Blessed Event Birth Services Inc

Midwifery Is

6/1/2026

Midwifery is so much more than catching babies.

Midwifery is dashing out the door to attend a birth at a moment's notice.
Midwifery is gambling that there won't be a birth when you have a medical appointment for yourself scheduled.
Midwifery is constantly learning, whether it's to keep up with the very latest recommendations, or researching something a client is experiencing.
Midwifery is telling clients hard things, sharing findings that may be serious.
Midwifery is providing options and letting clients decide what option is best for them.
Midwifery is acknowledging the grief of a birth not going how it was initially planned.
Midwifery is holding space for clients to express fear, pain, frustration.
Midwifery is holding back your own emotions so clients can fully express their emotions.
Midwifery is handing a client tissues as they cry.
Midwifery is crying with clients when things are hard.
Midwifery is answering questions.
Midwifery is educating clients about what is happening with their bodies.
Midwifery is time freezing as you look into baby's eyes in the first moments after birth.
Midwifery is celebrating the amazing joy that birth brings.
Midwifery is walking with parents through the hardest times imaginable.
Midwifery is more than a job, it’s a lifestyle.

Midwifery is both the most demanding job I’ve ever had and the most rewarding job I’ve ever had.

Protecting Your Peace in Late Pregnancy

5/15/2026

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As you move past your estimated due date, it is very common for well-meaning friends and family to begin "checking in" frequently. While these messages usually come from a place of love, they can feel like a "deadline" and create unnecessary stress. You have the right to protect your peace during these final days of pregnancy.

Consider being proactive with boundaries before the due date. Here’s an example of something you can post to social media and communicate to your friends and family.

"As we get closer to our baby’s arrival, we’re going into a 'quiet zone' to focus on rest and preparation. If you don't hear from us for a bit, please know that 'no news is good news!' We can't wait to introduce you to our newest family member when the time is right."

Here are several “gentle scripts” you can use to answer questions when getting inquiries.

1. The "Supportive & Understanding" Response:
Use this for friends who are genuinely excited but over-communicating.
"Thank you so much for your excitement! We are doing well and enjoying these final quiet days. We’ve decided to stop giving daily updates to keep things calm, but don't worry—we’ll share the news once our little one has made their debut!"

2. The "Knowledgeable & Competent" Response:
Use this for family members who are expressing concern about the baby being 'late'.
"Actually, the research shows it’s very normal to go past the 'due date.' We are working closely with our midwife, monitoring the baby’s movements and health regularly. We’re trusting the baby’s timeline and my body’s wisdom!"

3. The "Direct & Clinical" Response:
Use this for those who are pushing for a hospital induction.
"We appreciate your concern, but we are following a clear, evidence-based safety protocol. As long as our clinical screenings remain healthy, we are choosing to wait for labor to start naturally to avoid unnecessary interventions."

4. The "Humorous & Light" Response:
Use this for casual acquaintances or on social media.
"Still pregnant! The baby has decided they aren't quite done yet. We’ve stopped checking the calendar and started checking our favorite snack supplies instead. We'll let everyone know when the 'eviction notice' is finally served!

Midwife Tips:
If receiving "check in" messages become stressful, consider designating a Gatekeeper—a partner, trusted family member, or friend—to be the point of contact for all family inquiries. Consider changing your Voicemail Greeting or WhatsApp/iMessage Status to something like: "We are still waiting for baby! We aren't answering texts or calls right now to focus on rest, but we will update you when there is news!" This stops the notifications before they even hit your phone, keeping you in a peaceful mindset during late pregnancy without the constant interruption of the "clinical" calendar.

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Hospital Transfers

5/1/2026

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A transfer occurs when we change plans for a home birth and go to the hospital for the birth instead. This can happen during labor, during birth, or after birth. Choosing a home birth is a significant decision, and it is normal to wonder what happens if the plan needs to change.
Why would we transfer?There are many reasons why we may transfer. Sometimes you may request a transfer for pain management, such as an epidural, or I may observe clinical indications that birth will be safer at the hospital. Common reasons for a transfer include:

Fetal heart tones that indicate the baby is not tolerating labor well.
Signs of infection, such as an elevated temperature or amniotic fluid with a strong odor.
Surprise breech birth with a labor pattern that is not reassuring for a home birth.

What does a non-emergency transfer look like?Most of the time, transfers are not due to an emergency situation. I prioritize a client-centered approach, ensuring we have time to discuss what is being observed, the risks of staying home, and what to expect at the hospital.
The protocol for a non-emergency transfer includes:

Selecting the Hospital: We will discuss which hospital to transfer to, usually the closest one with labor and delivery services, or a hospital I have engaged with to establish clear transfer protocols.
Professional Coordination: I will call the hospital as soon as I am aware we will be transferring—even if arrival is several hours away—to provide a report. When I call, I will provide details on your last vaginal exam, if your membranes have ruptured, if you tested for GBS and what the results were, fetal heart tones, and vitals.
Sharing Records: I will fax your prenatal records, labs, and transfer forms so the hospital providers can review them before we arrive.
The Journey: A family member or support person will drive you while I follow behind with my midwifery equipment in case birth occurs en route.
Continuous Support: I will accompany you to the labor and delivery unit and act as a liaison and advisor with hospital staff until your baby is born.

What does an emergency transfer look like?In a rare emergency, the midwifery team may call EMS. If at all possible, I will still alert the hospital that we are coming and what the situation is.
During an emergency transfer, I may ride in the ambulance with you or your newborn. If we take a car, I will bring midwifery equipment in case birth occurs before we arrive. Just like in a non-emergency, I will stay with you to provide support and be a liaison until after the birth.
Our Partnership and Your CareRegardless of where your birth takes place, I will provide postpartum care after you are released from the hospital. Choosing a home birth means having a plan for every scenario, ensuring you and your baby receive evidence-based care every step of the way.
I am driven to do what I can to ensure you are supported well. No matter where birth happens, birth remains a miracle. I find myself in a place of wonder at the miracles of birth that I have the honor to witness, and I continue to be amazed by how strong Moms and babies are.

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The Data on Home Birth Safety

4/15/2026

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When you tell friends or family you’re considering a home birth, the first question is almost always: "But is it safe?" For decades, cultural myths have painted out-of-hospital birth as a risky gamble. However, modern obstetric research tells a very different story. When we look at large-scale clinical data involving hundreds of thousands of births, the evidence shows that for healthy, low-risk pregnancies, planned home birth with a qualified midwife is a safe and statistically sound choice.

The "Gold Standard" Study: 500,000 Births Analyzed
In 2019, a massive meta-analysis was published in The Lancet, one of the world’s most prestigious medical journals. Researchers led by Eileen Hutton analyzed 28 different studies covering approximately 500,000 intended home births across high-income countries.
The goal was simple: compare the safety of planned home births to planned hospital births for low-risk individuals.

The Findings:

No Difference in Mortality: There was no statistically significant difference in the risk of neonatal or perinatal death between the home birth group and the hospital birth group.
Lower Intervention Rates: The home birth group experienced significantly fewer medical interventions, such as C-sections, forceps deliveries, and episiotomies.
Maternal Health: Mothers who planned a home birth were less likely to experience infection or severe perineal trauma.

The "Safety Net" of having a Midwife
Safety isn't just about where you are; it’s about who is with you. Certified Professional Midwives (CPMs) are trained to monitor the safety of both parent and baby throughout the entire process. My assistant and I bring the "hospital" to you in the form of emergency equipment and clinical expertise, but we leave the "hospital environment" behind. This allows your body to produce the natural oxytocin necessary for labor to progress, often avoiding the very complications that lead to emergencies in the first place. By choosing a planned home birth, you are opting out of the "cascade of interventions" while providing for the safety of your baby’s arrival.

It is important to remember that these "safety" statistics apply to planned home births for low-risk individuals. This is why our initial consultation and ongoing prenatal screenings are so vital.

The "Safety Question" is a fair one, but the data has already provided the answer. For healthy women, home birth is not a step away from safety—it is a step toward a personalized, evidence-based, and empowering birth experience.

Sources:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(19)30119-1/fulltext
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9994459/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32280941/

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Risk Screening and Home Birth

4/1/2026

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In the world of maternity care, "low-risk" isn't just a casual term; it is a specific clinical designation. As a midwife in Kansas, my primary job isn't just to catch babies—it’s to be a diligent gatekeeper of safety.
The safety of out-of-hospital birth depends entirely on the screening process. We don't simply "hope for the best"; we use continuous, rigorous screening from your first prenatal visit until the moment your baby is born to ensure that home birth remains a safe option for you and your baby.

What the Research Says:
The MANA Stats Study:
If you are looking for peace of mind, the data is your best friend. One of the most significant studies in North American midwifery, published by Cheyney et al. (2014) in the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health, followed nearly 17,000 planned home births.

The study found that for women who met "low-risk" criteria:

93.6% had spontaneous vaginal births.
The rate of C-sections was significantly lower than the national hospital average.
Neonatal outcomes were excellent, proving that the "community setting" is a safe and viable option for healthy pregnancies.

The "Risk-Out" Reality
A common misconception is that midwives will take any client who wants a home birth. In reality, we are always screening for risk. We look for "green lights" like:

A single baby in a head-down position.
Absence of chronic conditions like Type 1 diabetes or heart disease.
Labor that begins naturally between 37 and 42 weeks.

If a "red flag" appears—such as the development of preeclampsia or gestational diabetes that requires insulin—we "risk out." This means we transition your care to a clinical setting where higher-level interventions are available. This isn't a failure; it’s responsible clinical management.

Safety in the "What Ifs"
Even in a low risk pregnancy, we prepare for the unexpected. Your home birth "kit" isn't just blankets and birth pools; the midwife brings:

Neonatal resuscitation equipment
Resources to manage postpartum bleeding
Equipment for regular monitoring of fetal heart tones throughout labor

Furthermore, a hallmark of a safe home birth is a seamless transfer plan. Research shows that roughly 10-12% of home births move to a hospital, but the vast majority of these are for non-emergencies like maternal exhaustion. Having a plan in place ensures that if the "low-risk" status changes, your safety remains the priority.

Choosing a home birth in Kansas isn't about rejecting modern medicine; it’s about choosing the appropriate level of care for a healthy, physiological process. When we respect the science of risk screening, we create a birth environment that is not only beautiful and intimate but clinically sound.

Sources:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24479690/
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/eclinm/article/PIIS2589-5370(19)30119-1/fulltext
https://www.ksrevisor.gov/statutes/chapters/ch65/065_028b_0003.html

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Midwifery Is

Protecting Your Peace in Late Pregnancy

Hospital Transfers

The Data on Home Birth Safety

Risk Screening and Home Birth

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