Once we have agreed to work together, I will schedule your initial prenatal visit. You will be sent a packet for new clients that will have practice information, dietary counseling, practice forms to sign and bring to your initial visit, information about warning signs, and emergency contact information. You will also be sent a link to my online charting system, Mobile Midwife. I will ask you to fill out forms in the chart that detail your medical, family, and birth history, as well as information on your current pregnancy.

Prenatal care:

Your initial visit will take place around 12 weeks gestation. All members of the family are welcome. I will review your medical history with you, and spend time listening to your prior birth stories (if any) and any information you feel is relevant to my caring for you and your baby during your pregnancy. We will review your diet sheet and have a conversation about nutrition necessary to support a healthy pregnancy. The first hour is typically spent on nutritional counseling, history taking, and questions from you. The last 30 minutes involves lab work and clinical assessment (ie: blood pressure, urinalysis, listening to fetal heart tones.) All care is performed with a base of trauma-informed consent. I will order your 20 week ultrasound at this time, if you choose to have one.

I will see you every 4 weeks for care until you are 28 weeks pregnant. At 28 weeks, I will see you for a typical prenatal, and I will also draw labs for a glucose challenge test (with Fresh Test), and a CBC (complete blood count). If you have a negative blood type, you will also be offered RhoGAM and an antibody screen at this time. From 28 weeks until 36 weeks, I will see you in office for visits every 2 weeks. I will advise you to gather birth supplies from the “parent supply list” and order your birth kit from birthwithlove.com at this time (search Holistic Homebirth Cincinnati).

At 34 weeks, I will do your prenatal in your home. This is the “run through visit” and anyone who is planning to be present at your birth should make arrangements to be at the visit. I will cover what normal homebirth looks like with my practice, cover emergencies that need to be handled at home, and make an emergency plan for transport.

I will see you in-office again at 36 weeks. This is when you will be provided your birth tub (if renting), and I will draw a CBC for you. You will collect a sample to test for group B strep bacteria (GBS) at this time as well, if you choose to. From 37 weeks until your birth, I will see you weekly. I will perform non-stress tests in-office once 41 weeks, or sooner if indicated. You will also have additional postdates testing once you are 41 plus weeks, such as biophysical profiles, as indicated.