Midwifery

Photo courtesy of Kristin Brandon Photography

Why Midwifery?

Women have been birthing babies for thousands of years with great success.  We are lucky enough to live in a society with every technological advancement at our fingertips in times of distress.  Birth is a natural process that, we believe, does best without unnecessary interventions. We have been there, time and again. Women are strong and capable enough to handle the birth process. On the rare occasion that nature needs assistance, our team has the knowledge and experience to assess the needs of every situation and handle them appropriately. We take every precaution to ensure the safety of our mothers and babies.  On the rare occasion that a hospital transfer is needed, our team is there coordinating your care with physicians that we already have a working relationship with to ensure you the best care possible. We believe that a midwife should be fully involved in your care. That includes spending time getting to know our clients at every appointment, supporting you as you labor, and following up frequently postpartum to ensure that you are receiving the support and care you deserve as you embrace motherhood.  Our staff has years of experience catching thousands of babies. We would very much like the opportunity to share your birthing experience with you.

Prenatal Care

We believe in a high standard of care at Thoughtful Woman. Typical prenatal visits generally last from 30-60 minutes and include the following:

  • Standard Prenatal Labwork
  • Blood Pressure Monitoring
  • Fundal Height Measurement
  • Fetal Heart Tone Monitoring
  • Nutritional Counseling/Self Care
  • Ultrasound Referral (If necessary/desired)

Birth Options

We feel it is very important for our clients to birth wherever they are most comfortable. During your prenatal visits, we will discuss your birthing options and make plans accordingly.

Home Birth

Current statistics show that home birth is a safe option for low-risk women. Women often do well laboring in an environment where they feel supported, comforted, and safe. We encourage our clients to birth where they feel most comfortable, whether that be in bed, in water, or even in a corner. For those that desire a water birth, we are happy to offer birth tub rentals for a nominal deposit.

Birth Center Birth

We are lucky to have many birth centers in the DFW area to support women who would feel more comfortable in that type of setting.  We at Thoughtful Woman have great working relationships with many of these centers. If you would like to explore this option more fully, we would love to sit down with you and discuss your options.

Hospital Birth

Some of our clients still prefer a hospital setting. If you would feel safest delivering in this type of environment, Sherry Odlfield, CNM, currently has catching privileges at Denton Regional Medical Center. During your prenatal visits, Sherry will discuss registration requirements with you.

Postpartum Care

After birth, we want our clients to bask in the delights of becoming a new mom.

  • Follow up visits at 2 days, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks
  • Newborn examination and bloodwork screenings (if desired)
  • Assistance in establishing feeding (breast or bottle)

Financing

It is important to us that all women have the option to birth the way they want, regardless of financial restrictions. We offer many options for our clients including:

  • Payment Plans
  • Insurance Filing through Larsen Billing Service
  • Financing Options

Birth Photography

Birth photography has becoming increasingly popular and we must say that we love seeing this amazing experience reproduced in video and print. We are happy to offer the names and numbers of several area photographers that we have working relationships with. Right now we are working with Kristin Brandon Photography who has graciously agreed to attend our births at no cost to our clients.  This gives you the option of purchasing photos if you like them, but being under no obligation to do so.

Resources

Doulas

Childbirth Instruction

Birth Supplies

Chiropractic Care

Books

  • The Thinking Woman’s Guide to a Better Birth by Henci Goer
  • Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin
  • Husband Coached Childbirth by Robert A. Bradley, M.D.

Videos

  • The Business of Being Born

General Information

Blogs