Pregnancy and childbirth are very special experiences for women and their families. We recognize the uniqueness of this experience for each woman and provide an individualized approach that will preserve personal goals and desires and ensure safety and well-being of mother and child. We embrace the following principles:

• We recognize the whole person: mind, body, spirit, and community are all involved.
• Our orientation is one of health as we pay attention to overall nutrition, physical fitness, emotional health. Our goal is to help our patients be as healthy as possible as this benefits both mother and fetus. We do not view pregnancy as a disease state.
• When possible, we incorporate the use of safe and efficacious complementary approaches during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period. Our expertise combined with those of our consulting colleagues will optimize the outcome of any pregnancy affected by chronic illness or by new problems that arise related to the pregnancy.

We believe:

• Labor should ensue naturally for a full-term pregnancy, on its own, provided maternal-fetal well being is optimal.
• Vaginal birth is the best for the majority of women.
• Cesarean birth can be used safely for specific birth situations.
• Labor support is essential. We encourage family and doulas to work with us to provide emotional support, comfort and guidance during labor.
• Education, preparation, empowerment to gain a sense of control of the labor process.
• Mobilization with ambulation and position changes.
• Pain relief in accordance with the individual needs of the laboring patient:
  • Choosing a medicated birth:
    We provide close support and encouragement to our patients as needs are reassessed during labor. Regional analgesia such as epidural block or combined spinal/epidural is available. Pharmaceuticals such as anxiolytics and narcotics are used to provide sedation and pain relief when regional analgesia is not considered.
  • Choosing an unmedicated birth:
    For those who desire to experience all the sensations of labor and birth, we provide full support and offer an integrative approach that embraces education and involvement in the labor-planning process. We use the following quite effectively:
    • Hydrotherapy/water immersion for the first stage of labor
    • Freedom of movement and mobility
    • Massage therapy
    • Guided imagery/visualization, hypnosis
    • Relaxation and deep breathing exercises
    • Acupuncture
    • A comforting environment utilizing sounds and aromas suitable to the laboring patient.
    • We work with licensed complementary practitioners such as acupuncturists and medical massage therapists.

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