Homebirth Midwives Oregon North Coast

[rlinnett]

Can anyone help me find a way to deliver at home here in Astoria? So far, I have had no luck finding any midwives or even a natural birth community over here and now we are expecting and I'm desperate! I will probably choose uc over going to the hospital here as I delivered our first (missed m/c) in that hospital and will avoid it if at all possible.

I am close to Longview, WA and the Long Beach Peninsula in WA. I could also go farther south like Cannon Beach. I can't be more than about an hour away though.

Can anyone give me a contact to start searching here? I'd so much appreciate it.

~Rebekah

[nikirj]

I can't think of anyone there...try posting in tribal areas if you haven't already.

[fairydoula]

go to www.oregonmidwiferycouncil.org There are a bunch of midwives in Portland and surrounding areas. Hopefully, by contacting some of them, they may know someone who supports your area, or perhaps one of them does! Good luck!!
- Jen

[grcelizabeth]

I feel your pain. I'm a student midwife looking for an Apprenticeship and we might move to Astoria. There is one Midwife in Longbeach, WA area that doesn't do very many births and Annette in Tillamook is wonderful as well. I don't know if she's willing to travel that far, but she's wonderful and isn't listed anywhere since she only does a couple births per year. Let me know if you're interested and I'll direct her your way. Also, sometimes the Midwives at Andalux Waterbirth Center in Pdx will come to the coast to attend a homebirth.

[fairydoula]

I'm a little jealous that I can't move to Astoria! I've loved it ever since Kindergarten Cop! LOL!!! It's such a beautiful town! Sounds like a midwife needs to take the opportunity and move there and start a practice!
- Jen

[rlinnett]

We definitely need midwives out here ladies!!!! It would be so cool for a few of you to come out and buy one of these neat big old houses and start a birth center. Any students should absolutely think about it!! Housing prices are great and there are some beautiful historic homes. Please come, please, please, please!!!

And FYI - the only elementary school is the Kindergarten Cop school, gorgeous inside and out! The kids love it there!

~rebekah

[fairydoula]

So... my questions before moving there would be... why isn't there a midwife there already, is there a natural birth friendly environment... i.e., is there LLL, is there a need for a midwife? and how many people live within 50-60 miles of Astoria?

[rlinnett]

There is a LLL, apparently pretty active, although I don't know this firsthand. I think there is a more natural lifestyle movement happening as there is a co-op and thriving farmer's market. I don't know why there isn't a midwife out here. I know of one that lives across the river in Long Beach, WA, but I heard she is retired. If you could find out who she is, you could probably get a lot of info from her. There are quite a few small towns near here that you could serve - Astoria, Warrenton, Gearhart, Seaside, Cannon Beach, Arch Cape, Svenson, Knappa...

[mwherbs]

Oregon lists their birth stats/per county -Astoria is in Clatsop co and the total population in 07 was 37,400- total births 412- 5 were out of hospital, Columbia co is near by is a bit bigger 47,500- total births 537 , 10 out of hospital births, Tillamook co- population about 26000- births 269, 8 out of hospital births

can get that and other info-
http://www.dhs.state.or.us/dhs/ph/ch.../codat07.shtml

[SeaDoula]

I dont know how to help the OP, but I am a student midwife and a classmate of mine plans on moving to astoria and starting a practice.

[rlinnett]

Yay, yay, yay!!!

[tmarina]

Some of the Andaluz Waterbirth Center midwives (in Portland) go to the coast, including Astoria, for homebirths. Clients come into Portland for most prenatals and postpartum appointments. There is also a midwife in Nehalem, Oregon who travels up and down the coast named Jennifer Childress.

[mstori880]

Did you find anyone? Im 45 min from you and cannot find anyone we can afford, grrrr. Yes we need more midwives in this area grrrr

[bmdatx]

I am looking for a midwife that would attend a homebirth in Depoe Bay, OR. I will be moving there when I'm 33 weeks along.