More New Orleans Birth Options are the Best! (a new midwife in new orleans)

So, here's the big news . . .

there's a new midwife in town!

How exciting is this? It wasn't long ago that hospital midwifery was virtually unheard of in our crescent city, homebirth midwives were only found by carefully listening for the whispers of others and VBACs were rare at best.

We were invited to meet Alison Clark, CNM and chat with her about her new home with Crescent City Physicians at Touro's Family Birthing Center. She has been practicing in Mississippi and is thrilled to be growing some roots in New Orleans. She's looking forward to supporting women in using water to labor and birth, encourages movement during labor and also offers pre-conception care.

Midwifery offers women care that includes a philosophy that

birth is normal.

This is different from the medical model of care ascribed to by physicians (although we are super lucky to have some amazing physicians in our area that have a great perspective of birth). Every woman, baby, pregnancy and birth is different and will have differnet needs. Options are what women need. Women deserve the ability to have a conversation with health care providers and choose what route, what provider, is best for them. In a city that is often (sometimes) endearingly slow, we are rapidly seeing more birth options and this is beautiful progress!

We are thrilled to have Alison Clark's midwifery practice in New Orleans and are looking forward to meeting the other midwives joining her. And we were VERY happy to hear that whether you are planning a natural birth or a medicated birth (epidural) she is available to support you. While cesareans are out of scope for midwives, this midwife will be supporting VBAC moms!!! (can you feel our excitement?) You heard me right ladies, bring on those healing births! She is bringing holistic care to women, is supportive of her clients inviting Nola Nesting Doulas to their births, loves Birth Boot Camp and she's working with some great OBs to offer women the care they need should medical reason arise.

"I look forward to working with Nola Nesting and providing childbirth options and being part of normal healthy birth designed to the mother and baby's natural abilities."

"I look forward to working with Nola Nesting and providing childbirth options and being part of normal healthy birth designed to the mother and baby's natural abilities."

Alison Clark, CNM

3600 Prytania Street, Suite 30 New Orleans, LA 70115

504-897-7700

The Midwife's Hail Mary

There is no man in the moon. She is a dark and quite tomb, a female's mighty womb. Bleeds dark life giving blood. Whispers to me as I walk this quite path. Leads me with her wisdom as I fall amongst the stones. Gives me her strength to rise and meet life. Night after night she bathes me in her beauty. Kisses away my tears, soothes my fears. She quiets my cries.

She tells me this is her way, she has chosen my soul to do her bidding. Uses my hands and breath to do her work. Stands above me as I make mistakes during the sweet delirium she has provided. She guides me, she rises me, she illuminates my darkness.

One dark and quiet night my soul will rise to rest amongst her stars. She will cradle my weary bones. She will speak to me like my true mother. She will tell me why I have been chosen to walk amongst her light, to rise during her mighty hour to witness life. To sometimes be still and watch life enter with no need for my skill or knowledge.

Why she has chosen me to give of my own soul to breathe life in. To watch a mother cry as her child screams his first life's breath. I will thank her for the rise and fall of his tiny chest. I will weep in her arms and my weary soul will truly rest.

Poem by Sally Acosta. Inspiration from a night's beautiful birth.
Baby Joshua was welcomed to this earth weighing 5lbs 10oz.

 

Sally Acosta, of Let it Be Midwifery, is a Louisiana Sate Licensed Midwife (LM) and a NARM Certified Professional Midwife (CPM). She lives in Covington, Louisiana, and originally hails from New Orleans. She provides midwifery care to anyone within an hour and half of Covington.

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