PHILOSOPHY

Becoming a parent is perhaps the most transformative step that an individual may take in his or her lifetime. It is an honor to work with families as they grow through the profound experiences of pregnancy, birth and newborn care. The midwife’s role through pregnancy is to assess, inform and support her client in the process of becoming a parent to a new child. I achieve this in my practice through partnership with my clients. 

My philosophy of care honors the whole person.
Raising four children and maintaining a fulfilling marriage has impressed upon me the importance of respecting the communication styles and personal needs of each individual. Pregnancy and birth are life events that enhance the mind-body connection, making holistic care modalities especially potent.

Continuity of care is an important component of my practice.
Seeing your personal midwife at each appointment, knowing she will honor and respect your needs and wishes, deepens the relationship between the midwife and client, increasing trust and aiding in individualizing care.

Individualized care is another pillar of my practice.
I embrace the individuality of each woman and her family, encouraging her to determine the path of care she needs or desires. To support her I have protocols and utilize my skills to maintain a nurturing environment and evidence-based practice.

Health and well-being are emphasized to assist the woman in having an optimal pregnancy, birth and postpartum period.

Similarly, exercise is essential to maternal well being, and thus, her child’s. Her emotional state is uplifted through exercise and superb nutrition.

I use non-invasive skills to assist a woman’s birth.
I rely upon other skills, such as abdominal palpation, fetoscope, rebozo, acupressure, homeopathy, herbs, and guided imagery when invasive procedures can be avoided. Many women don’t want to give birth on their back, have vaginal exams every hour, or experience the pain of an invasive manual procedure without consent. I respect these women’s choices and strive to support them in having the birth experience they want.

Natural remedies are employed in my practice to improve systemic health.
I provide my clients with natural remedies for common discomforts of pregnancy, birth and postpartum care. Many of these I’ve learned through the years, but I continue to educate myself about homeopathy, herbs and other natural health care modalities.

Collaboration and referral are another important characteristic of competent midwifery care.
It is the responsibility of the midwife to refer clients to other health care professionals when appropriate. This may mean collaborating care with a licensed acupuncturist, chiropractor, massage therapist, naturopath, psychotherapist or physician. At times, care for a client can be co-managed with an obstetrician, and some women will need to be under the primary care of a physician if complications arise during her pregnancy or birth. The safety and well being of clients, mothers and their babies, is my primary goal.

The Birthing from Within (1998) philosophy of England and Horowitz resonates with me, as do the theories of Dr. Michael Odent and Ina May Gaskin.