a midwife who lives half an hour away, and who worked for years in TX (where I did my midwifery training). She provided the “mothering” care I needed throughout my pregnancy, and it gave Joel a sense of relief to know she wasn’t too far away. With me being on maternity leave the month of May, and the fact that everyone else was expecting in May as well (I have NEVER received so many inquiries for one particular month!), I was just hoping that she wouldn’t be tied up whenever our baby decided to come!

So fast-forward through all the months of sickness, fatigue, finding out that we were expecting a baby brother (the children are still certain this was a direct result of their prayers, as I was convinced it had to be a girl given how sick I was!), and everything else until the beginning of May. By early May I was reaching that totally-done-being-pregnant stage where I wasn’t sleeping at night, having lots of cramps  & contractions, felt extremely emotional all the time, and we were wondering just when this little fellow would decide to make his appearance. Between 34-36 weeks I was experiencing enough cramps and contractions to know I needed to take it easy, and once we hit 36 weeks I had a couple of times where I thought perhaps we were getting started-I distinctly remember one night when I couldn’t sleep because of contractions, so Joel & I slipped outside to take a walk in the moonlight. It would have been so romantic if I hadn’t been so uncomfortable! But everything always fizzled away, and left me feeling tired and discouraged.

At this point we were preparing for a visit from my parents, who live in Kansas. My sister had her first baby the month before, and my mom wanted to come out to help her over the time my brother-in-law was graduating and they were preparing to move. So she flew into northern PA, spent a few days with my sister, and was then joined by my dad. The plan was that they would drive down to see us before they headed back to Kansas, and of course we hoped that baby would arrive before they left, though we knew it was entirely possible that he would wait until they were home again. However, with all the early labor signs I had been experiencing, I’ll admit that I was getting my hopes up! Mom & Dad planned to arrive on Mother’s Day, and the night before I was trying to encourage things along, and ended up with a night of contractions with no baby to show for it. Everything was regular enough that I actually called my midwife to give her a heads up, but then it all petered out.

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Mother’s Day 2017

I really had to work through the disappointment of knowing that perhaps my folks wouldn’t get to meet their grandson on this trip. We didn’t know when we would be seeing them next, and I hadn’t realized just how much I had my heart set on them getting to be here to see MY baby while he was new and tiny. It took some talking, praying, crying and processing with Joel to get to the point of being okay with the fact that perhaps this time with mom & dad was to be spent enjoying their company and not stressing over whether baby was here or not. So for the next few days, my parents helped to take my mind off of waiting for baby, and we enjoyed some lovely family time at the park, taking walks, picnics, a backyard barbeque, and some time for Joel & I to be together while our children were cared for.

The last night of their visit, they took our two oldest children back to stay the night with them in their cabin. In the interest of full disclosure, I had taken some castor oil in the afternoon, knowing full well that there was a good possibility nothing would come of it, and yet hoping that perhaps it would give my body the nudge it seemed to be waiting for. I was NOT going to get my hopes up, though, and I tried to just go to bed to get some sleep. I think it was around midnight or 1am when I woke up with a contraction, and yet I tried to sleep, as it sure wasn’t the first time that random contractions had woken me up at night! After an hour or so of not really sleeping, I figured I might as well get up to see if moving around made them go away or get stronger.

Joel sweetly got up with me, and fixed me sourdough toast with strawberry jam-his mom had given me jam and sourdough bread the week before, and it was becoming a regular midnight tradition to eat a piece when I couldn’t sleep! After another hour or so, Joel commented that these contractions seemed to be pretty regular and close together. I did NOT want to give another false alarm to anyone, and didn’t feel sure that this was anything more than what had happened on previous nights. Looking back, they were coming close together (every 2-4 minutes!), but they weren’t very intense, and they didn’t last long, so I wasn’t convinced they were doing anything. With my previous babies, my water had always broken either before labor began or at the start of active labor, so I kept waiting for that to be the clue that this was the “real thing”.

At 4:00am, Joel really felt like we should call Rose Marie, as he said he thought this seemed more serious, and he did NOT want to wait until it was too late! So I  called Rose Marie, and I told her I still wasn’t sure this was “it”, yet Joel would feel better if she came, but she didn’t need to rush. The contractions were starting to get a bit more of an “edge” to them that took my breath away, but I still felt like I could make myself talk through them, though I preferred not to. Another sign I should have paid attention to!

Within 15 min of calling Rose Marie, all of a sudden things kicked in with a vengeance. Up till now I had still been puttering around, but hadn’t gotten birth stuff out yet, as I had gotten it all out and then had to put it all away a few nights before. I wanted to make sure I was in REAL labor before getting everything set up again, and figured I could do it in between contractions as a distraction. Well, that’s not how things happened. Labor went from being “not sure this is it” to “we’re in seriously active labor” in a few minutes! Joel called Rose Marie back and told her to step on it, and then he promptly called Lynelle (my birth assistant who was planning to assist Rose Marie with our birth-she lives less than five minutes away) and told her to come. I think it was around 4:30am when Joel called Lynelle, and boy did she know how to get over to our place in a hurry! Joel said he has never in his life been so happy to see Lynelle walk into a room, and it was just in time.

By this point my contractions were one on top of another, and I felt like I didn’t have any time to collect myself, catch my breath or get a break in between. Joel kept encouraging me to breathe through them (he didn’t want me pushing!), and I was leaning over the birth ball squeezing his hands for all I was worth, just praying that God would make it stop so I could catch my breath. Lynelle quickly realized things were serious, and started pulling all the birth supplies together. All of a sudden I told them there was no way I could keep from pushing any longer. It had been taking everything I had to blow through contractions, and I was done. I distinctly remember saying “you all are just going to have to catch this baby ‘cause I can’t keep him in any longer!” Lynelle calmly replied that everything was okay, and with the next contraction my water broke. Now I can laugh about it-that was the clue I had been waiting for all along to tell me if I was actually in labor! With the next contraction Lynelle could see his head, and she did an awesome job of coaching me through as I tried to breathe him out. Right at the point his head was delivering, Rose Marie walked in the room! Lynelle started to move out of the way, but Rose Marie just smiled and said it looked like she was doing a great job, so she might as well continue. Rose Marie guided Lynelle through the rest of her “first catch”, and the official birth time was 4:56am.

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Those first moments after birth…

I can still remember the absolute relief that comes from being finished, and laying down with my baby on my chest. He cried just enough for us to know he was great, and then he snuggled on my chest, and we all exclaimed over his head full of strawberry blonde hair-that was a surprise! We had a really special next hour or so as we reflected over the crazy labor, the special-ness of the unplanned “first catch” for Lynelle, Rose Marie’s perfect timing, and Joel’s relief that he didn’t have to do this birth alone. We had invited another family friend to be present at the birth, and sadly she didn’t make it time, but her sweet & joyous spirit added to the atmosphere in the room as Joel fixed breakfast and baby Darius had his first meal. Thanks for coming, Mary!

And then it was SO amazing to call my parents and tell them that their grandson had arrived! Having them able to bring our oldest two over first thing that morning was so special. They were able to watch the newborn exam, meet our midwives, and see the children as they delighted in meeting their new sibling. It was the “icing on the cake” to have them around, and able to snuggle their newest grandbaby that morning, before they had to leave that afternoon to catch their flight home.

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Yoanna & Matthias and Grandma & Grandpa meeting baby Darius. Yoanna was delighted to help Lynelle give him his first bath!

We had struggled with finding the right name for our little guy, and settled on Darius Rafael just a few weeks before his birth. Darius means “Upholder of Good” and Rafael means “God is Healer”.  It is our prayer that our little son will grow into a man who does good, and is used to provide God’s healing to others. He checked out at 8# 10 oz, and measured 20 in long. Matthias was absolutely delighted to have a baby brother, and they continue to have a special relationship as brothers.

Here’s a few more snapshots of Darius’ “birth” day…enjoy this glimpse into our little family’s life, and feel free to check out the birth stories of our girls, Talitha & Yoanna.

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Big sister Talitha was pretty excited to wake up and find that baby brother had “come out!”

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Rose Marie checking baby out

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Our amazing birth team-thanks so much for everything!!

Birth Photographers: Local Options!
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Birth Photographers: Local Options!

If you’ve been following the Gentle Delivery Facebook page (go like and follow here), you’ll remember seeing some photos this month of adorable newborns. April has brought some really cute babies! And there is something so precious and amazing about how these babies look in the first minutes and hours that can’t be captured at any other time. I am personally SO grateful for the dear ladies who took photos during those initial moments with my babies (one of my highlights of my baby born last year!), and it’s been something that I wish more women could have access to.

However, when I moved to State College, I was quite surprised to find out that birth photography itself isn’t a “thing” in this area. There are some great photographers willing to do newborn and “Fresh 48” sessions, but there’s not options for the mom who wants professional photos taken immediately before, during and after delivery. Now, to be fair, birth photography is a challenge-you’re asking someone to be on call, drop what they’re doing whenever you call, and to commit without knowing when, how long, and all of those details that make planning challenging.

But today I’m delighted to introduce you to some local options for birth photography that have very recently surfaced in this area! So, if you’re interested in hiring a photographer for your birth (one that can take lovely photos instead of the inexperienced shots that your midwife and her assistant get!), hopefully this list can help you by giving you some leads. If you’re wondering what all is possibly entailed in having a birth photographer at your birth, or what types of photos, etc., I would highly recommend you check out the sites of a few birth photographers that work in other areas of the country. A few of my favorites are T. Marie Photography , Monet Nicole, and Lyndsey Stone.

Catherine Malizia: Catherine recently contacted me, telling me of her interest in the area of birth photography. She stopped in my office for a visit, and I had a delightful time chatting with her and hearing about her vision to capture the amazing and special moments of birth for families. She is acquainted with birth in various settings, especially after spending some time serving with Midwives for Haiti. I think Catherine would do a beautiful job of respecting a family’s space and wishes in a birth setting-she definitely had the type of rapport that I think many moms would connect with. If you’re interested in hiring her, I’d recommend getting in touch and asking questions…she may be running some specials as she gets her “birth side” of her photography business off the ground! Besides her website (linked in her name), you can also contact via email: catherine@CatherineMaliziaPhotography.com

Denae Vigilante: Denae also works as a doula with the Doulas of Central PA agency. I had the privilege of attending a birth with Denae, and was impressed by her kind, gentle mannerisms. Birth photography is something Denae is doing more of these days, and you can check out some of her albums on her website!

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Photo Credit: Denae @ Vilgilante Photography

Sara Blose: Sara has recently joined the State College community, and is exited to offer the option of birth photography to her photography options beginning with due dates in November. I’m looking forward to meeting Sara in person, but am glad that there is yet another option for families in this area.

Are you planning to hire a birth photographer for your birth? Or are you local to the Central PA area, and you used a birth photographer? I’d love to hear about your experiences, how you chose your photographer, and what you’re looking forward to the most, or what you appreciated the most about utilizing a photographer. I’m sure other families would love to hear of your experiences, too, so thanks for sharing!!

Looking Back & Looking Forward!
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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!

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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.

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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!

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    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 unnamed (1) 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!

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Is Homebirth the Right Option for Me?
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Is Homebirth the Right Option for Me?

As a midwife providing home birth services, I hear this question frequently. It is my goal to provide families with the information they need in order to make the right decision for them-home birth is not for everyone, just like hospital birth is not for everyone! Ultimately, the choice of where to give birth and which care provider to use is the responsibility of the parents seeking such services, and it’s my desire to assist you by providing accurate information that can assist you in making this decision.

Since this question is one of the foundations of whether or not to pursue working with a midwife and planning towards a home birth, I thought it might be helpful to provide links and resources that may help you in determining the answer to this question. As always, I am happy to sit down and talk with anyone who wants to ask specific questions and discuss their options in person, but I know that many of you would like to gather some more detailed information before a formal meeting. Thanks to the availability of information via the internet, great books, educational videos and more, there are many resources that you can access to learn about the potential risks and potential benefits of midwifery care, and specifically the home birth option.

FILMS & DOCUMENTARIES:

  • Why Not Home? The Surprising Birth Choices of Doctors and Nurses: This is THE current film on home birth and why some families make this choice…and this film in now available to watch online and/or be purchased for home viewing! From the description on the website: Why would doctors who attend birth in hospitals choose to have their own babies at home? What do they know about birth that others don’t? Join Jessicca Moore, filmmaker and nurse practitioner, on a compelling journey through maternity care in the United States. Told through the lens of doctors, nurses, and midwives, Why Not Home? examines the latest evidence on risks and rewards of different birth settings. The film presents a balanced and accessible view on the latest research, along with moving personal stories of medical practitioners faced with big decisions for their own growing families. Viewers are challenged to move beyond preconceived ideas, and to envision a fresh future for maternity care in America. Watch it here.
  • The Business of Being Born: This film has been out for a number of years now, but it still contains some great information on birth choices, interventions, birth locations and more. You can watch it free on youtube here.
  • Natural Born Babies: short video of several moms and dads describing what influenced them to make the choice to deliver at home. Watch here

ARTICLES:

BOOKS:

  • Your Best Birth: Know All Your Options, Discover the Natural Choices, and Take Back the Birth Experience by Rikki Lake & Abby Epstien.  An easy-to-read overview of options available to moms, this book covers all the possibilities (hospital, home, OB/GYN, midwifery care, etc.) and why different options may work best for different situations and individuals.
  • Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin. Ina May began her career as a midwife back in the hippie movement of the 1970’s. Since then she has delivered thousands of babies, and has done extensive research in the field of natural birth, and she shares her wisdom in this book. She highlights the need to make a choice of birth location in which the mom feels totally comfortable, be that home, birth center or hospital. Great information about routine procedures, tests, and how to have a healthy pregnancy and wonderful birth experience.
  • Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care by Jennifer Block. While not a very positive or light-reading style book, this one can really help you understand how medicalized maternity care has become in our country, and enables you to think through some of the routine policies and procedures that are in place in our countries hospitals. Very eye-opening and thought-provoking.

WHAT MIGHT IT LOOK LIKE?

And finally, some couples wonder about what a home birth might look like. What about “the mess”? How can it work at home, if we’ve only experienced the hospital setting? How do midwives adapt to different settings, positions and environments? How does the medical side of midwifery care happen in a home setting? These videos, pictures and personal stories can give you a glimpse of what home birth with a midwife looks like for some families:

I’d love to hear from you-what helped you to determine whether home, birth center or hospital was the right location for your birth? What resources would you recommend to help other families make their decisions? Feel free to comment below, or send me an email with your suggestions. I love hearing from my readers!

2016 Highlights for Gentle Delivery
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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:

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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: 

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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 

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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… instagramcapture_ee2d01d4-3eb4-45ec-8440-8612375dcf01

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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.  img_0348

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!

 

 

 

Celebrating Birth Expo 2016 Photo Report
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Celebrating Birth Expo 2016 Photo Report

Thanks to each and everyone who helped to make the Celebrating Birth Expo a success! With over 30 different services, care providers and businesses sponsoring the event there was a great variety of information, goodies and prizes! If you attended and have helpful feedback for possible future events, I’d love to hear from you. Here’s a few photos to give you a glimpse into our day:

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Some of my fantastic helpers for the day…couldn’t have done it without Beth and Hannah!

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Getting everything set up and ready….

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Gift bags for each of the attendees to carry their goodies in

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My junior helper-she just HAD to attend the Birth Expo, too! 

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Gentle Delivery’s display and welcome table

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The cafe all ready to serve refreshments

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Heidi Loomis, CNM giving comments after the film screening

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In the auditorium getting ready for the screening of “Why Not Home?”

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The Calvary Harvest Fields location was a lovely place to host this event…

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Lots of fantastic displays and community interaction! 

I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to see many of “my” babies, and am grateful for the opportunity to learn more about what our community has to offer new and expectant families. In case you missed it, I’ll post a link to the event page where you can see a list of all the sponsors, along with their contact info and/or websites. If you’re interested in a future event like this, send me an email with your thoughts and comments. Thanks!

Celebrating Birth Expo & Why Not Home? Screening

An invitation to attend…
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An invitation to attend…

Gentle Delivery Childbirth Services first Celebrating Birth Expo!

Ever since relocating to State College, I’ve wondered what could be done to help moms in this area become more aware of their birth options and support services available to them. Many of the families I work with have moved here in relation to work or studies at Penn State University,  they don’t have family or friends nearby, and aren’t sure how to connect with or find out about the resources that this area has to offer. It’s my hope that this event will enable these moms to be introduced to area doulas, childbirth educators, midwives, lactation consultants, massage therapists, chiropractors, and more…and help to raise awareness of the availability of midwifery care and homebirth through the screening of the new film “Why Not Home?”.

Collages2I would love to see you there! Please help us to spread the word by inviting your friends and family to attend. Perhaps you’re looking for a fun activity to do with your mommy friends…or perhaps you’d like to know more about working with midwives…or perhaps you’re interested in promoting birth options in this area…or perhaps your a new mom or expecting mom, and you want to learn more about what this area has to offer…whatever the case, this event should be a great experience-and there will be chances to win great prizes and sample products at the vendor displays! Come and spend the morning with us!

To find out more about the sponsors helping to make this event possible, check out the website page here. And to RSVP for your free spot, check out the Eventbrite page. Feel free to invite your friends using the Facebook event page.

Feel free to check out the trailer for “Why Not Home?” here.  Here’s a quote from the director of the film, which will give you some background on what the film is all about:

I grew up hearing the story of the doctor and the surgical procedure that saved my life and my mother’s (I was breech, delivered by cesarean section). I never considered that I might give birth outside of a hospital–until I got pregnant.

At that time I had been a nurse for five years and a nurse practitioner for three. Home birth wasn’t part of my culture and wasn’t something my training had directly addressed. Prompted by a colleague’s experience, I started researching, asking questions, and considering my options in and out of the hospital. It was based on that research that I decided I wanted to pursue a home birth. As a low risk mom, it seemed I had the best chance of a safe and uncomplicated natural birth in my own home surrounded by people I knew and trusted. Some of my family and colleagues disagreed.

The decision wasn’t easy to talk about. It’s such an emotionally charged topic. Everyone has an opinion and a story to tell.

Since then I’ve met more health care providers, doctors, nurses, and midwives, who chose to give birth at home. These are not the women most Americans picture when they imagine a home birth mom. These professionals have direct and sometimes daily experience with the risks inherent in birth. Like all women, they wanted a safe birth, yet unlike 99% of women in the US, they chose to give birth at home. This is their story.

Too often polarization occurs on the topic of home birth. By focusing on hospital birth providers who choose home birth, I hope to bring a voice of moderation to the discussion. Together, we can move toward real improvements to maternity care in hospitals and at home.

What if the choice of where to give birth wasn’t limited by cost or insurance coverage, fear or misinformation? What would change if families had access to the care provider of their choice in the setting that best fits their unique needs and values? It’s worth at least asking, “Why not home?” 

This looks like it will be an exciting day, and I hope to see you there!

 

News & Updates from Gentle Delivery!
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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.

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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.

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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!

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  • 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!

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Nothing like a peaceful newborn!

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so sweet and tiny

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