Brooke's blog

Birth Keeper is a newer and maybe even “trendy” title, and as such, it lacks a widely agreed-upon definition. In this poist, I endeavor to tell you what it means to ME, both ideologically and practically. From the best of my ability to track down its origins, the term Birth Keeper was coined by Jeannine […]

Exploring what it means to be called into midwifery.

For her first birth, Dana (Dana is a conglomerate of actual women I’ve walked with; not a real person) planned a home birth with a nurse-midwife. Her birth plan was to try to have a natural birth (meaning, no pain medications, and no cesarean). She trusted her midwife to guide her through the process as it was […]

Giving birth at home has the potential to be an incredible experience, but it’s not for everyone. Let’s explore some perfectly good reasons NOT to choose home birth.You’re too afraid of what other people think or don’t want to stir things up. You WILL get backlash and criticism and “I’m just warning you because I […]

This phrase gets used a lot, and its definition seems to vary depending on who is using it and in what context. What is natural birth? I’m going to back up and first explore the word “natural” in a more general sense. Here’s what the American Heritage Dictionary says… Simple enough. As a believer, I […]

All about incorporating a cord burning ceremony into your home birth.

Jessica is a rooted, matter-of-fact, courageous woman whom I have admired since the day I met her. I met her while she was in labor with her late-“diagnosed” twins! She had just switched midwives so that she could still have an out-of-hospital birth she KNEW she was capable of, even as a first-time mom. That […]

Dear Husband of a Wife Who Really Wants a Home Birth,  Maybe you think this is a crazy thing to want. You’re worried for her safety and the babies because you couldn’t imagine your life without them in it. You don’t know anyone else who hasn’t gone to the hospital to have their kids. Why fix […]

How many weeks gestation is okay to go before inducing labor is advised? Which supplements and interventions are evidence-based? Which positions/manuevers will help to put my baby into optimal LOA position? What alternatives do I have to the glucose test? Where can I get a birth pool and which model is best? How many centimeteres […]

They were all birthed gently at home, these babies of mine. We labored without intervention, and they were born into their familiar bacterial environments, passed straight up to my waiting arms and breasts, cuddled without interruption, and given the best start that I could manage to give them, to the best of my knowledge at […]