Midwifery
Care
Hi, We’re your Licensed, Certified Professional Midwives, Corina, Hanna, and Staysha!
We believe Midwifery, at its core, is being fully present, listening deeply, laughing joyously, and holding sacred a space for women in their journey to motherhood.
We are the oldest birth center in Richmond VA and we are proud to meet the International Confederation of Midwifery (ICM) standards. We are certified by the National Association of Registered Midwives (NARM), and licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine BOM.
Together we’ve midwifed 100’s and 100’s of
families!
Over the course of your whole birth journey, we’ll spend an average of
30 hours together.
Get to know us
I’m the visionary, founder, clinical director and senior midwife at Embrace. I’m a bit famous for my big hair, big laughs and big hugs. A mama to 3, a mimi to 6 and a midwife to 100’s, I want your experience at Embrace to be one of joy!
Hanna is a staff midwife who loves the whole process of birth and seeing clients become strong confident parents. She is mother to her furbaby and is often found out enjoying all the special things that make RVA special.
Staysha is a staff midwife who is mother to 7 homebirthed babies. She began her career in birth over 15 years ago, and is passionate about maternal disparities in the US and bringing health equality to everyone.
When You Choose Care with Us
Our global care fee includes all routine prenatal, labor, birth, postpartum care and newborn assessment and care (up to 6 weeks for newborns).
HERE’S WHAT YOUR MIDWIFERY PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- Licensed, Certified, Professional Midwife and Specially Trained Birth Assistant
- A private birth suite with a huge tub and endless hot water
- Full prenatal care and Embracing the Journey Community Circle
- Regular reviews of your food choices and supplements, with simple advice to adjust your diet and maximize your nourishment
- Labor and birth in one of our beautiful birth suites
- Waterbirth, if you choose
- Newborn exam on the bed next to you a few hours after the natural birth, and well newborn care for the first 6 weeks of life, as well as breastfeeding support
- Suturing, if needed, for 1st and 2nd degree tears
- 24 hour availability from a certified midwife for labor, birth or any urgent situations
- After the birth, care is still important. First postpartum visit at 24-72 hours where we will make sure your new baby gets the standard Newborn testing options you have chosen. Additional office visits at 3-5 days, 10-14 days and a final graduation visit at 6 weeks after your birth.
- E-mail and phone communication, as needed
- Ordering of the standard prenatal lab tests, and any needed or desired ultrasounds (We never require an ultrasound unless there is a medical concern)
- All routine birth supplies
- A visit with our Certified Nurse Midwife
- Access to our well researched resource list
- Access to our Lending Library
We are a family
We LOVE getting to know our families on a personal level and staying in touch with how their beautiful babies are growing up!
We have 2 birth tree murals in our waiting room- one for the first five years and one for the second five years- with the name of every baby that has joined the Embrace family to honor the beautiful relationships we form. When you birth with us you are always remembered and celebrated!
We do things a bit differently at Embrace.
When you choose care with us, you enjoy
Friendly, personal appointments with a midwife who listens deeply to your questions, concerns, and joys.
Evidence based care – being informed of all your options, and having your choices honored.
Having your midwife meet you and your new baby at 24-48 hours after the birth to check that you’re both transitioning well
Natural comfort measures – dim lighting, TENS units, sterile water papules, balls, birth swings, aromatherapy, music, water labor and/or birth.
Eating and drinking in labor- anything that sounds good!
Welcoming your baby skin to skin, delayed cord clamping and breastfeeding as soon as you and your new baby are ready.
A full 6 weeks of postpartum support and newborn care
Safe, gentle, supportive care my midwives you know and trust.
Comprehensive Care
As Midwives licensed by the Board of Medicine, we provide all the clinical care for a healthy client, including ordering labs and ultrasounds, just like any provider. Our time and level of care goes far beyond the alternatives and leaves you feeling 100% supported and prepared. Whether you’re a first time mom feeling anxious about what to expect or an experienced mom who has forgotten what it is like to be looked after, Embrace is for you.
15 HOURS OF PRENATAL CARE
for the average client. We offer luxurious hour long appointments and empower you with evidence based information.
12-18 HOURS OF CARE
We want your baby to have the best entry to the world and for you to have a positive birth experience!
10+ HOURS OF CARE
Our families LOVE our generous 6-weeks of postpartum care. Each appointment is like a visit with a friend who makes sure you and your newborn are thriving physically and mentally.
Preconception and Prenatal Care
More and more people are really planning for their pregnancy, starting with a very conscious conception. We offer preconception planning! PAPs, labs and breast exams, if needed, but it’s so much more that. Our midwives will walk you through healthy nutrition, supplements, joyful movement and lifestyle changes to be sure you are ready to conceive the healthiest baby possible!
Once you conceive, you already know your midwife! We’ll be so excited to see you with that sweet sparkle of a baby that we will schedule you for your Embrace Orientation Visit right away. This is a very different from the average doctor who schedules on the 10 minute mark and expects to spend five to seven minutes with the average patient. Every visit with us will be around one hour long!
You will be part of our amazing and renowned Embracing the Journey Circle. These Circle Communities are centered on Common-Unity! Everyone in your circle will have the same due month as you, so it will be a time for questions, discussion, education and laughter geared specifically for families in your birth month! Don’t worry- We will do your urine dip, weight, vital signs and belly check privately and your private information will never be shared with anyone unless you choose to! After 9 lively classes, you may have your new BFF, and you will certainly have your own team of cheerleaders, as excited to meet your new baby as you are!
In addition to our Circles, your midwives will see you for about 4-6 private, hour- long appointments where you and your partner will receive evidence based information about birth centers, water birth, doulas and any clinical questions you may have as well as support and encouragement customized for your body, birth and baby
And yes, partners are always welcome!
Informed “consent” implies you will say yes! Informed CHOICE means just that… you get to choose. Our job is to provide great, evidence based information without bias. We’ve created lots of documents so you have up- to-date resources to read and research in the comfort of your own home.
At your next appointment, we will happily discuss and help you decide what is right for your pregnancy, birth and your baby. This is how we create your birth plan — which means in labor, you don’t have to “ fight” for anything. You never have to defend your decisions. We know what you want going into your birth and short of an emergency, we’re going to stick to your birth plan.
As an interesting side note….LOTS of things that people have to fight for in hospitals are indeed evidence-based, like eating and drinking in labor, pushing in positions other than flat on your back, delayed cord clamping until the cord is flat and white, and skin to skin with no separation. At Embrace, you’d have to fight to have it any other way.
“Even my skeptical husband said afterwards how much better it was than our first hospital birth.”
“I had such a wonderful experience at Embrace from prenatal care to the beautiful birth of my son to postpartum. I always felt my choices were heard and followed, and looked forward to appts which were like visiting friends! I got to have both Jessica and Corina at my birth, and even my skeptical husband said afterward how much better it was than our first hospital birth. We love you guys soo much! Also shoutout to Corina for flipping my randomly breech babe at 37 wks and saving me from a c-section, to Dalyce for watching my sassy 5 year old and Jessica for making me crack up at literally every appt.”
— Katie Hardcastle
Labor and Birth
Our licensed, certified, professional midwives are on call every hour of every day, every day of the year. As a birth center client, you are given a special phone number that is a direct line to your midwives- no answering services or nurse lines here! When you call, we’re ready. If you have hired a doula, she will come offer support you as soon as you need and we will all stay in contact until active labor starts. It’s your Baby’s Birthday, and we are all excited for you! You will soon either be on your way to the birth center and we will be, too!
The world health organization believes that the cesarean rate should be 10-15%, but America’s average is 37% right now. Our cesarean rate is 6-8%. We are not anti-Cesarean. If your body or your baby need a Cesarean birth, we will be thankful it’s available. We have great relationships with local doctors and hospitals, and can arrange a smooth transfer, if needed.
Unfortunately in America, Cesareans are used too often, and for too many things that support and patience could have solved. Hospital birth can often create a “cascade of interventions”, and often that starts when you walk in the door. Fear, painful vaginal exams, IVs, strangers in your room…these all can shut down the process of natural birth.
Forget what you have seen in the movies! When you are in labor, we will set up your comfy birth suite. We will diffuse some oils, if you have chosen, and we will dim the lights. If you are in active labor, we often start the tub before you arrive. You’ll be greeted with a smile, and encouraged to settle in. We will get your vitals and your baby’s heart tones when you are ready, and we will continue to monitor you and your baby quietly and gently throughout labor.
When it’s time to push, we will help you find your own rhythm. Pushing should not be like an Olympic sport! Gentle pushing allows your perineum to stretch, minimizing tearing, and allows your baby to be well oxygenated, minimizing any fetal distress. We love the more patient, gentle approach to easing your baby into your arms.
After the birth, we know you just want to love and explore your new baby. We protect your golden hour! We will make sure you have tea and a bite to eat, but we love to wait a few hours before we do the newborn exam — even though we do it on the bed next to you!
Post-natal Care
Many people don’t realize midwives offer complete care to well mothers and well babies for 6 weeks. Most hospitals discharge new families, and tell them to follow up with their OB and pediatrician at 6-8 weeks. New babies and newly made mothers deserve so much more support than that!
We welcome you and your baby back to the birth center just 1-2 days after birth, then we see you again around 1 week, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks. We check your baby’s weight, reflexes and development, discuss sleeping and nursing patterns, answer all those newborn questions that come up once you go home. This new little person doesn’t come with a Manual!
We check in with you, emotionally and physically. Your breasts are making milk, your uterus is shrinking, your perineum is healing, and you are transitioning to parenting this new babe. Baby blues, depression, lack of sleep, lack of support… we care about all the changes your may be experiencing. We want to make sure you are thriving. And when you need birth control, we can help with that too!
Ironically, statistics say that over 60% of women never attend their 6 week visit with their OB. It makes sense, many people don’t want to sit in a waiting room for 2 hours only to be called back for a 5-minute visit. With us, things are so different! 100% of our clients choose to come to their postpartum appointments. With us, you are seen, you are heard, we coo and we awww and we snuggle and we support. We share in the joy and struggles of having a new baby. It is a JOYFUL visit. We’ll make you a cup of tea or bring you a glass of water. You can sit back in a comfy chair with your feet up. You are IMMEDIATELY cared for.
Tours are every Wednesday at 11 am and every Saturday at 9 am.
We encourage you to RSVP your space!
Come explore our two luxury birth suites and meet Corina and the Embrace family.
Learn more about ?
Your other birth options with Embrace
I want a water birth!
I want a home birth!
