Motherland Blog

Welcome Cal Arthur…an early arrival!

Belinda wasn’t due until Christmas eve so I was very surprised when I heard from her and Eric early in the morning of December 4th! But after an hour it was clear this wasn’t warm-up later as her surges were coming every 3-4 minutes and getting stronger! When I arrived Belinda was working hard but [...]

Thursday’s child…welcome Blake!

Sarah and Ben were expecting baby number four just before Christmas. Sarah had a history of very fast labors so when she started having contractions on Thursday December 15th we all thought it was going to be the day and rushed over to her house. But her sweet little boy wasn’t quite ready so we [...]

Better late than never for a home sweet homebirth!

Marisa and Chris came late to the homebirth decision. We had spoken earlier in her pregnancy but she had decided to just stick with working with midwives in the hospital setting. But as the birth grew closer she realized that in her heart she really wanted to have her baby at home. Her first appointment [...]

Fast & furious first time labor!

Maria had been at my house at 5 pm on November 14th so I could check on the baby’s heartbeat. She was around 41 weeks and we just were making sure the baby was moving ok and still happy being on the inside. Maria had been at acupuncture earlier in the afternoon. As she was [...]

Welcome Julian Felix!

Liz and Jared were due on 11/11/11- what a cool due date! As some blood pressure concerns arose the end of pregnancy Liz was super diligent about nutritional and alternative ways to help keep her BP under control. She went into labor the night of 11/9. It was a hard labor pattern and her body [...]

“The Mighty One” is born!

Snow in October in Philadelphia is not a common occurrence. But after this year’s weather, we all know anything is possible. So when I heard from Ammie and Schuyler early on the morning of the 29th that early labor had begun, as we prepared to set out for some snowy Halloween parties, I wasn’t at [...]

Welcome Matteo Justus Shenk!

Cheryl and Tim are a lovely, kind, compassionate couple that live in the Camden Community House in the Waterfront South neighborhood of Camden and are very involved in efforts to bring social and environmental justice and resources for positive change to their community and city. Martin, Itzela and I are occasional attendees of the church [...]

Motherland Fall Potluck!

We had a beautiful autumn day and a wonderful turn out last Sunday for our Motherland Fall Potluck! At the height of the gathering there were over 50 folks, big and small, enjoying food, fellowship and Itzela’s toys and dress-up clothes! From vegan raw foods cheesecake to veggie pot-pie, homemade apple pie to 7-layer dips [...]

Lucky 7…October 7th, 7lbs and 7th baby!!!

Yolonda and Isaiah and their family moved to South Jersey when they were about 33 weeks pregnant and found me just in time to make plans for a homebirth! They had 5 girls and 1 boy and their last baby had been born at home in Ohio with a midwife I know from doing midwifery/birth [...]

Friday, Saturday, Sunday…and Baby Jack arrives!

Michelle and Lee Clemmer patiently waited to meet their child as their due date came and went around Labor Day and they saw other families in the practice due after them welcome their little ones. When Michelle 18 days past her due date and the baby’s fluid levels had suddenly dropped we decided to try [...]