Philosophy

Introduction

Becoming a parent is perhaps the most transformative step that an individual may take in his or her lifetime. It is an honor to work with families as they grow through the profound experiences of pregnancy, birth and newborn care. Midwifery care is a gift that women and their families provide for themselves, for it is a holistic care model that is unmatched in the medical community. The essential physical caring of the pregnant woman, attending her birth and assisting her with newborn and postpartum care would be incomplete without attention to the cognitive, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of becoming a parent.

The midwife's role through pregnancy is to assess, inform and support her client in the process of becoming a parent to a new child. I achieve this in my practice through partnership with my clients. Essentially, we are co-providers for her care. I rely upon the processes of continuity of care, individualized care, education and an emphasis on health and well-being. The Birthing from Within (1998) philosophy of England and Horowitz resonates with me, as do the theories of Dr. Michael Odent. I avoid interventions, especially invasive ones. I incorporate natural remedies that treat systemic concerns when appropriate, and I assist the family in their adjustments to parenthood.

My philosophy of care honors the whole person.

My undergraduate and graduate training in psychology and my experiences teaching for all ages have enhanced my understanding of human development within a holistic, ecological context. Pregnancy and birth are life events that enhance the mind-body connection, making holistic care modalities especially potent.

Continuity of care is an important component of my practice.

My personal experiences with both obstetric and midwifery care illustrate the importance of continuity of care. In my first pregnancy, my physician spent such little time with me that I hardly knew her philosophy of care. This became very apparent at the birth when my natural birth plan was shunned, and my personal request to avoid episiotomy and drugs were dismissed for nothing more than the hospital's convenience. (Upon my insistence, my daughter was permitted to breastfeed immediately after the birth, and for this I will always be grateful. Those moments of awe and bonding will forever be treasured). I never saw my physician again after leaving the hospital, as her partner was in the office for my six-week postpartum appointment. In contrast, my midwife in my second pregnancy spent an hour with us at each appointment. Birthing at home gave us ownership of the birth experience, and my child never left my side. My midwife came to visit me at home for the first week, and I continued to see h her a few more times before the final postpartum appointment. Continuity of care deepens the relationship between the midwife and client, increasing trust and aiding in individualizing care.

Individualized care is another pillar of my practice.

I never approach a client's pregnancy or birth as a script to follow. Rather, I embrace the individuality of each woman and her family, encouraging her to determine the path of care she needs or desires. However, I work within the safe parameters of my protocols and utilize my skills to maintain a safe environment and clinical picture.

Health and well-being are emphasized in my practice to assist the woman in having an optimal pregnancy, birth and postpartum period.

Nutrition and exercise are essential aspects of a healthy pregnancy and post-partum healing. Pregnancy provides preparation for becoming a parent. In fact, parenting begins during the prenatal life of the child. What the mother consumes, the child consumes; her emotions are intertwined with the hormones that bathe her child in utero. Nutritional counseling is a cornerstone of a healthy pregnancy, and I assist the mother in finding whole food diet sources. I have been both studying nutrition and eating a whole foods diet myself for almost twenty years, and I have come to understand the great potential for healing through nutrition. Similarly, exercise is essential to maternal well-being, and thus, her child's. Her emotional state is uplifted through exercise and superb nutrition. While I was in college in the 1980s and 1990s, I studied exercise physiology and taught exercise classes as a professional instructor. I've practiced yoga for 17 years. I draw upon this knowledge to assist my clients with their exercise plans. This holistic care of the client promotes personal growth in the unfolding of motherhood, especially for the first- time mother. But experienced moms also need holistic care to support them in creating room in their lives for a new child, deserving in attention and love.

I respect the woman's birthing process as being that of her own.

I do not approach every birth as the same. When women are given the space and respect to tune into their bodies, they often find optimal labor positions to assist the birth of their babies. Couples caress and soften their labors through love and related hormones. I have observed practitioners interfere in this natural process unnecessarily. There are times when a midwife's skills are useful and times when a midwife should allow a woman to birth without interference. I strive to learn from each woman whom I serve to achieve a balance of non-interference with non-invasive skills, relying on interventions only when indicated.

I use non-invasive skills to assist a woman's birth.

I rely upon other skills, such as abdominal palpation, fetoscope, rebozo, acupressure, homeopathy, herbs, and guided imagery when invasive procedures can be avoided. Many women don't want to give birth on their back, have vaginal exams every hour, or experience the pain of an invasive manual procedure without consent. I respect these women's choices and I strive to support them in having the birth experience they want.

Natural remedies are employed in my practice to improve systemic health.

I provide my clients with natural remedies for common discomforts of pregnancy, birth and post-partum care. Many of these I've learned in my training, but I continue to seek out more information about homeopathy, herbs, acupressure, and other natural health care modalities. I consult with a local herbalist, who lovingly prepares the herbal remedies in my birth kit. Herbal teas, tinctures, and infusions have proven to be quite effective at healing most of the discomforts of maternity. Certain situations, especially in birth, are efficiently treated by homeopathy, and I carry homeopathic remedies to every birth. Traditional healing techniques from Chinese Medicine and Mexican American Folk Medicine compliment my practice. The first midwife that I ever met was a traditional partera from the Mexican border who came to speak at a Mexican American Folk Medicine class that I took in college. I learned a lot about the ancient ways of healing in this locale, and believe that they are powerful tools for healing when women identify with them. One technique that I've used with great efficacy is the rebozo technique for optimal fetal positioning. This has shortened the labor of women and assisted them in having a smoother birthing experience. I continue to seek training by attending births on the Mexican border, attending conferences where traditional healers featured, and reading articles and books written by traditional midwives. Likewise, I encourage mothers to educate themselves about holistic alternatives to healing.

Education is a focus of my practice.

Both a midwife and teacher by trade, I recognize the central importance of client education. Through education comes empowerment, and birth should be an empowering experience for women. From nutritional, parenting, and childbirth education, women can become empowered to make good decisions about their health care and that of their families. They can experience the benefits of seeking out information, thinking about it critically, and exercising decisions that resonate with their personal values. The transformation can be inspiring. A woman who has been well prepared for the birth experience will have less fear in childbirth because she has tools at her disposal for comfort and reassurance. She knows her own power. She can become an amazing mother.

Collaboration and referral are another important characteristic of competent midwifery care.

One of the most important purposes of midwifery education is to train midwives to screen clients for illnesses that are out of the scope of practice of the midwife. It is the responsibility of the midwife to refer clients to other health care professionals when appropriate. This may mean collaborating care with a licensed acupuncturist, chiropractor, naturopath, psychotherapist or physician. At times, care for a client can be co-managed with an obstetrician, and some women will need to be under the primary care of a physician if complications arise during her pregnancy or birth. The safety and well-being of clients, mothers and their babies, is my primary goal. I strive to work in harmony with other professionals, both allopathic and non-allopathic healers. I have deep respect for each of these professions, and value their contribution to maternity care.