Full Circle Midwifery

5# 4oz Montague Leslie was stillborn.

7# 15 oz. Stanwood I attended this father’s birth in 1984.

6# 10 oz. Evart

7# 13 oz. Hart Stillborn

8# 1 oz. Coral

Chloe’s Birth Story: Two weeks before Chloe’s birth I started having regular contractions.  They were getting closer together, but they weren’t very strong.  I was worried that my labor would go very fast and we wouldn’t make it to our birth house if we left later.  So we left.  Well, that wasn’t her birthday.  Ten [...]

Not my client, but another home birther in West Michigan: “The whole “natural childbirth” was something I had been afraid of. I mean, who wants to feel that kind of pain when you can do it pain free??? But I have to tell you, that moment, that I, without the help of a doctor, or [...]

8# 7oz. Holton

7# 10 oz Stanwood

 The Low Down on What’s Down Below! Aviva Romm, Physician, Midwife, Herbalist Sun, 03/18/2012 – 11:08 The times are a-changing ladies! Routine annual pelvic exams have been thrown out the window because they are virtually useless, and as of last week, paps are now recommended only every 3-5 years if you have a normal pap/HPV [...]

MAR 20 2012, 8:06 AM ET 60 If you look at scientific literature, you find over and over again that many interventions increase risk to mother and child instead of decreasing it. Kenishirotie/Shutterstock When I ask my medical students to describe their image of a woman who elects to birth with a midwife rather than with [...]

8# Scottville

BIRTH REPORT Parent’s Name         Jeanna and Chris Baby’s name and birthday   Terra Hope Lamar  December 23, 2011 This was your    1st   baby and your   1st   homebirth. Address   11085 Southlawn Dr.  Stanwood  49346 Why did you chose to have your baby at home? We had been into natural health for a while so when we decided [...]

7# 6 oz. Lakeview

9# 1 oz. Spring Lake

The American Academy of Pediatrics “reaffirmed” its breastfeeding guidelines today. Among the points of interest: • “exclusive breastfeeding for about the first six months of a baby’s life” • “continuation of breastfeeding for as long as mutually desired by mother and baby” • “Pediatricians promote the advantages of breastfeeding to mothers and infants, as well [...]

My baby will be born healthy and at the perfect time ~ My body contains all the knowledge necessary to give birth to my baby ~ My baby knows how and when to be born ~ I deserve to have the birth I desire ~ Babies are born when they are ready, not when doctors, [...]

9# 10 oz. Holton

7# 10oz Newaygo

8# 5 oz. Hesperia and Sparta Chloe’s Birth

RYER JOHN DIRKSE December 23, 2011,  Matt and Kate Dirkse 2nd Child and 1st Homebirth Fruitport, MI   WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO HAVE YOUR BABY AT HOME: At 35 weeks I tested positive for Group B Strep and was told by my doctor that I would have to have IV antibiotics administered during labor.  [...]

 UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative Statement on vitamin D supplementation for breastfed babies Breastfeeding has a fundamental positive impact on the short, medium and long-term health of children and has an important and lasting impact on women’s health. Not breastfeeding contributes to infant mortality, hospitalisation for preventable diseases, increased rates of childhood diabetes and obesity, and adult disease. [...]

Written by Laurie Zoyiopoulos on March 4, 2011 Most folks would say that I “deliver” babies (though I like to say “catch”) and this is true, but it is a fraction of what I do….what this calling requires of me. The contrasts between the jobs within my calling are surprising to me and unknown by [...]

6# 11oz. Canadian Lakes Terra’s Birth Story

8# 2oz. Fruitport Read the  birth story.  We missed it!

  Kate Heineman/Lee Henderson Maurice James Henderson 9/29/11 Why did you choose to have your baby at home? Knowing the inside story of the typical hospital birth, I wanted to opt out of all of it—any pain medication numbing me and affecting the baby’s ability to respond, the uterine augmentation, the hospital gown, an unfamiliar [...]

Louisa’s birth announcement

9# 9oz Muskegon

7# 11 oz. Muskegon

7# 15 oz. Ludington

7# 11 oz. Freesoil Louisa’s Birth announcement is HERE!

7# 5 oz. Holton Both sets of grandparents had home births with us, too!

9# 13 oz Mears

7# 3oz. Bailey

8# 10 oz. Holton

8# 9oz. Fruitport The Story of His Birth Day

Mitch and Jordyn Anes This was our 2nd baby and our 1st home birth  Fremont, MI 49412                 Early in the week I had been experiencing regular contractions which were not very strong and thought that my water had broken, by the end of the day my contractions had faded and hadn’t had any more gushing of fluid.  Then [...]

-Titus & Ashley Vandezande, 1st baby   I woke up on Saturday, July 23rd at 3:30am to go to the bathroom and decided that I wasn’t going to have the baby that day after all. I thought if I was I would have been in labor already. I was already three days past my due date. At [...]

When I first found out I was pregnant, I just assumed I would have another c-section, as I had for my other 2 girls.  I was not happy about it, but did not think I had many other options.  I spoke to my OB in Muskegon and she said I could try to go to [...]

7# 9oz. Riverdale

6# 15oz. Mears We are very thankful for a healthy mom and baby after transferring care to the wonderful OBs at Gerber Memorial Hospital!

I attended the Midwives Alliance conference at the World Trade Center in 1992 – a memorable experience in so many ways.  The Vista / Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, site of the conference, actually sat between the Twin Towers.  Merilynne Rush and I represented MMA, and roomed with Helen Jolly.  I had not been in [...]

When my husband and I found out we were pregnant, we decided to start praying about where the best place would be to deliver.  My husband is a Chiropractor and he has always wanted to have a homebirth, but I was quite fearful of the idea and always thought my first baby would have to [...]

I kept track of statistics for 1 year of births for the incidence of cord around the neck and past due status for the 45 births that year. 47% of the babies were born with the cord wrapped around their necks 55% were more than 41 weeks pregnant! All babies had healthy outcomes.  These are [...]

Baby’s Name and Birthday: Anna B. Brenneman                  July 11, 2011 Parent’s Name: Ben & Lydia Brenneman        1st baby Why did you choose to have your baby at home? Because our doctor who was going to do the delivery went on a vacation. Describe your labor and birth. I got up at 2:30 to go [...]

7# 2 oz. Norton Shores VBAC after 2 cesareans!  Read about it here!

6# 14 oz. North Muskegon Here’s Sawyer’s birth story!

6# 1 oz. Hesperia