When mammals give birth, they need an environment that does not disturb this hormonal release: quiet, dark, warmth, safety. When the female mammal does not have these elements, different hormones are released which signal the body to slow, stop or not even begin labor.

Giving birth at home provides a women with an environment that is familiar and over which she has control. This allows her body to unfold in the powerful labor process as nature designed. Attended by a trained midwife who understands well the process, knows both how to monitor mother/baby clinically for well-being, and when to intervene and when to not, leads to both higher satisfaction and lower intervention rates for mothers without any increased risk for the newborn when compared with planned hospital births, as studied in the US, Canada and the Netherlands.

The Midwives Model of Care approaches pregnancy and birth as normal life events. Pregnancy is not an illness, and birth is not a medical event. By providing personalized, focused, holistic care to women during the childbearing year, midwives support women to stay healthy in body and mind as they navigate many changes. Time is taken during appointments to teach, counsel, offer choices and support. Recognizing the importance of postbirth healing, bonding and breastfeeding, homebirth midwives provide 6 weeks of postpartum care in the woman’s home.