Homegrown Midwifery
Resources
Books and Videos can be very beneficial to giving parents the information they need to make informed decisions about their care, or for the family that need more information to understand home birth. Here are some books, dvds, and videos I recommend!
Books
Aviva Romm
She has The Natural Pregnancy Book, Naturally Healthy Babies and Children, and Vaccinations: A Thoughtful Parent's Guide.
Dr. Sears
He has similar different series of pregnancy, healthy baby, breastfeeding, vaccinations, etc.
Ina May Gaskin
Spiritual Midwifery (lots of birth stories!!), Guide to Childbirth, Guide to Breastfeeding, Birth Matters: A Midwife’s Manifesta.
Sacred Pregnancy
A beautiful pregnancy journal and informative book.
Penny Simpkin
The Birth Partner Book
Barbara Harper
Gentle Birth Choices and DVD
Sheila Kitzinger
She has multiple pregnancy, birth, and postpartum books.
Birthing From Within
This is a great book geared towards using art to work through your emotions during pregnancy.
Bradley Method Books
Partner Coached Childbirth
Henci Goer
Thinking Woman's Guide to a Better Birth (this is a great book for statistics and scientific minds.
Videos
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Dvds
Business of Being Born
Business of Being Born 2
Laboring Under An Illusion
Gentle Birth Choices
It's My Body, My Baby, My Birth
Born in the USA
What Babies Want
The Birth of Sabine
Birth of Our Choice
I Watched My Brother Being Born
Videos
WARNING: Some of these videos show births, so they are considered "graphic in nature". These are beautiful births, educational videos, and information documentaries. There are lots of birth "sounds" also. Be advised!
There are many wonderful classes in our communities of Las Cruces, El Paso, and Alamogordo which can be beneficial during pregnancy and postpartum! Unlike the single day classes offered by most hospitals, these classes are more in depth and offer detailed information you can use throughout your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum.
Bradley Childbirth Education
Kamy Shaw C.P.M, L.M, D.A.M.E Birthandwellness.com
Kamy Teaches the Bradley Method of childbirth classes. They are usually 12 week classes once a week and focus on the couple as a birth team. For more information about Bradley Method classes contact Kamy Shaw or look at the Bradley website here.
Hypnobirth
Hypnobirthing is a type of child birth that uses self hypnosis to gently ease a mother through childbirth. This can be helpful for staying calm during the labor. It takes some practice and the use of new language to keep a mother in self hypnosis, so classes are important when using this method. There are classes available in Alamogordo and El Paso.
Visit Hypnobirthing.com/locations/ to find a hypnobirthing class near you!
Carrie Chalverus Alamogordo, NM yourhypnobirthalamo@gmail.com
Lety Knight El Paso, TX Doula & Childbirth Educator HypnoBabies
Prenatal Yoga
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Amissa Metcalf - One World Yoga, Birth, & Wellness El Paso, TX (469) 247-5685
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Niki Harrings Las Cruces, NM (575) 647-9642
Classes
Doulas
What is a doula? A doula is a support for the birthing mother. She can act as support for the partner, the mother, any siblings, or the entire family postpartum. There are many benefits to having a doula even at home, but especially if you are considering a hospital birth. There are a few different styles of doula training out there. Please look at your options as there are several doulas in Las Cruces, El Paso, and Alamogordo! The group in Alamogordo will have occasional "Meet the Doulas" gatherings in which expecting parents can come and meet all the local Alamogordo doulas at one meeting. It is important for you to pick your doula as you would your provider and find the one that fits your style! Here are a few links to get you started!
Tricia Salazar
Birth Story Listening
Birth story listening can be an important step for many expectant parents or families. Although geared towards mothers who have had emotional birth experiences, it can also help open communication into what you may want differently during this pregnancy. Often times mothers are made to feel that if they have a healthy baby, they are not allowed to feel regret for the journey of their labor or the way they ended up birthing. This is not the case, and birth story listening can help open those communication outlets and allow a mother or family to heal from those previous experiences so that they do not carry those experiences into their next pregnancy, birth, or postpartum. Having these feelings bottled up or swept under the rug can cause labor to stall out, anxiety in labor, or being unable to voice your wishes during the birth due to emotions coming up. Heather Rische is a midwife as well as a trained birth story listener. Although most midwives are natural inabled to listen and help heal, Heather offers specific Birth story listening groups and one on ones to help expecting mothers or recently postpartum mothers work through their fears or birth trauma.
Heather Rische http://www.mymidwifeheather.com/
Pregnancy, Birth, & Newborn Photography
I have a huge soft spot for professional pregnancy and birth photography as I had a birth photographer at my sons' birth and absolutely loved it! During labor it is easy (and PERFECT!) to get swept up in the waves and rushes of contractions, so much that sometimes you are present or clear headed to visualize baby being born. Some mamas prefer not to see that, but the moment immediately after that when you meet your baby for the first time, is priceless! I recommend looking around at styles and prices and specifying what you would like as far as pictures during the labor and birth.