Either Nancy or Ami will be the primary midwife at your birth, caring for you throughout your active labor, birth, and hours postpartum. There is always a second midwife that joins near the time of the birth. Usually this is the other primary midwife in the practice, but sometimes Michelle Welborn or another midwife from our community will assist.

Pregnancy Care

Rites of Passage celebrates your choice for natural and gentle childbirth! For women choosing to have birth in the comfort and safety of their own homes, a full range of maternity care is provided. With Rites of Passage, you have the assurance that a midwife you know and trust will always be available.

Prenatal Care

Throughout your pregnancy, we meet to assess your health and your baby's well-being. All of our visits allow ample time to discuss questions raised by you or the special people in your life. We explore together your hopes and dreams for your birth experience. We offer our knowledge and experience as resources to help you make fully informed decisions.

As you enter your third trimester, three or four of your visits will be conducted as Group Prenatals. We create these groups with four or so couples that have similar due dates. Through group prenatals, our families get to know each other. While the midwives lead the groups, our familes have an opportunity to share questions and information with each other. The relationships made in these groups often continue after the babies are born and these familes can become a part of your new parent community.

Birth

During your labor and birth we provide warm, professional care in your home. Recognizing that the birth is your experience, we support your unique rhythm and monitor you and your baby in a gentle and unobtrusive way. We are equipped to respond to emergencies if they arise.

After the birth

During the first hours postpartum, we honor the importance of family bonding while we assess both you and your baby. Before leaving your home, we make sure that you feel safe and comfortable and that your baby is breastfeeding. We meet frequently at your home during the first weeks to support you in this time of transition. You can call anytime for breastfeeding support or other concerns.

Lactation Consulting

In addition to being a wonderful midwife, Ami Burnham is also a Board Certified Lactation Consultant. She does in-home lacation counseling and teaches breastfeeding at Day One Center in San Francisco's Laurel Village.

For her Lactation Services call her at (415) 516-8771.

Women's Health Care

Our relationship can continue through personalized gynecological services that combine your knowledge of your body with our experience and skill.

These services include:

• Annual exam
• Contraception education
• Breast health care
• Complementary and natural treatments