What We Offer

COMMITTED TO GUIDING YOU THROUGH A HEALTHY PREGNANCY,
BIRTH, AND POSTPARTUM, AS WELL AS, LIFE-LONG WELLNESS

Home Birth

Home birth is at the heart of Manzanita Midwifery’s care. Pregnant people in good health who have a low-risk pregnancy are able to birth at home with a licensed midwife in attendance. Our care package includes:

  • Individualized, prenatal appointments in your home
  • Appointment duration is typically 45 to 60 minutes
  • Nutritional counseling
  • Standard lab work and ultrasounds are available
  • Informed choice regarding all procedures and tests
  • Labor and birth attendance by a California licensed midwife
  • Postpartum visits in your home focusing on breastfeeding, recovery care, and newborn care for 6-8 weeks after birth
  • Newborn Screen in your home
  • Breastfeeding support
  • Well baby care for the first 6 weeks
  • Birth certificate and Social Security number for your newborn
  • Insurance can be billed

Water Birth

Manzanita Midwifery has an Aquadoula tub available for labor or birth in water. Warm water can increase relaxation in labor and allows for a gentle transition for the newborn. The benefits of water birth are numerous and include a shorter first stage of labor, reduced need for pharmaceutical pain relief, and increased satisfaction with the birthing experience. Safety is of utmost concern at Manzanita Midwifery, and water birth does not increase maternal or newborn infection rates or perineal tearing compared to birthing outside of water.

"Birth is an opportunity to transcend. To rise above what we are accustomed to, reach deeper inside ourselves than we are familiar with, and to see not only what we are truly made of, but the strength we can access in and through birth."

– Marcie Macari

VBAC

Manzanita Midwifery offers home birth to people who have previously had a cesarean birth. We provide prenatal support and preparation for your HBAC. We assess your birthing history and monitor you throughout pregnancy to verify that you are a low-risk candidate for home birth.

Annual Exams

At Manzanita Midwifery, wellness care is individualized, conducted with compassion, and focused on communication about your needs. At your appointment, which typically lasts an hour, we discuss your nutrition, stress, and physical health. A complete annual exam may include: full physical, breast exam, pelvic exam and pap, lab work, STI testing, and supplementation recommendations. Insurance can be billed.

Preconception

Manzanita Midwifery provides preconception counseling to review nutrition and diet, exercise, bloodwork labs, and overall health. We can review your reproductive history and discuss optimal path to conception. In addition, IUI is offered as an on-call service.

"The whole point of woman-centered birth is the knowledge that a woman is the birth power source. She may need, and deserve, help, but in essence, she always had, currently has, and will have the power."

– Heather McCue