My Childbirth Methods

Many people ask me, “What form of childbirth do you practice?”  My answer to them is, “No form and all forms.”

Although I am quite familiar with all of the well know birth philosophies and have tried many of the techniques in giving birth to my own children, I believe that childbirth was created by God to be a perfect process, in and of itself, and that no man nor woman can rightfully claim a technique to be their own invention,  neither does one technique work for every woman or for the same woman in the births of different children.

I believe in encouraging the mother’s confidence in their abilities to give birth naturally and to listen and respond to their body’s natural urges, whether it be to breathe and relax, moan, grunt, “let down” their babies or even bear down as their body is directing; and at any time during the birthing process, regardless of cervical dilation, without fear of hurting themselves or their babies.   Experienced midwives know that a mother who is not drugged will not hurt herself.

If mothers were not taught to fear these urges, they would naturally follow their body’s cues; and babies would be born safely, in less time, with less pain and with less physical and emotional trauma.

I believe in the use of natural laboring positions and pelvic tilting.  A mother will naturally assume the position that aids in labor progression if she is aware of the benefit of more effective contractions and the means by which babies rotate through the pelvis.  Animals on the farm can be seen using pelvic tilting, labor positions which come instinctively to them and also to humans when no rules are attached.  Midwives and medical persons alike can grossly misunderstand the use of gravity in childbirth.

I don’t advocate nor believe in artificial inductions under normal conditions.  They are a result of failure to trust the body’s ability to give birth.  I don’t advocate unnecessarily long, exhausting labors that often result in hospital transport for pitocin induction and/or c-section.  These abnormally long and hard labors can cause damage to the pelvic floor, stress to the baby, maternal exhaustion, unnecessary need for medical intervention and raise the risk of other complications including post partum depression.  With a midwife there to help you, who has thorough knowledge of the mechanisms of labor;  and with no “rules” to hold you back from doing what your body is telling you to do naturally, there is no need, in most cases, for ‘active’ labor to last more than a few hours, even with a first time mother.

I am a “Midwife.” I have been blessed with the gift of female intuition/inspiration.  This intuition/inspiration, combined with my experience and the experience of those who have gone before me, allows me to draw upon the techniques that suit the individual laboring woman and her unborn baby.  Every birth is different.  Knowing how to “customize” a birth to fit individual needs, knowing when and how to help (and when to do nothing,)  is where the true art of midwifery comes in.