“Birth is not only about making babies…birth is also about making strong, confident mothers who know themselves and know their inner strength.”

~ BARBARA KATZ ROTHMANN

MIDWIFERY AT NORTHERN SUN

Families are increasingly choosing to have their babies in the safety and privacy of their own home, or in a home-like setting such as a birth center. At Northern Sun, we offer a unique blend of mainstream medical therapies with naturopathic midwifery care. Our families can continue to receive care after the birth, much like an old-time general family practice.

As a midwife, Sarah helps guide parents in southern and midcoast Maine through pregnancy and birth, informing them about the myriad of options for care. They believe in women’s bodies and their ability to create and nurture life. With good prenatal care, education and emotional support, birth centers and home birth provide a safe alternative to birthing in a hospital.

As a naturopathic doctor, Sarah offers support for parents including discussion of childhood development, breastfeeding, weaning, nutrition, naturopathic home remedies, vaccinations, sleep habits and more in this journey to raise happy, healthy children.


WHAT IS A CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL MIDWIFE (CPM)?

Certified Professional Midwives are well trained specialists of normal birth outside the hospital setting. The CPM credential is a competency-based credential and all CPMs must meet minimum standards of knowledge and clinical skills as defined by the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) and the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). Certified Professional Midwives must pass standardized tests, be certified in neonatal resuscitation and CPR, and obtain continuing medical education for re-certification.

BIRTH SERVICES

We offer the following midwifery and birth services for southern and midcoast Maine. Visit our testimonials page to read about real birth experiences with Northern Sun midwives. 

  • 24 hour on call service for all patients of Northern Sun

  • Natural birth at the Birth Center at Northern Sun

  • Natural birth at Home

  • Specializing in Waterbirths

  • Well woman care

  • Complete prenatal care

  • Complete newborn exams and screenings

  • Pregnancy massage included in birth package

  • Vaccinations and Homeoprophylaxis

  • Group prenatal care

  • Lab work options discussed and individualized

  • On site laboratory testing

  • On site medicinary

  • Pap smear testing

  • Pre-conception counseling and support

  • Contraception counseling including fertility awareness (natural family planning), femcap fittings, and hormonal methods

BIRTH CENTER

At Northern Sun, we are pleased to offer families in midcoast and southern Maine the option of having their babies at a birth center. The Birth Center at Northern Sun is a clean, comfortable space adjoining the Northern Sun offices. It includes a family room, private bedroom, kitchen and built in birth tub in the birth suite, with surrounding gardens providing the freedom to walk, rest and relax during labor. Learn more about the Birth Center at Northern Sun.

WATERBIRTH

Many women choose to labor and birth in water, which provides a calming, relaxing atmosphere and eases the intensity of labor naturally. At Northern Sun, we specialize in waterbirths and have been offering women the option of birthing in water since 1995. The birth tub at the Birth Center at Northern Sun is designed for birth, and is large enough for both mom and her partner to relax or birth their baby. At home, we provide resources to purchase a tub for home use and rent tub set-ups that provide all the tools to fill and empty the tub.

CLINICAL LABORATORY TESTING AND ULTRASOUNDS

Laboratory testing is an essential tool that allows the practitioner to evaluate a patient’s state of health. These diagnostic approaches allow us to look deeply into how the body manifests illness. We use local laboratory services as well as specialty laboratories around the country that may focus on more unique conditions such as food allergies, and evaluation of hormonal or neurotransmitter production during pregnancy and postpartum. We use local hospitals and ultrasound facilities to perform ultrasounds when appropriate.

With our on-house lab, most tests are collected in the office, while others can be completed in the home and mailed directly to the laboratory where it will be processed and the results sent to our office for interpretation. Analysis and discussion of lab results is an integral part of the care our doctors provide, to ensure complete understanding to aid in the innate healing ability of the body.

DISPENSARY

Due to our concern with issues regarding quality ingredients used in the manufacturing of supplements, we provide a full line of botanical and nutritional products that are carefully chosen and researched by our doctors.

At Northern Sun we are committed to using the highest quality, organically grown or wildcrafted herbs available. We are conscious of supporting responsible harvesting and processing techniques so that the best products will always be available for our patients use. We also offer online ordering through some of the companies we use if that is more convenient for our patients.

NEWBORN HEARING SCREENINGS

Northern Sun is pleased to offer screening for hearing loss, without sending your family to a hospital. Testing is done in the office while your baby is in your arms, sleeping, or in a car seat. Testing is non-invasive and usually takes 10 to 30 minutes.

It is important to know if your baby has hearing loss as soon as possible to allow your baby to get the special help needed for language and social development. We cannot always tell by watching a baby how well he or she can hear. Studies show that many children with hearing loss are not identified until they are over two years old, but the first two years of a child’s life are critical for speech and language development.

WHY CHOOSE TO BIRTH AT A BIRTH CENTER?

Birth centers provide family-centered care for healthy women and are based on the midwifery model of care for pregnancy and birth. Birth centers are fully equipped medical facilities that provide a cost effective choice for healthy women to have their babies. The Birth Center at Northern Sun was designed with your comfort and safety in mind. Care is provided by midwives who know you and provide excellent care with appropriate medical intervention. The birth suite has a large birth tub available to you during labor and research shows there are many benefits to laboring in water, including lowering blood pressure and preventing perineal tears. We also support women to give birth in the tub and are skilled in water birth.

WHY CHOOSE HOME BIRTH?

Home birth provides a safe, familiar and private surrounding for labor and birth. It allows for individualized care with a midwife whom the family knows and trusts. Women who choose to birth at home are supported to discover their own strengths and trust their intuition in becoming a mother. Being at home allows for the family, particularly other children, to be involved in the birth of a new baby.

At home, immediate bonding occurs easily as the baby remains with the parents at all times. Breastfeeding rates are among the highest in the nation when a mother births at home with midwives. Home birth affirms that birth is a natural and profound life event. Birthing at home reduces unnecessary interventions and significantly reduces the risk of infection.

BIRTH IS EMPOWERING

As midwives, we strive to nurture a woman’s sense of personal strength and self-confidence, so she may realize birth as an empowering experience. At a time when birth has become a medical experience and women are becoming more and more fearful, birthing at home encourages women to claim their power in pregnancy and birth. Sometimes birth leads us to the very edge of ourselves and then asks us to take a leap of faith. What we learn about ourselves in that leap will always be a part of who we are and guides us into motherhood. A woman births a baby from deep within herself, calling upon those around her, her heart and spirit to complete the journey.

ABOUT WATER

BIRTH Many women choose to labor and birth in water, which provides a calming, relaxing atmosphere and eases the intensity of labor naturally. At Northern Sun, we specialize in waterbirths and have been offering women the option of birthing in water since 1995. Birthing in water encourages a woman’s partner to be supportive and involved. The Birth Center at Northern Sun has a built in Jacuzzi birth tub in the birth suite, with plenty of room for both laboring and giving birth. At home, we offer information to purchase a birth tub and provide tub set-ups to rent that have all the tools needed to have a waterbirth.

For more information about waterbirth visit Waterbirth International at www.waterbirth.org.

IMAGINE YOUR BIRTH

Imagine lying in bed in the middle of the night, awakened by the sensations swirling around your baby, aware that the surges are starting. You lay there as long as possible, hoping to get as much

rest as you can before things get going, then slip out of bed and draw a bath, and sink into the warmth and comfort of the predawn darkness and water embracing you.

As the sun is coming up, you wake your partner and he brings you toast and tea before you head out for a walk by the ocean, connecting with the power of the waves and feeling the same energy moving your baby down.

The contractions are stronger when you get back home, so you call your midwife and let her know things are happening and she comes over to check on you and the baby. It is early, so she encourages you to go about your day, keep eating and resting and wait for the baby. You continue the labor dance with the support and love from your partner or mother or friends in a familiar and peaceful surrounding.

There is no hurry, there is no rushing off to bright lights and strangers, to be measured or attached to an IV, just in case. There is just you birthing your baby as you go deeper and deeper within yourself.

Soon your midwives arrive and get set up, looking as if they are moving in with all their equipment, turning your home into a place of birth. As the surges increase, you feel the sensations pulling you downward and are ready to become submerged in the depths of the pool of warm water in your living room. Your partner climbs in too, completing the sacred circle to welcome your baby.

wondering WHAT HOME BIRTH is LIKE?

MIDWIFERY FAQ

  • Certified Professional Midwives are well trained specialists of normal birth outside the hospital setting. The CPM credential is a competency-based credential and all CPMs must meet minimum standards of knowledge and clinical skills as defined by the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) and the North American Registry of Midwives (NARM). Certified Professional Midwives must pass standardized tests, be certified in neonatal resuscitation and CPR, and obtain continuing medical education.

  • We always start with an initial consult, so you can meet the midwives and have plenty of time to ask questions. This visit is intended for you to be able to decide if you would like to continue care with the midwives at Northern Sun. The initial prenatal appointment includes a thorough medical history, a physical examination, and lab work.

  • Prenatal visits, 2 post partum home visits, 3 postpartum office visits, on-call care related to your pregnancy, and a massage at Northern Sun are all included in the delivery fee. Not included in this fee are charges for lab work, supplements or dispensary items, emergency labor supplies, or childbirth classes.

  • Yes. Many women choose to labor and birth in water, which provides a calming, relaxing atmosphere and eases the intensity of labor naturally. At Northern Sun, we have been offering water births since 1995. It is a safe and gentle way for the baby to transition from one warm watery environment to another. Plus, birthing in water encourages a woman’s partner to be supportive and involved.

  • A VBAC or vaginal birth after cesarean has become a bit controversial in the childbirth community. Any previous trauma to the uterus, including the incision made to birth a baby during a cesarean section slightly increases the chances that the uterus may rupture during a subsequent labor. At this time we do not accept VBAC clients however have offered many women co-care with an OB-GYN. If you are planning a VBAC, please contact us to discuss how we can offer supportive co-care during your prenatal period, labor and birth.

  • No. Most lab tests are collected in the office. For your convenience, lab testing can also be done at other facilities. Analysis and discussion of lab results is an integral part of the care we provide. We are happy to answer any questions you have regarding your lab tests. Ultrasounds can be ordered through local imaging centers as needed or if desired.

  • Childbirth classes are offered here at the birth center through our Childbirth Educator Laura Duffy. For more information and to find out about upcoming classes, please contact her by calling 207-313-9156 or by emailing laura@mainelybirthing.com.

  • Yes. As naturopathic doctors and midwives, we are qualified to provide pediatric care after regular midwifery care has been completed at 6 weeks. We recommend pediatric care at regular intervals that includes nutritional assessment and ensures your baby is meeting his or her developmental milestones.

  • A number of insurance companies cover naturopathic services and laboratory fees as well as home births. Please contact your insurance provider to determine if they cover naturopathic medicine and midwifery services. We would be happy to provide you with an invoice from our office to submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. Because we are a small office we do not bill insurance companies, and request payment at the time of service.

  • Yes, we carry most of the supplements we prescribe. We thoroughly research and selectively choose the products, including organic and wildcrafted herbs whenever possible. The products are physician grade and of the highest quality available.

  • Yes, we encourage you to call (207) 798-3993 with any questions and our staff or doctors/midwives will be happy to help you.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AT NORTHERN SUN,
PLEASE CALL US AT (207) 798-3993 OR EMAIL US.