Home birth in Kauai with Midwife Mieko Aoki, CPM! Find out what to expect for your prenatal visits, labor and birth, postnatal period and newborn care! Read Aoki Birthing Care philosophy to familiarize yourself with the benefits of home birth.

WHAT TO EXPECT FOR YOUR MIDWIFERY CARE!

Prenatal Care

Prenatal care generally includes:

  • “Meet & Greet”: Free initial consultation. This is an interview to make sure you are a good fit for a home birth and that we are a good fit for each other. We care and attend births at home for twin pregnancy, breech delivery, HBAC or home birth after cesarean. This includes at home births with our beloved Hanalei, Wainiha, Hā`ena community! (I do not “make” you move across the Hanalei bridge for birth)

  • You will receive a welcome packet full of important and helpful handouts that you can refer to throughout your pregnancy and postnatal period. Bring to your visits!

  • Prenatal visits at the Kapa`a studio are monthly until 28 weeks, every two weeks until 36 weeks, and weekly until your baby is born. A home visit is scheduled around 36 weeks. More or less visits are scheduled as needed. (Average of 10-12 visits)

  • Each visit monitors the vital signs and well-being of motherbaby (blood pressure, pulse, urine check, abdominal palpation, belly mapping, fetal heart tones, diet, hydration, movement/stretches/posture, supplements, emotions, mood, etc.). Lab work, ultrasound and screening tests are offered.

  • Education is the primary aspect of your prenatal care. Information on: how to stay healthy to prevent pregnancy related illnesses, risks & benefits of screening tests, risks & benefits of treatments, physiology of labor & birth, relaxation techniques, birth plans, birth supplies, preparation for your postnatal period, breastfeeding, placenta care, newborn care, etc. Research, resources and opinions are provided to support your informed choices.

  • I practice in the MotherBaby centered model of care.

  • Nutrition, herbal & homeopathic remedies, Spinning Babies©, Body Ready Method, belly warming wraps, and therapies (acupuncture, chiropractic, massage) are commonly encouraged with my practice.

  • Emotional well-being is important during pregnancy and space is given for expression.

 
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Labor & Birth

We know each birth is unique and special, and generally speaking:

  • You will contact the midwife when you begin to show signs of labor.

  • We will come to your home when you are ready for support.

  • You will meet my assistant at least once during your pregnancy.

  • A set of birth equipment is brought to your home, including: doppler to monitor your baby's heart rate, oxygen, herbal and homeopathic remedies, and anti-hemmorrhagic drugs.

  • We encourage you to eat, drink, rest and change positions frequently during labor.

  • We are calm, gentle and offer encouraging words, respect your privacy, bonding and birth plan.

  • Mindful attention is paid to the baby's heart rate, mother's vital signs and to the overall unfolding of the birth.

Postnatal & Newborn Care

Care for the Mother & Baby up to six weeks after birth generally includes:

  • Midwife visits at your home for the postnatal period on day 1, day 3, 1 week, 2 week and 4 week. The intent of the home visit is to give you the opportunity to bond, breastfeed and recover well in order to return to the world with vigor. The 6 week visit is at the office. More or less visits are scheduled as needed. The 3 month visit is to check on your abdominal healing, scheduled as needed. (Total of 6-8 visits)

  • Vital signs of mother & baby are monitored, patterns of eating & sleeping are noted and breastfeeding assistance is given.

  • Education, resources, nutrition, herbal remedies, moxibustion, belly wrapping and traditional Maya abdominal care are offered as needed to speed recovery.

In the Event of a Transfer

We transfer care to a physician or to the hospital when:

  • Presenting warning signs indicate that intervention is necessary beyond what is available at home.

  • A mother’s or midwife’s intuition, vital signs outside of normal limits, or other warning signs that sometimes occur during pregnancy, birth or postnatal period.

  • Usually, transports are not an emergency, but rather something we can talk about calmly at the time and make the best decision.

  • If we transport during labor, we will go with you to the hospital and continue to advocate for you and provide support as needed.   We are unable to be your primary care provider at the hospital.

  • Your postnatal care continues with us after you are released from the hospital.

Midwife Mieko’s Birth Philosophy

I trust in the power of nature and thus in women's abilities to give birth.  The body knows how to birth.  The mind must find the way to focus in deep. I respect women's intuition & choices.  My job is to guard the spectrum of normal.  If something outside of healthy presents itself, we talk about it.  Even though we may make shared decisions, the final decision making responsibility falls upon the mother.  Great diet, daily movements and pleasure are key to your pregnant health, smooth labor, birth and recovery. Ancient home birth midwives share their wisdom that the task of the mother is to live each day in happiness from the moment she finds out she is pregnant!  This only supports your baby to comfortably travel through one hundred million years of cellular growth and changes every week inside of you!  When the baby wishes to live a radiant life, it begins labor to be born and your body responds to assist.  The mother has all the strength, wisdom, power and confidence within to push through the most expansive time of her life.  When any challenges arise, she can tap into the source from her birth and own how she can overcome anything!  We encourage birth partners to participate in the only time this child will be born as they depend on you to witness how the family came to be.  The first two hours in the postnatal period is a crucial and delicate time for the mother & newborn for greeting, bonding, healing and nursing. We often observe partners who closely watch them offer words of appreciation for the task they just accomplished.  This plays an instinctive role to secure the bonding as a family together for this is the time when the baby is calm, learns who to trust, depend on and believe in for the rest of its life.

Midwife Mieko

Contact Midwife Mieko with any questions!

*Please let us know if you are not feeling well or have any symptoms of illness as we prefer you heal well first and avoid transmission of sickness to other mothers & babies before we see you in person. Let’s set up Zoom! Thank you for your understanding, and feel betta’!