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Homebirth Midwife

Based in Northampton, Western Massachusetts, River Valley Midwives serve families in the Pioneer Valley choosing to birth at home in Northampton, Easthampton, Hadley, Amherst, Belchertown, Granby, Holyoke, South Hadley, Chicopee, Springfield, Deerfield, Conway, Shelburne Falls, Greenfield, Turners Falls, Orange, Athol, Barre as well as the surrounding communities and parts of Central Massachusetts.

Midwife Care in Pregnancy

We provide comprehensive homebirth midwifery care to all of our clients from as early as pre-conception counseling through the postpartum period (as long as that needs to be for an individual woman and her family). We have been honored to care for families having their first baby and their twelfth and having many families who we have served for multiple births.

  • Free Initial one hour Consultation
  • Holistic hour-long prenatal sessions
  • Support and guidance throughout your care
  • Nutritional Counseling
  • Herbal and alternative remedies to support pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum
  • Complementary care with one of three hospital-based nurse-midwifery practices for labs, ultrasound and other diagnostic care (when needed)
  • Extensive experience with previous trauma, survivors and women’s mental wellness care
  • Assistance with childbirth preparation (privately or through classes) and sibling preparation
  • 36 or 37 week home visit
  • 24/7 support throughout pregnancy – we are always only a phone call away

Midwife Care At Your HomeBirth

  • Compassionate labor support and skilled monitoring in labor and birth in your Western MA home.
  • Homebirth attendance by two midwives
  • We have 2 birth tubs if a family is interested in a water birth or hydrotherapy during labor
  • If hospital transport is necessary, midwives stay with you at all times and facilitate the best transition. We continue to do postpartum care after you are discharged.
  • Immediate postpartum care of mother and baby
  • Comprehensive newborn exam and newborn screening test
  • Assistance with breastfeeding and newborn care
  • We create a Homebirth Pediatric Report for your pediatrician
  • Birth Certificate guidance
  • And those little extras: complete clean-up, fresh linens on your bed, a nutritious postpartum meal, lots of photos…assisting you in every way to peacefully welcome your baby into their new home.

Midwife Care After Birth

  • Midwife postpartum home visits at 24 hours, day 2 or 3, one week, week two or three and six weeks (and more if needed)
  • 24/7 on-call availability
  • Liaison with your chosen pediatrician with summary provided to them
  • Notarized forms and check list for obtaining both birth certificate and social security number requirements
  • Emotional support for the many changes that new mothers and families experience
  • Breastfeeding Support
  • Assistance with connecting to local resources for new parents as need

Additional Midwife Services for Pregnancy & Postpartum

Pre and Post Birth Anxiety and Depression Assessments with Individualized Recommendations

Jharna will help to assess, prepare, and make recommendations before you give birth or after symptoms arise. If you have any concerns that you are or may experience overwhelming Anxiety, Depression, or Mood Challenges after childbirth, it is worth talking with an experienced midwife and psychiatric RN to see if there are simple solutions to guide you.

Post-Traumatic Birth Listening and Reflections

Sometimes our births don’t go the way we had hoped or expected. Sometimes we need to process our feelings with someone that is not a family member or who was involved in the birth. A person who inner-stands the intimacy, expectations, and complexity of feelings that can accompany pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. A person that can possibly review your birth records and help you understand.

Personalized Supplemental and Herbal Recommendations in Pregnancy and Postpartum

Thirty years of midwifery experience assisting pregnant and postpartum families and 40 years of herbal self-study.

Postpartum Family Wellness Home visits or Consultations

Not everyone has individualized midwifery care, but everyone deserves it. It can be scary and overwhelming once you leave the hospital. In the few days after you arrive home, Jharna will come to your home and assess the birth givers blood pressure, post-birth bleeding, breast/chest feeding and care, review any concerning symptoms, weigh your baby, and help with latch, cord care, and referrals to community resources.

 

All Consultations are Available in Person (if local), by Zoom or by Phone. Prices Vary.