Prenatal, Birth and Postpartum Home Midwifery Care
My care is rooted equally in Traditional Mexican Midwifery and Evidenced Based Research....
I deeply hold true that all people deserve health care and care providers that are free of racism, classism, homo and transphobia.
Prenatal visits take place in my Oakland office and occasionally via Zoom
Regularly scheduled prenatal visits occur:
0-28 weeks, Once a month
28-36 weeks, Once every 2 weeks
36-42 weeks, Weekly till birth
Our prenatal visits honor the sacred, beautiful and sometimes difficult time of pregnancy and birth.
We track the health and growth of you and baby with labs and ultrasounds when needed and use plant medicine, bodywork and ceremony to ease common discomforts and transitions.
We have plenty of time at our hour long visits to review lab work, learn about each other, the birth process and to integrate information as a birth team.
We discuss ways to prepare yourself, your home and family (including siblings!) for a home birth.
During your labor I arrive with everything needed for a safe home birth. With the assistance of a second qualified midwife, and an *apprentice midwife, we vigilantly and gently assess the wellbeing of birthing person and baby.
Postpartum care of birthing person and baby begins as soon as your baby is born and continues for 6 weeks.
Postpartum visits happen in the comfort of your home and maximize adequate rest, nutrition, healing and bonding. Lactation/chest feeding support, belly binding, massage, and cerrada de caderas (6 week closing ceremony) is included.
*Apprentice midwives are an integral part of insuring traditional midwifery continues in our Communities. I regularly work with BIPIOC apprentice midwives as they work towards obtaining their licenses. In turn, apprentices offer amazing support to clients at prenatal visits, during the birth and in the postpartum period.
Ideal clients to work with me value the time, energy, personal and financial commitment it takes to prepare for a birth and postpartum ceremony.
My clients are aware of the many paths a birth may take and that the care of their midwife can help guide them through the process as it unfolds.
Back in the day, as a young pregnant person in the Bay, I recognized the lack of BIPOC Midwives available to me. This shocked and confused me, but also planted a seed in my heart. After the birth of my 2 children with homebirth midwives, I attended to pregnant folks as a bodyworker and a doula for about 10 years. After meeting my first Midwifery teacher and mentor Sara Flores, I enrolled in the National College of Midwifery and the rest is hxstory!
The experience of labor and childbirth is very different from any other type of sensation you may have ever felt. Many people feel much more relaxed in their own home setting. Many feel at ease knowing that only people they know will be in their birthing space. Clients report that the intensity of labor is much more manageable at home because they can move, sound and eat freely. Reducing fear is a very effective way to reduce pain.
Yes! We will plan and prepare for children at a birth beforehand so it is stress free for everyone. Any support people you want can be at your birth, but it is important to know birth is not a spectator sport. Everyone should have a role . The birthing persons comfort is the most important factor in who should be present.
Absolutely! While the legality of homebirth is different from state to state, it is legal in California.
Midwifery care is highly individualized health care. For healthy pregnant people and pregnancies, births with a skilled Midwife have better all around outcomes. Here's what the World Health Organization has to say: https://www.who.int/maternal_child_adolescent/topics/quality-of-care/midwifery/case-for-midwifery/en/
Unfortunately, as community Midwives, our scope of practice is always in danger of being diminished and this adversely effects the rights of birthing people. To stay informed and take action to improve access to skilled community Midwives, you can follow https://www.cafamiliesformidwives.org
Yes and Yes! I have a birth tub I can bring to births.
Homebirths can occur in any home, big or small as long as it can be made safe and warm.
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