Traditional Midwifery Care

An autonomous midwife is an unlicensed midwife who is not beholden to government control, and therefore can support you in the birth experience you truly desire. My midwifery care style is deeply informed by physiological birth science, a belief in the sacred rite of passage of birth, and is informed by the Wise Woman Tradition model of care that centers the woman’s needs and wants from a highly individualistic and holistic care perspective. The focus is on holistic and preventative care to support physiological birth, and wellbeing throughout the childbearing year and beyond. An autonomous midwife occupies the role that an obstetrical professional would, but the approach is heavily focused on physiology and holistic approaches to care instead of medical procedures or obstetrical practices. An autonomous midwife knows a ton about science and medicine so she can help you determine what is right for you, but utilizes this knowledge from a physiological birth perspective, emphasizing your needs over what is “routine”. An autonomous midwife does not perform routine medical procedures, but can help you decide if any medical procedures are right for your pregnancy or birth care.

We will work together to determine your needs, what feels best aligned for your experience, and resources in the community to help you get what you need. Sometimes medical care can be useful, and we’ll figure out what that means for you and how to weave it into a physiological birth.

Nope, and I have no intentions to ever become licensed. Midwifery is a very old community role (not a “profession” as defined by our patriarchal society). It is a community-based practice of caring for women throughout their lifespans, from birth, through menarch, into young womanhood, through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, into motherhood, through peri and menopause, and through death. Midwives/traditional birth attendants/healers have traditionally walked with girls and women through all of these rites of passage, as well as supported their children and families through illness and death. It is truly a human archetypical role, that is ancient and timeless, and (in my opinion) doesn’t function well in our modern society in the form that it has taken. Women deserve more. I bring a lot of humility to this role, allowing it to be my teacher. I am no one’s expert, but I am a willing servant of birth, life, and death, and I bring my education, life experience, skills, training, and inner knowing to all of my interactions and support with others.

No, I do not carry or use regulated pharmaceuticals. I practice from a perspective of protecting and promoting physiology, which means we will prepare for your birth together from a physiological perspective. This means deep nutrition to ensure that your body is functioning optimally and growing your baby to the best of its ability. This enables you to have a birth with enough oxytocin, minerals, blood volume, and ready nutrition to prevent most emergencies. I handcraft herbal tinctures to help with excessive bleeding (if you want them - it’s always your choice). But first, I will favor a physiological approach to preventing excessive bleeding in the first place: keeping your space private, dark, quiet, calm, and allowing you and your baby to experience birth and immediate postpartum on your terms (not on mine). I am well-versed in physiological science and we will discuss what that means for your birth, pre-planning how you might want to approach specific situations, and exploring how to create a birth experience that feels autonomous for you and allows you to be 100% in your instincts. We are a collaborative team and I will never manipulate or coerce you into something that is about me or my fear. I am also trained in neonatal resuscitation (and we can discuss you participating in this from an instinctual perspective, if the situation calls for it and you are interested). In the event of a serious emergency that is beyond physiology, we will discuss medical intervention at a nearby hospital (always at your discretion).

Nope. We meet as often as you would like to, up to two times per month. We can wait until closer to birth, if you’re feeling really confident in your pregnancy and preparation. I’m always available to answer questions and chat over the phone, or pop in for a quick chat. It’s nice to have at least 3-5 in-person meetups before the birth so we can get to know each other, so your baby can feel safe around me, and to help ensure that birth feels cozy and safe for you.

I’ll come to your house, and we will just sit and chat. It’s all directed by you, so we’ll cover what feels most relevant for you. This includes nutrition, mental health, nervous system health, processing past birth traumas, understanding physiology better, making plans for how you’d like to create a safe, oxytocin-supportive nest for your birth, planning out your support team for postpartum, discussing physiological baby care (co-sleeping, babywearing, cloth diapering, elimination communication, common newborn struggles, breastfeeding and healthy newborn oral function, and so much more. We can also just talk and get to. know each other, share lunch, go for a walk, or whatever sounds the best that day. There is nothing required for prenatal appointments, and you’re in charge of what happens. It’s nice to check in with baby, get to say hello so baby gets to know my voice and presence, and just generally get to share time being excited about your baby. Measuring, poking, prodding, ultrasound, dopplers, or medical practices aren’t necessary (though I can facilitate discussion around these practices if you feel as though one or more of them might be necessary). This is your pregnancy and we’ll collaborate on how you’d like it to unfold.

We can design a more light-touch care package or I can also act as a postpartum caregiver, coming over to assist with breastfeeding, debriefing your birth experience, taking documentary newborn photos, bringing herbs and nourishing foods, and more. We’ll discuss a plan for your postpartum period during your pregnancy, and identify family and community resources to help you feel supported and nourished, so you can rest, heal, and bond with your baby. This can be customized and design by you, with optional add-ons and connecting with community resources, as desired.

Absolutely not. You just need to be someone who is actively practicing self-responsibility, who knows that undisturbed birth is your goal, and who is building confidence in your capacity to give birth on your own terms. That said, you also have to take responsibility for preparing for this birth, which often means engaging in activities that some people call “hippie”. This means whole food, animal-based nutrition, actively working on your mindset, getting comfortable with natural remedies, and leaning into self-growth throughout your pregnancy and birth.

I can offer prenatal and postpartum support for those choosing a freebirth. I can also be available to pop by after your birth to discuss any concerns, talk through your experience — or to make you a nourishing meal! Generally speaking, my care is the Wise Woman Tradition model of care that is more like a freebirth (in that it’s protecting physiology). It’s like a freebirth, but with a sister to witness, comfort, and do the logistical thinking for you, so you can sink deep into your birth experience with peace. I do not attend planned freebirths, however, but I’m more than happy to help you prepare or debrief.

Absolutely. I also ask of my clients to prepare for birth as though they are preparing for a freebirth, as this births is yours and yours only. I actually recommend this for every woman, no matter where or how she decides to give birth. Part of accepting responsibility for your birth and preparing for a physiological birth, is also deep spiritual preparation. Birth is a physical journey. But your experience of it is deeply spiritual - this is how it can transform you at a deep personal growth level. We’ll discuss ways you can dig deep, release fear, and get embodied so your birth is the journey you need it to be.