We spend so much time preparing for the marathon that is labor and childbirth, that we often times neglect to adequately prepare for the postpartum. The postpartum is RAW. It’s of the earth. It requires grit, compromise, and promise. It asks things of you that you never knew you had. It’s also private and warm and can be a cocoon of complete love and the purest moments of your humanness while you become acquainted with your baby/babies. These are just some of the reasons a DEEP focus of my practice is on quality postpartum care. The postpartum is so important. This is where we privately develop our first parenting skills and are truly humbled by the experience. The postpartum is where homebirth midwives can really shine. Good postpartum care can really make a difference in the first year of your life following birth. This is why it’s imperative to hire a midwife who is NOT chronically overbooked. You don’t want to be just a number in a birth roster- you want individualized, supported care. When midwives have too many clients, postpartum care tends to be lacking.

It is my goal to provide a minimum of 4 postpartum visits; the first 2 of which are in the warm embrace of your home. I will return following your birth between 24 and 36 hours postpartum. At this time, I will perform a full exam for your baby, including the critical congenital heart disease screening (CCHDS) and I will collect your baby’s Newborn Metabolic Screening (sometimes referred to as the PKU test). I will also perform a vitals check on you and visually assess any sutures I placed. I will gather information regarding newborn feeding (input and output), and repeat the newborn exam I performed following birth. CST will be provided if desired. Questions will be asked about your food intake, bathroom experiences, comfort of baby’s latch, your bleeding, etc.

A second home visit is done around 5 days postpartum. I will repeat the exams I performed during the first postpartum, and will also fill out birth certificate information at this time. I also ink footprints for baby on a commemorative birth certificate during this visit and love to hear you retell your birth story. I made a PDF of your newborn exams to send your pediatrician or family doctor following this visit. Your 3rd postpartum visit is typically done in office around 10-14 days postpartum, but home visits can be arranged if necessary. I like to see newborns back to birth weight at this time if they have lost weight following birth, and will perform a full exam for your baby and assess your vitals. We will discuss bleeding, your lactation and feeding journey, sleep, nutrition, and perform a mental health screening called the Edinburgh Postnatal Evaluation. This screening provides a snapshot of your postpartum journey from a mental health perspective and allows me to make recommendations that best support your postpartum period, whether herbally or allopathically.

6 weeks postpartum: a bittersweet time

This is the visit that marks the end of your care journey. Exams will be offered for you and baby and we will celebrate how much your baby has grown in 6 short weeks! I will ask you to repeat the Edinburgh Evaluation from your previous visit to ensure improvement has been made. Then, with well wishes and a warm embrace, we conclude your care...... until next time <3