Prenatal care begins at 10 weeks gestation. Visits occur monthly until 28 weeks; every 2 weeks until 36 weeks, and weekly until 41 weeks, and twice a week until 42 weeks.

All visits will take place in the comfort of your own home and last approximately 45-60 minutes. During the visit, the midwife will assess the mother’s vital signs, listen to fetal heart tones with a doppler or fetoscope, check growth and position, and discuss your health, nutrition, activity, emotions, questions and concerns.

Routine prenatal and genetic testing options will be discussed and offered. Labs can be drawn in your home, and referrals for ultrasounds or consults are provided.

Throughout the pregnancy we will also discuss preparations for the labor, birth and postpartum.

Once care is established, the client has access to the midwife 24/7 via phone, text or email.

Remaining at home for labor and birth allows women the space and freedom to follow their instincts and trust in their body’s innate ability to birth.

Clients are encouraged to consult with the midwife during early labor, and once active labor begins the midwife will be present continuously, monitoring the health and wellbeing of the mother and baby. The midwife trusts that the mother knows her body, but provides support and guidance as needed.

If you are interested in water birth, please see below.

Following birth, the baby is placed immediately on the mother’s chest for skin-to-skin. The midwife will wait to clamp and cut the umbilical cord until it stops pulsing, typically after the placenta has been birthed (delayed cord clamping).

Placenta services also available.

The midwife and birth assistant will remain with the family for 3-6 hours postpartum ensuring that the mother & baby are medically stable. During this time the midwife will monitor vital signs and bleeding, repair any lacerations, support breastfeeding initiation, and perform a newborn physical examination. Prior to leaving, the midwife will review warning signs and provide education for healing and recovery.

Postpartum home visits take place at one day, one week, three weeks, and six weeks after the birth.

The first visit will occur the day after the birth for the midwife to assess the mother & baby, provide lactation support, and perform the Newborn Metabolic Screen (NMS) and Critical Congenital Heart Defect (CCHD) screen.

Clients continue to have access to the midwife 24/7 via phone, text or email during the 6 week postpartum period.

Immersion in deep water is soothing and aids in coping with the labor process. If you have a lovely, deep tub at home you can certainly labor and give birth in there!

If you do not have a tub at home, Moonrise Midwifery has birth pools you may borrow for your birth. You’ll be responsible for purchasing a pool liner and hose for filling the tub.

Moonrise Midwifery provides clients with a birth supply kit that includes basic needs for the home birth.