Willow Midwife Center for Birth and Wellness is pleased to announce the arrival of our newest addition, Willow at Home! Offering comprehensive, individualized home birth midwifery care to the entire Phoenix metro area and beyond.
Why Choose Home Birth?
Being out-of-hospital midwives, we get asked a lot what makes people want to have their baby at home. In hearing our families say what they loved about their home birth, we’ve heard so many different answers to that question. Here are a few of the ones we hear most often:
“We don’t have to go anywhere!”
This might be the most popular reason of all. When families plan to birth outside of the home, they’ve got to do some loose labor math – when should I go? I don’t want to go too soon, and I don’t want to wait too late. And what if there’s traffic? When families choose to give birth at home, the Mother labors without needing to figure out travel, and without the interruption that is getting in the car, traveling to the place of birth, and re-settling into a groove in that new place. Better yet, there’s no having to go home, either! Once your baby is born and we’ve provided all the postpartum care you both need, we tuck you into bed and see ourselves out. No loading a baby into a carseat, no trying to remember to repack everything you brought with you, no worries about an exhausting drive home – you’re already there.
“The comforts of my own environment.”
Your bed. Your favorite pillows and blankets. Your television, movies, music, and games. Your shower. Your kitchen, with your favorite foods and drinks already there. That spot you love in front of a window. Your favorite spot on the couch. Your backyard. Our homes offer a rhythm, flow, and familiarity for us, and this greatly aids in relaxation for labor.
“The ease for older siblings.”
This is a great benefit for both parents that plan to have the siblings witness the birth as well as parents who plan to have them cared for elsewhere. If you’re planning to have a sibling witness the birth, they have the benefit of their own toys and space during the day, and the option to let them sleep until the birth is close if it is nighttime. This is similar with parents who don’t plan to have the sibling at the birth – they can allow their children to sleep as long as possible (sometimes, they’ll sleep through the birth!) before calling in childcare.
“The quiet postpartum.”
This is a really common benefit that families report, especially those who have had a previous hospital birth. The most uninterrupted bonding possible for Mother, Baby, and family following the birth is a major tenet of our home birth philosophy. There are important clinical assessments that a midwife must do for Mother and Baby in the first few hours following the birth, but we can do most of what we need to while Mom holds her new Baby, and the (fun!) things like weighing and measuring the baby can wait until they’ve had plenty of time to relax and breastfeed.
“You couldn’t even tell we had a birth in our home!”
Your birth team takes care to leave your home just as we found it. We take care of cleaning up the linens, dishes, and all of the birth-related messes before we leave.
“The prenatal, birth, and postpartum care was so thorough and centered on me and my family.”
In the Midwifery Model of Care, whether at a birth center or at home, the focus is on informed consent and compassionate care. Through the course of your visits with us, you’re given resources to educate yourself, so as to make informed decisions about the care you choose for yourself and your baby. This is your body, your baby, and your birth. We believe that when you participate in your own healthcare, you have a more empowered experience. On our end, we’re providing, current, evidence-based care, with all standard laboratory tests, ultrasounds, and prenatal evaluations available, either with your midwife or by referral.
There are even more benefits to having a baby with us through Willow at Home:
Assistance with insurance billing. On our website, you’ll find a link to verify your insurance benefits for out-of-network providers. Our insurance verification specialist will provide you with a detailed report of your personal insurance coverage, including what you can expect to pay out of pocket. With most coverage, your laboratory work and ultrasounds can be billed through your insurance as well. For our clients with no insurance or no maternity coverage, we offer a competitive cash-pay price.
Access to a variety of classes at Willow. All Willow clients are encouraged to attend our childbirth education series and yoga classes, which are offered at no extra charge. Plus we have Fit4Mom classes, mama and baby circles, acupuncture happy hour and more. See our calendar of events for the complete schedule.
Access to primary care CNMs at Willow. Get a UTI during pregnancy? Due for a well-woman exam? Our Certified Nurse Midwives at Willow are available for consultation during pregnancy and postpartum, for our clients that have additional needs arise that are outside of the scope of care for a licensed home birth midwife.
All-inclusive home birth. Your midwife team will provide you with a customized birth kit containing all the necessary supplies for your birth and postpartum time. Planning a water birth? A professional grade portable birth pool and all the necessary supplies are included in our home birth fee too!
Meet Your Midwives: Lindsay Schneider and Jamie Jones. We both began our careers in birth work as doulas, in the hospital and out-of-hospital settings, and began our training as midwives in 2010. We both trained in busy home birth practices, so home birth is our zone! Lindsay has three children, one born in a hospital, one at a birth center, and one at home. Jamie has two children, one born in a hospital and one born at home. Between our own personal experiences giving birth and raising children, and walking with families as they grow, birth, and raise their children, we offer a compassionate, family-centered perspective to your home birth care.
Interested in planning a home birth with Willow at Home? Contact us or schedule a free Meet & Greet visit with the midwives today.