Prenatal Care
We believe that time spent with our clients in the prenatal period is essential to help a family prepare for labor, birth, and newborn care. Prenatal visits are typically an hour long, to allow for education and informed choice, and to build a caring and trusting relationship. Appointments take place in our Millheim or Boalsburg offices with one home visit at 36 weeks. The schedule is monthly until 28 weeks, then bi-weekly until 36 weeks, then weekly until the birth. We encourage partners, other children, and anyone you want to bring to attend visits with you.
Complete midwifery care includes:
- Free initial consultation visit for interested families
- Monitoring baby's growth, heart rate, and position
- Checking mom's vital signs and general health
- Prenatal laboratory testing with informed choice
- Nutritional counseling and education
Labor and Birth Care
Your primary midwife is on call for you from 36 weeks on, and you will be able to contact her directly when you are in labor with questions or for reassurance. She will be with you from the onset of active labor until hours after the birth, once everyone is stable, well-fed, and tucked in to bed. She will monitor your vital signs, baby's well-being, and labor progress, and coordinate the arrival of the support midwife and any other help as needed. By offering physical and emotional support as well as clinical monitoring, the midwives help a laboring woman and her birth team to navigate labor together, calmly and with confidence.
Newborn Care
Within the first two days after the birth and a second time within the first week, your midwife returns to your home to ensure that mom and baby are well and to answer questions. At these visits, we fill out paperwork for the birth certificate and social security card and perform recommended Newborn Metabolic, Critical Congenital Heart Defect (CCHD), and Hearing Screening. Additionally, we help with breastfeeding and general newborn care, offering suggestions and encouragement. Office visits as needed, newborn weight checks, and on-call availability for continue for six weeks after birth to allow us to support healthy breastfeeding and bonding and to give parents a solid foundation for infant care.
Postpartum Care
Postpartum visits are for moms too! At the initial first week home visits and in office visits through six weeks, we continue to offer education and support around the many physical and emotional changes that come with the birth of a new baby. A six week postpartum checkup includes a well-woman exam, Pap test, and family planning consultation as needed.
