Midwife

So, as I mentioned, I'm going through a midwife rather than a regular doctor.  I will be having an all natural birth at her home birthing center [and most likely will be a water birth].  My midwife's name is Nora Mcneill and her assistant is Jan.
Her website is here: http://www.reddingmidwife.com/press/the-birth-gazette-1992/


She has some great links about midwifery, and all sorts of pregnancy information.  Good read.  =)
I've been stalking her page for a couple years now.  I've always been interested in an "alternative birth" and I've always found her page to be the one I come back to.  So when I finally got pregnant, she was my first call!  She invited me to her home where she has her birthing center on the lower levels.  Her house is amazing.  We were considering an at-home birth, but once we saw her house, we realized we were more comfortable there than in our own home.  She has many rooms and options of where and how to have the baby, while only being 2 minutes from the hospital for emergencies.  It's a cozy clean home.  Everything is prepared for a birth while being a comfortable enviroment for me, my husband, and any guests.  She has a jacuzzi for labor pains, a koy pond and deck that looks out over redding for relaxation, and two rooms each set up a little differently for births.  Her bathroom features a gorgeous vintage tub that is comfortable enough for a water birth [which I'm still leaving up for a last minute decision].
She has a doctor's office off of Hilltop, and we had our first appointment yesterday.  She was so informative on everything.  We talked about everything from organic food, to baby wraps, to circumcision.  She had packets of information on everything.  She sent me home with so much to read and learn.  She also gave us some business cards of local businesses that will be helpful such as Country Organics, which sells local grown produce and meats.  She's helping me keep a food diary, and excercise plan, as well as teaching me breastfeeding techniques and labor pain management.  She's my own personal assistant and question answerer!  She loves babies and families and she's one of the sweetest ladies out there.  She's smart and I instantly felt comfortable with her.  And unlike a doctor, she's very personal.  She gets to know me and my husband [and my mom!] and makes our visits personal to our needs.  She has shown me my rights as a mother, and gives me options and control over how I bring this baby into the world.  I'm so excited to see where this goes.  If you are considering a more natural setting for your birth, I highly recommend checking it out.  It's not for everyone, and I'm by no means saying that this is the only way, or that I'm doing this the way it's supposed to be.  This is my personal choice, and feel like it's the right thing for me and my family.  I've never been a fan of hospitals, and I've done a lot of research on the pros and cons of this.  [which I will continue to touch on in further posts]  It's probably harder financially for some [easier for others], and scary.  You have to put a lot of faith into God, that he will protect you and the baby, and let his plan take over.  But I believe this is the best thing for me, and I'm very excited to see what happens along the way!