Birth Services

Birth services include...

• A free preliminary interview with mothers (and support partner if preferred).
   
• Two to four prenatal visits, upon agreement to provide services, provide time for me to get to know the mother through her health history, previous birth experiences, birth plan, and expectations for the upcoming birth. During this time we will discuss coping techniques, practice positioning, and identify the ways in which I can be most helpful during pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum.
   
• Unlimited access to phone and email support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Also included is access to my ever-growing library of pregnancy, birth, and parenting books, movies, and other resources. Review sheets are provided as items are borrowed so that future clients can see what other moms, partners, families, and Barbara thought was helpful, interesting, and powerful.
   
• Labor support beginning when I join a mom in early or active labor and continuing through the birth and into the postpartum time where I stay to ensure that the family is comfortable and cared for. Labor assistance includes the physical (massage, positioning, aromatherapy, coping techniques), emotional (guided meditation, encouragement) and informational (clarification of terms and procedures, advocate for birth plan, communicative link between mom and healthcare providers) guidance for mom and those who are present to offer her love and support at the birth.
   
• After birth presence, where I can assist in initiating breastfeeding at this time if the mother so wishes.
   
• Birth services conclude with a postpartum visit to the family home one to two weeks after the birth as a time to check in with mom, screen for postpartum issues, facilitate connections to the community, and to recount and share in the birth story. This is also a time to address any questions about transitions for mom and the family physically, mentally, and emotionally. Additional postpartum visits and care are available and are described in Postpartum Services.

Birth services are provided as a package and are currently being provided on a stipend basis. Bartering for services and rate discounts may be possible. Contact Barbara for more information.