Gentle Birth Care [Home Birth Practice]

“We believe in supporting families who have chosen to deliver their baby into the warm, loving environment of their own home, whether in the water or on land!

We believe that beginning this journey of life at home helps promote the home as a safe, sacred space for nourishing the growth of your child.

Prenatal visits during your pregnancy will usually take anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour. We have offices in Oak Park, Wheaton and Chicago. We will spend time talking about your physical and emotional needs, along with discussing your plans for the pregnancy and birth. Additionally nutrition, pregnancy discomforts, and family relationships & stresses will be reviewed.

During each visit, the following will be assessed: your blood pressure, measuring the baby’s growth, feeling the position of the baby, urine check, and listening to the baby’s heartbeat with a doppler (or fetoscope if desired). At least one prenatal visit will be in your home around 36 weeks, this will be a birth plan visit; again reviewing your plans for the birth.

One-to-one care and support is provided during labor according to the individual needs of the woman and her family. Some women enjoy hands-on support and guidance while others want solitude and independence. We take our cues from the individual families. We encourage the use of water during labor and have extensive experience in water births.

After the birth, the Assistant and Midwife will stay for 2-3 hours to ensure that mother and baby are stable and that breastfeeding is off to a good start. During that time we will also complete a newborn exam. We will visit the new family in their home within 24 – 48 hours and accomplish the newborn screening test. A one or two week visit in the home and a six week postpartum office visit are included.”

You should plan a home birth only if you are low-risk and you do not develop complications in pregnancy.

Gentle Birth Care supports a VBAC trial of labor if you have had at least one vaginal birth since your most recent c-section.

Gentle Birth Care has back-up relationships with several hospitals. They have copies of patients’ records and are notified ahead of time if a transport is planned.

Note that transport statistics are for prior year. Most transports are for premature rupture of membranes and failure to progress.

Gentle Birth Care recommends that all first-time mothers and first-time natural birthers to take a childbirth preparation class offered by one of their doulas.

They also offer a breastfeeding preparation class. See their website for more information.