Homebirth Services
The Choice of Homebirth with Beth Barbeau
Believing that the best midwife will be “a good chameleon”, I understand that women come to homebirth for many reasons and I strive to support your needs in the most thoughtful manner possible. For some this means water births, for others it’s meant helping the birthing mother, or father, or one time even the grandmother, ‘catch’ the baby. It means sometimes coaching mothers through every contraction, and other times sitting quietly downstairs, respectfully available but not disturbing your laboring work. I welcome the uniqueness of your birth, be it quiet, dark and private, or an extended family celebration complete with children and pets.
Safe birth takes many forms, and it is our responsibility together to attend to your body, mind, and spirit for the optimal outcome. To each birth I bring my education and experience in normal birth and it’s many safe variations (and what’s not), as well as in modalities such as nutrition, homeopathy, herbology, essential oils, flower essences and more.
My commitment is to look at each situation individually (breeches and twins are not ruled out due to protocol or certification restrictions, for instance) and I see it as a strength that I do not hesitate to seek out or refer you to other community resources where appropriate. I am constantly expanding my education, and love to learn as well as to share the knowledge through teaching. A wise midwife once said a puzzling thing to me, that “the real work of labor and birth is done in (good) prenatals.” She said it was much better to do that work during business hours over the course of months, than in a marathon birth because issues where not resolved for the mother’s body or mind! I have found this to be sage advice, and to that end meet with mothers as often as need be, with the minimum being the usual obstetrical calendar (every month, then every two weeks, etc.) Visits are usually an hour long. My homebirth clients are also invited to partake of Resonance Repatterning with me as part of the homebirth package.
It’s your responsibility to communicate your needs, be upfront and honest about your nutrition and diet (we need to find what works for YOU), and to be willing to do what you can to prepare your body and mind for the wonderful, challenging and all-encompassing work of labor and birth.
There’s always more, let’s talk.
“The difference between you and the hospital midwives were that they had a plan, and we were supposed to mold ourselves to them. Medicine right now asks nothing of the patient, so they don’t have to think about their health. You helped us find our own plan, and together we developed a consensus of care. What helped (my wife) was the whole calmness of everything, the suggestions and things from your knowledge base of all you do, that we would have never thought of. It definitely put her in a better place. It meant a lot to us that you had the ability to even arrive at a consensus. “
Father of 3 home birthed children
Contractor, Previous Fourth Year Medical Student
October 2008
“I knew that the care would be different, but I didn’t expect the quality of care to be so different, so much better. When I had so many Braxton Hicks contractions I was afraid to drive, you even came to my house for prenatals.”
Mother of two, after second birth (first homebirth)
September 2008
“Beth helped me deliver my last three children at home. After assisting at many hospital & homebirths of friends and family, I have seen a variety of possibilities for the kind of care available to pregnant women. I met Beth in 1990 at one of those births, and knew that she could provide what I needed for my own births when it was my turn. I’ve always cared passionately about having healthy pregnancies and births, and Beth helped me translate my ideals into practical, achievable outcomes.
Beth treated each of my births like they were the most important one, and got me to also value each pregnancy uniquely as well, which I especially treasured with three other kids in tow. She was able to both calm my unreasonable fears and to also push me to take action when I was being too casual. She always treated me like an individual - even addressing my fears for my “tiny baby” (because she was 2 1/2 lbs smaller than her brother), without making me feel foolish because she was 9 # 9oz! The most important skill of a midwife is to hold the highest and best possibilities for your journey, and still meet you where you live every day.”
Jane Pierce Mueller, La Leche League Leader
Mother of four homeschooled children, age 5-13, three born at home
October, 2007
