Midwife. Middle English midwif, from mid with + wif woman.
BELLY HENNA
Prenatal Counseling
A wise woman once said, "Prenatal Care is what you do for yourself every day between visits with your midwife."
Adrienne is here to serve you and your unique wishes for your birth, however the crux of prenatal nurturing lies in your own power and responsibility. Adrienne will help you find information and determine your own answers...her initial response to a question just might be "what do you think?" All clients receive a packet of articles with extensive references for further research.
Relationship-building is the hallmark of quality midwifery care. A typical prenatal visit will last an ample hour and encompass the following: in-depth nutrition counseling, your changing physiology and the common discomforts of pregnancy, your wishes for your birth, emotional well-being, tuning in to mother's physical wellness, and tuning in to baby's growth and wellness. Prenatal visits are scheduled once per month until 28 weeks, then every other week until 36 weeks, then weekly. Homebirth clients are also required to see a physician or health clinic twice during pregnancy.
You are the expert of your Self. Midwives possess expertise of normal pregnancy and birth. Together we meet in the middle.
Birth
Adrienne will come to your home when we mutually decide the time is right. Her intention is to hold the space for you to go deeply within, while monitoring you and your baby's well-being in as unobtrusive a manner as possible. Adrienne will be as hands-on or hands-off as you desire, within the boundaries of safety and common sense. Birthing at home promotes an atmosphere of respect, autonomy, privacy, reverence, gentleness, and love. What a nice way to welcome a baby!
After the baby's arrival Adrienne will perform a thorough newborn examination. She remains in your home for several hours while you enjoy the amazing first gazes and cuddles, baby has begun to breastfeed, the house is tidied up, and everyone is fed and tucked in bed for some rest.
Waterbirth is chosen by many motherbabies as a comforting, gentle mode of labor and birthing. Laboring in water promotes relaxation, pain relief, optimal hormone flow, greater mobility, tissue elasticity, and privacy. As part of your homebirth package, you will be provided with a complete waterbirth setup including pool, pumps, and hoses.
Postpartum Nurturing
The first six weeks after birth are a natural window of opportunity for rapid rejuvenation or depletion, and it is vital for mothers to rest as much as possible. Please plan to honor yourself during this wondrous time. With planning and support you may avoid many common postpartum challenges.
Postpartum care includes:
Care is also available for women who have lost a pregnancy. We honor that each individual’s healing time is uniquely determined.
Placenta Encapsulation
More and more women are opting to consume their placentas as a nutritional supplement. For more information about this service please click here.
Standards & Protocols
As a midwife licensed by SC DHEC, Adrienne abides by the standards set forth in Regulation 61-24. She strives to embody the Midwives Model of Care and the Wisewoman Tradition of the least intervention for the greatest good.
Free Consultation
If you'd like to learn more about midwifery care and home birth, please contact Adrienne to schedule a free initial consultation.
A wise woman once said, "Prenatal Care is what you do for yourself every day between visits with your midwife."
Adrienne is here to serve you and your unique wishes for your birth, however the crux of prenatal nurturing lies in your own power and responsibility. Adrienne will help you find information and determine your own answers...her initial response to a question just might be "what do you think?" All clients receive a packet of articles with extensive references for further research.
Relationship-building is the hallmark of quality midwifery care. A typical prenatal visit will last an ample hour and encompass the following: in-depth nutrition counseling, your changing physiology and the common discomforts of pregnancy, your wishes for your birth, emotional well-being, tuning in to mother's physical wellness, and tuning in to baby's growth and wellness. Prenatal visits are scheduled once per month until 28 weeks, then every other week until 36 weeks, then weekly. Homebirth clients are also required to see a physician or health clinic twice during pregnancy.
You are the expert of your Self. Midwives possess expertise of normal pregnancy and birth. Together we meet in the middle.
Birth
Adrienne will come to your home when we mutually decide the time is right. Her intention is to hold the space for you to go deeply within, while monitoring you and your baby's well-being in as unobtrusive a manner as possible. Adrienne will be as hands-on or hands-off as you desire, within the boundaries of safety and common sense. Birthing at home promotes an atmosphere of respect, autonomy, privacy, reverence, gentleness, and love. What a nice way to welcome a baby!
After the baby's arrival Adrienne will perform a thorough newborn examination. She remains in your home for several hours while you enjoy the amazing first gazes and cuddles, baby has begun to breastfeed, the house is tidied up, and everyone is fed and tucked in bed for some rest.
Waterbirth is chosen by many motherbabies as a comforting, gentle mode of labor and birthing. Laboring in water promotes relaxation, pain relief, optimal hormone flow, greater mobility, tissue elasticity, and privacy. As part of your homebirth package, you will be provided with a complete waterbirth setup including pool, pumps, and hoses.
Postpartum Nurturing
The first six weeks after birth are a natural window of opportunity for rapid rejuvenation or depletion, and it is vital for mothers to rest as much as possible. Please plan to honor yourself during this wondrous time. With planning and support you may avoid many common postpartum challenges.
Postpartum care includes:
- thorough assessment of mother and baby's well-being
- breastfeeding support and guidance
- nourishing herbal teas and snacks.
- three soothing mother’s Ayurvedic warm oil treatments
- filing of birth certificate
- metabolic screening of the newborn
- counseling on common postpartum concerns of mother and baby
- emotional support; processing your birth
- placental preparations, as desired
Care is also available for women who have lost a pregnancy. We honor that each individual’s healing time is uniquely determined.
Placenta Encapsulation
More and more women are opting to consume their placentas as a nutritional supplement. For more information about this service please click here.
Standards & Protocols
As a midwife licensed by SC DHEC, Adrienne abides by the standards set forth in Regulation 61-24. She strives to embody the Midwives Model of Care and the Wisewoman Tradition of the least intervention for the greatest good.
Free Consultation
If you'd like to learn more about midwifery care and home birth, please contact Adrienne to schedule a free initial consultation.
Postpartum Check
Happy Baby
Testimonials
"Without Adrienne's advice I don't know that I would have had a home birth at all. Our experience, as a family, with our home birth was invaluable. The outcome is an empowered mother, stronger family unit, a beautiful baby girl, and so much more that is still ruminating in my mind.
Adrienne also brought me a bag of goodies during one of our postpartum visits including homeopathic remedies and homemade digestive herbs; I was very thankful for all of these things.
She was also a wealth of information--any question or concern I had was answered with research that Adrienne made available to us." ~JP, Charleston
"Thank you for being such a wonderful, kind, supportive, non-judgmental midwife. It was a gift to have you at the birth." ~AD & BD, John's Island
"Your knowledge is so amazing and your information and insights are invaluable. Thank you for sharing your spirit and love with us by helping to bring our son into this world. Your herbal remedies and suggestions were such gifts, especially the sitz bath herbs--those were amazing!" ~LV & CV, Mt. Pleasant
"Your calm, caring and very nurturing presence made me feel very well cared for." ~SG, Goose Creek
Adrienne also brought me a bag of goodies during one of our postpartum visits including homeopathic remedies and homemade digestive herbs; I was very thankful for all of these things.
She was also a wealth of information--any question or concern I had was answered with research that Adrienne made available to us." ~JP, Charleston
"Thank you for being such a wonderful, kind, supportive, non-judgmental midwife. It was a gift to have you at the birth." ~AD & BD, John's Island
"Your knowledge is so amazing and your information and insights are invaluable. Thank you for sharing your spirit and love with us by helping to bring our son into this world. Your herbal remedies and suggestions were such gifts, especially the sitz bath herbs--those were amazing!" ~LV & CV, Mt. Pleasant
"Your calm, caring and very nurturing presence made me feel very well cared for." ~SG, Goose Creek
Home Birth is Cleaner and Greener:
Your home is populated by your family's normal flora. Other birth sites may breed 'superbugs' such as MRSA or C. difficile. Babies are meant to be populated with their mother's flora.
Home birth is less wasteful:
Home birth uses less electricity:
At a home birth, your placenta is not considered "medical waste" to be incinerated. We respectfully suggest you:
Home birth is less wasteful:
- you use your own cups, pitchers and bowls; not disposable plastic items
- no plastic IV bags or tubing
- you may choose washable cloth underpads instead of single-use, plastic-backed 'chux' pads
- no paper external fetal monitor printouts
- minimal vaginal examinations means fewer gloves are used
- umbilical cord may be closed with a reusable, sterile, stainless-steel clamp OR if you choose a Lotus Birth, no clamp at all.
Home birth uses less electricity:
- maternal-fetal well-being is assessed by a person, not by a machine
- baby's heart rate is checked intermittently rather than continuously (studies indicate this method is both safe and effective)
- lights are dimmed; many people opt to birth by candlelight
- newborn warmth is provided by mother and father's bodies, not an isolated, mechanical warmer
At a home birth, your placenta is not considered "medical waste" to be incinerated. We respectfully suggest you:
- Make it into medicine, or
- Return it to the land or the sea.
