Licensed Midwife Jocelyn Brown on Homebirth

August 25, 2019 | Katrina Nelson

Childbirth is fluid and has a life of its own. We can’t guarantee an outcome, but we can prepare ourselves throughout our pregnancy by making the best choices for our babies and our bodies.

We can choose a place of birth that gives us space to be private, and where we feel safe, and find a care provider who listens, answers our questions, and works collaboratively with us throughout our pregnancy.

For most families in the United States, due to accessibility, and medical insurance, that will be a doctor and hospital, but for a growing percentage, that means birthing at home with a midwife.

Jocelyn Brown is a licensed midwife who delivers babies in Los Angeles. Read on for her insight on midwifery and home birth.

Becoming a Midwife

What motivated you to become a home birth midwife?

It was more of a gut thing and not a conscious motivation. I think I was drawn into the mystique of it all, that there was an “alternative” to doctors and hospitals and I wanted to be that. Then I learned that other countries use midwives as mainstream sources of maternity care and have *better* outcomes than we do in the US. So now I don’t want to be on the fringe – I think it’s an injustice to our pregnant population that midwives are considered the “alternative.” We should be the go-to.

Midwifery Model of Care

What can a family expect from midwifery care that is different from the care they receive from an obstetrician?

Time. And more of a relationship with your care provider. Most midwives can offer up all the same low-risk prenatal testing and screening options as OBs do, but we actually sit with you, explain your options to you, give you alternatives if you want. We also are highly invested in keeping your pregnancy low risk, so we are going to give you tons of nutritional and lifestyle advice for good health. Many OBs have little choice but to see 20-30 patients a day. They don’t have time to talk to you about nutrition and yoga poses for your sciatica and building your emotional support network. It’s bonkers!

Some midwives have offices that their clients drive to. I personally do all visits in clients homes, so that’s a huge perk. You get all the same care, but in your home with your kids and your pets and your spouse around. It makes the home birth aspect so intuitive.

How I Survived Hyperemesis Gravidarum

October 9, 2017 | Katrina Nelson

I recently read the Duchess of Cambridge is expecting baby number three. It’s her third pregnancy with Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG). Reading about it has me thinking about my experience with HG.

A wise mother of three once told me every pregnancy has at least one discomfort. During my son’s pregnancy I had sciatica pain in my lower back. With my daughter’s pregnancy my morning sickness continued the entire pregnancy. I recall even wondering, “maybe its twins this time.” As a childbirth educator I knew HG was more common in twin pregnancies. I had no idea then I was predicting the future. My doctor diagnosed me with Hyperemesis Gravidarum. He also assured me I was not pregnant with twins. I laugh now even thinking about it.

Interview with English Midwife Sarah Smith

April 7, 2016 | Katrina Nelson

Sarah Smith is an English midwife, doula and mother of one. Recently she worked supporting women through births in Los Angeles, where I was fortunate enough to make her acquaintance.

Now back home in England, Sarah is focused on enjoying her toddler son and choosing happiness. I’m delighted to be able to share this interview and hear her point of view on motherhood and asking for support.

What brought you to your work as a midwife?

I always find it hard to answer this question because it wasn’t a defining moment or anything in particular. All I can say is becoming and being a midwife has always been something that has felt very instinctual to me. I knew I wanted to be a midwife since I was about 14, and since then have never questioned it or looked back.

Did your approach to midwifery change after becoming a mother?

As I became a midwife at quite a young age, and therefore before I had my son, I always felt that maybe some people wouldn’t take me seriously being young, as well as not having children of my own yet.

Since having my son, I suddenly felt like I’d earned my stripes, almost like a bit of an initiation and my confidence as a midwife grew enormously. I feel my connection to women now is stronger because of having been through the experience myself, and I feel my empathy is now much greater.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe you need to have children in order to be a good midwife, there are plenty of midwives without children who are fantastic midwives. But for me personally, I know this helped me on many different levels.

What do you wish every mother could experience or know before her own birth?

I wish for every woman to feel a sense of empowerment, in whatever way that might look for her. I would love every woman to know she has a choice and a voice in her care.

Did you have postpartum support after the birth of your son?

I had limited postpartum support, due to various different things, but I wish I had had more support and helping hands around me. I learned the hard way about doing too much too soon!

It’s all about sleep when you’re a new parent, any tips to share?

Everyone says it, but it’s so true, rest when you can, and don’t worry about the little things. Build a network of support around you, so that they can take care of you, so that you can take care of your baby.