Two Great Midwives in the San Francisco Bay Area

I’ve got to plug my midwives. I’m sure if you’ve read my birth story you understand why. I can say with confidence that if it wasn’t for my birth team I would have never made it through my CRAZY-LONG labor. Without question, Smoochy was my emotional rock. Because of how deep a bond we share he was able to say the exact things I needed to hear (or not to hear) at any given moment. But it was my midwives who gave confidence in my body. Because they educated me on the birth process, and taught me to trust myself and my baby that I was able to recognize the major sign posts of labor and work with them. For example, when I felt like I had to poop, I knew that the baby was low and it gave me hope that things were progressing. I sure needed hope that second day of labor!

I was so fortunate to work with Judy and Lis (short for Alison). When we moved to CA I was six months pregnant. I knew that I wanted to work with a midwife as opposed to an OB/GYN, but I was not sure whether I would feel more secure with a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) in a hospital or a birth center or with a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM, a direct entry midwife) in our home. However, after speaking over the phone with a couple CNMs who attended hospital births I ruled that out. Not only did hospital policy contradict my ideal of a healthy birth for a normal pregnancy and delivery, but the philosophy of many of the CNMs did not seem to trust the birth process with the same totality as the direct entry midwives I spoke with.

One nurse-midwife would attend home births, but told me she did not like to do so for first time mothers. She recommended first time moms “prove their pelvises” in the hospital before attempting a homebirth. To me that seems like setting up a first time mom for failure. In a hospital the first time mom will face the likelihood of more unnecessary procedures such as induction of labor, Pitocin augmentation, and ruptured membranes, which can easily snow-ball into more invasive measures and an increased chance that the mom will turn to drugs to cope with the pain.

Any way, I digress. In search of the perfect midwife I came across the Bay Area Homebirth Collective (BAHC). And thanks to the BAHC I was able to find Judy and Lis. The BAHC is a group a homebirth midwives who have united to promote one another, provide peer review, and to generally encourage homebirth in the San Francisco Bay Area. Along with other activities and services the midwives host monthly pot-lucks where expectant and new parents meet to share birth stories and revel in the new babies. Jacob and I have truly enjoyed our experiences with these and look forward to bringing our new baby to the next one!

Judy and Lis worked as a harmonious team for my prenatal care, labor, and delivery. Most of my prenatal care was done by Judy. We either met in my home or hers (mostly mine) where we would chat about just about everything. We truly got to know one another; especially considering each visit lasted well over an hour, often over two! There was not a single question that I did not feel comfortable to discuss with her regarding the pregnancy.

Judy has been a midwife for over thirty years and has delivered nearly a thousand babies. In the beginning of her career Judy worked to help make homebirths attended by direct entry midwives both legal and available. And later, she was involved with a birth center in Guatemala where she helped the traditional Mayan midwives of that community to protect and preserve their practice by helping them to raise needed funds and birth supplies. I loved how she always made time for me. Whenever I had a question, no matter how small, she always made me feel like I could call on her. Once she even rearranged her schedule to squeeze me in for a last minuet visit when I was having some unusual pain. Not only is the woman a wealth of knowledge and experience, but she is a warm and caring person. Throughout my pregnancy she made me feel as though I was as special to her as a daughter, and I am sure that all of her clients would tell you the same.

Scooter Loves Judy Too!

Midwives often attend birth is pairs. That way, if there is a problem with the mom and the baby there is a trained professional present to devote their full attention to each. The second midwife does not usually arrive on the scene until right before delivery. That was the roll Lis had planned to play at my birth. However, Judy suffered a major fracture in her foot and was simply unable to make it my first day of labor and so Lis stepped in.

I had two prenatal visits with Lis prior to Labor. She is a wonderful and easy midwife to work with. Her visits were just as Judy’s were: comfortable, engaging, and warm. Lis has a gentle soul that is reflected in her touch. This was an incredible comfort to me through the MANY grueling hours she was by my side during labor. Indeed, everything about Lis is comforting. There were many times during the course of that first day when she said just the right thing to reassure, calm, or encourage me. I will never forget how she stayed up with me through the night, helping me in and out of the shower, helping me breathe, and trying to relax me.

Lis Weighs Baby Jacob

Judy was able to join us on the second day of my labor, we were all so happy to see her face. Judy and Lis work beautifully together. It is as though they have known each other for years. They obviously like and admire each other; and they are able to bounce ideas and suggestions off each other respectfully and effectively. I am confident that if a crisis had come up during the delivery that these ladies would have had the skills to neutralize it. That being said, I am even more certain that with the excellent prenatal care I received that any possible complications would have been found and dealt with far in advance of delivery. Judy and Lis have a tremendous reverence for the birth process. When I look back on the birth of my son I am so grateful that these two amazing women were such an integral part of it. They have my utmost admiration and I would refer them to anyone.

SO, if you are looking for a couple of great homebirth midwives in the San Francisco Bay area leave me a comment and I’ll email you some more information. Also be sure to visit Lis’ new website: