Midwifery Care:

For millennia, women have birthed their babies in the presence of other women who cared for, nurtured and supported them and saw to the needs of the family. When a woman went into labor, her mother, her sisters and her neighbors came to be by her side, offering suggestions, talking about their own experiences, preparing food and seeing to the running of the house. One of those women was the midwife, whose primary role was catching the baby and ensuring mother and baby were well. After the baby was born, these women continued to help out, providing tips on breastfeeding and baby care and encouraging the mother in her new role.

Today, this social web of support has nearly disappeared. We live thousands of miles away from our families and often only know our neighbors in passing. Women are expected to disappear into a hospital for 48 hours, give birth in whatever way is most convenient for the greatest number of people, and then get back to work. Oftentimes, little attention is given to the birth itself, but most women remember the experience vividly for the rest of their lives. Even if we give birth ten times, which seems like a lot, it is still a rare event in the context of an entire lifetime. Birth is not something to be endured and suffered through; it is something to be celebrated and yes, even enjoyed, to the best of our abilities.

For five years, I attended many births that took place in a hospital, while most recently, I have attended mostly homebirths. I am constantly struck by how different birth can be in these two different environments. While birth can happen naturally and without much intervention in the hospital, there is something about birth at home that makes it a bit easier, a lot more relaxed, and, I believe, a bit quicker. Moms are in their own environment, with the people they have chosen, and no restrictions on how they act or what they do. Babies are born into the loving hands of their parents and their midwife.

Afterwards, I am pleasantly surprised by how easily women and men make the transition to parenthood with their homeborn babies. It also seems to me that babies born at home act like they’ve always been part of the family; parents integrate them into family life more easily and babies adjust more readily to life outside the womb knowing they are in a familiar environment with people they know and love.

This is why I am a midwife attending homebirths. For low-risk women, I believe there is no better or safer place to birth a baby than in the comfort of their own homes with qualified attendants who can care for them in a professional and loving manner.


Legality

Midwifery has been legal in Colorado since 1993 thanks to the hard work of many dedicated people supporting choices in childbirth. I work under regulations set by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), which include conditions requiring consultation, transfer of care, or transport to the hospital. I can provide these guidelines to you upon request, or you can view them yourself at www.dora.state.co.us/midwives. Please be assured that I will discuss with you immediately your options if any of these situations occur.

You should know that I have no liability coverage, and as a Direct-Entry Midwife, such coverage is not available to me. I work in the best interests of mother, child and family, and I take my responsibilities as a midwife very seriously. A grievance process is in place and can be completed through the DORA Midwives Registration Office at 303-894-2437.

During our first prenatal visit together, we will discuss and complete the state forms that detail our plans for medical backup and hospital transfer. Like most midwives practicing in Colorado, I do not have a specific doctor that serves as my backup, but I can serve as a liaison and advocate for you with any of the local doctors if the need arises.