Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I’m writing today to let you know that I’m launching my own business as a New Jersey home birth midwife! Throughout my time working as a midwife, mothers and babies have taught me so much about how to be a patient and supportive witness to the birth process. I’ve had the chance to work with amazing midwives who will continue to be my mentors and support system. Now, as I finally begin to have my own clients, I will be able to offer home-based midwifery care throughout the whole of pregnancy, birth and postpartum. My work will be focused in northern NJ: Bergen, Hudson, Union, Essex, Passaic and Morris counties. Thank you for your friendship and support as I begin this venture - and please save the date to celebrate my business launch on Saturday September 20th, with a free screening of the upcoming film MicroBirth! Location to be determined - details to come in August. For more info about MicroBirth and to see the trailer, click the photo at left.
I am open for business and ready to see clients with due dates as early as September. I am also looking for collaborative relationships with other care providers for pregnant moms, so please refer anyone you think would be interested in my services. Working for myself means I’m suddenly an entrepreneur as well - please reply to this email if you have any advice you think would be useful for a newly self-employed person! I also invite you to subscribe to my blog as a way to stay connected with me and the world of midwifery.
This is a huge change for me - for the past two years I’ve been working as an assistant midwife with a NYC home birth practice. They really let me do the ‘fun part’ - showing up for the birth with none of the work beforehand! Home birthing families and midwives do months of preparation to establish the trust and safety necessary for a home birth, including the healthcare and testing used in deciding whether home birth is really the healthiest choice for that particular mom and baby. Now that I’m opening my own practice, it will be my job to guide families through that process and help them welcome their baby.
As I move into the dual role of midwife and entrepreneur, I am learning so much about myself and being a small business owner at the same time - everything from creating marketing materials, to collating research for my clients’ informed decision making, to stocking my own supplies and equipment. Most importantly, I get to more fully use my skills in supporting women through natural childbirth at home. Midwifery care is primary care during pregnancy, which means that my clients can get all their pregnancy healthcare with me. I do in-home prenatal appointments, including drawing blood for laboratory tests and referring for ultrasounds if needed, and I also incorporate herbal and homeopathic remedies to ease the discomforts that sometimes arise in pregnancy. Home birth means having skilled support right there as you labor and give birth to your baby. I continue following up with postpartum appointments to ensure mom and baby are transitioning smoothly into their new life together.
To me, one of the most exciting things about home birth is how accommodating it is to the individuality of mothers and babies. In some hospitals, for example, there are time limits for how long you’re allowed to be in each stage of labor. At home, midwives monitor mom and baby’s health non-invasively and constantly assess progress according to their individual wellbeing. I recently had the chance to work with a mom who kept moving throughout her entire labor, trying to find a comfortable position during the intense contractions and back labor she was experiencing. I was there as an assistant midwife, and followed the mother around to monitor her baby periodically as she worked through her labor. Finally, nearly panicking with the intensity of her fast labor and transition, she began to push and immediately brought her baby down. As the baby’s head came out, we could see that the bag of waters hadn’t broken and the baby was being born still enclosed in this beautiful globe of water, glowing softly in the dim light of the room. Her midwife unwrapped her from her membranes and her umbilical cord and handed her to her mother. Seeing these delighted parents greet their baby, I felt an immense gratitude to be there as a part of their healthcare team. For that individual baby, home was the perfect place for birth to unfold in this unique and gentle way.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and, if you like, email me at midwife@jillallatta.com with your thoughts on midwifery or being a new business owner. Looking forward to hearing from you, and click here if you'd like to subscribe to my blog!
I’m writing today to let you know that I’m launching my own business as a New Jersey home birth midwife! Throughout my time working as a midwife, mothers and babies have taught me so much about how to be a patient and supportive witness to the birth process. I’ve had the chance to work with amazing midwives who will continue to be my mentors and support system. Now, as I finally begin to have my own clients, I will be able to offer home-based midwifery care throughout the whole of pregnancy, birth and postpartum. My work will be focused in northern NJ: Bergen, Hudson, Union, Essex, Passaic and Morris counties. Thank you for your friendship and support as I begin this venture - and please save the date to celebrate my business launch on Saturday September 20th, with a free screening of the upcoming film MicroBirth! Location to be determined - details to come in August. For more info about MicroBirth and to see the trailer, click the photo at left.
I am open for business and ready to see clients with due dates as early as September. I am also looking for collaborative relationships with other care providers for pregnant moms, so please refer anyone you think would be interested in my services. Working for myself means I’m suddenly an entrepreneur as well - please reply to this email if you have any advice you think would be useful for a newly self-employed person! I also invite you to subscribe to my blog as a way to stay connected with me and the world of midwifery.
This is a huge change for me - for the past two years I’ve been working as an assistant midwife with a NYC home birth practice. They really let me do the ‘fun part’ - showing up for the birth with none of the work beforehand! Home birthing families and midwives do months of preparation to establish the trust and safety necessary for a home birth, including the healthcare and testing used in deciding whether home birth is really the healthiest choice for that particular mom and baby. Now that I’m opening my own practice, it will be my job to guide families through that process and help them welcome their baby.
As I move into the dual role of midwife and entrepreneur, I am learning so much about myself and being a small business owner at the same time - everything from creating marketing materials, to collating research for my clients’ informed decision making, to stocking my own supplies and equipment. Most importantly, I get to more fully use my skills in supporting women through natural childbirth at home. Midwifery care is primary care during pregnancy, which means that my clients can get all their pregnancy healthcare with me. I do in-home prenatal appointments, including drawing blood for laboratory tests and referring for ultrasounds if needed, and I also incorporate herbal and homeopathic remedies to ease the discomforts that sometimes arise in pregnancy. Home birth means having skilled support right there as you labor and give birth to your baby. I continue following up with postpartum appointments to ensure mom and baby are transitioning smoothly into their new life together.
To me, one of the most exciting things about home birth is how accommodating it is to the individuality of mothers and babies. In some hospitals, for example, there are time limits for how long you’re allowed to be in each stage of labor. At home, midwives monitor mom and baby’s health non-invasively and constantly assess progress according to their individual wellbeing. I recently had the chance to work with a mom who kept moving throughout her entire labor, trying to find a comfortable position during the intense contractions and back labor she was experiencing. I was there as an assistant midwife, and followed the mother around to monitor her baby periodically as she worked through her labor. Finally, nearly panicking with the intensity of her fast labor and transition, she began to push and immediately brought her baby down. As the baby’s head came out, we could see that the bag of waters hadn’t broken and the baby was being born still enclosed in this beautiful globe of water, glowing softly in the dim light of the room. Her midwife unwrapped her from her membranes and her umbilical cord and handed her to her mother. Seeing these delighted parents greet their baby, I felt an immense gratitude to be there as a part of their healthcare team. For that individual baby, home was the perfect place for birth to unfold in this unique and gentle way.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and, if you like, email me at midwife@jillallatta.com with your thoughts on midwifery or being a new business owner. Looking forward to hearing from you, and click here if you'd like to subscribe to my blog!