Services

At Nine Moons Midwifery offices in both Charlottesville and Lynchburg you can expect to feel hopeful, confident, comfortable and relaxed. You may be seeking something different from the medical norm and if you are looking to participate in your care, we may be a good match. Whether you are planning a pregnancy, enlisting support for fertility, whether you are a first time parent, or an experienced parent imagining a new paradigm, together we can make a plan that best suits you.

Schedule a virtual consultation (or in person if that is your preference) to discuss preconception counseling, midwifery services for those planning a homebirth, birth companion/doula care for those planning to give birth in the hospital, or postpartum support and respite care for the the early days of parenting. Reassurance is one of the greatest needs you may have in your parenting journey and it is a great strength of Nine Moons Midwifery in all of our care. Pregnancy can be a time of conflicting information and you may be confronted by fear, but you are not alone.

Home birth clients begin with monthly check-in appointments that include health history, checking vitals, getting to know one another, and envisioning the pregnancy support you need. We will have ample time for all of your questions and thoughts. During the third trimester appointments including abdominal massage are every other week, then finally weekly, culminating in a home visit. By that point you will have your home birth supplies on hand and your midwifery team will join you in labor. Midwifery care for the family extends into the postpartum period, including your newborn’s exam, and follow-up appointments through the first weeks after birth.

For those with a different primary pregnancy care provider, doula or birth companion care may be what you seek for the personalized warmth and guidance that may be lacking in the medical model. If you are planning to give birth in the hospital with a nurse midwife, family physician or obstetrician, most of your prenatal health appointments will be with that provider. Doula support appointments include non-medical comfort measures, education and information about the pregnancy and birth process, and on-call support at home in labor, through the decision to move to your birthing place, attendance through your birth and holding space during the initial settling in time.

Some families opt for at-home care during the postpartum time or respite support with a baby in the weeks and months that follow. Overnight postpartum doula care can allow new parents to get uninterrupted sleep and daytime visits sometimes include guidance on baby care and soothing, feeding support, and meal preparation for the rest of the family. The nurturing and attentive care that babies require is also a needed service for parents and honoring that is a great calling.