[pamamidwife]

Anyone here have a mw that has regular gatherings for present clients and past clients? I'm feeling the need to do this - for selfish reasons (because I do get really sad after the six week visit, knowing that we won't see each other again regularly), for community reasons (it's hard to live in an area that is so conservative that you feel like you're the only 'freak' having a homebirth!), and for educational reasons (it's so nice to meet other moms and discuss issues, etc.). It would also give prospective clients a nice opportunity to talk with people who have had me at their births.

What would this look like to you, as clients? Or, as providers? How often would they take place? Would it just be an informal gathering / potluck? During the weekday? Weekend? Evening?

Help me brainstorm about this!

 

[halah]

Ds's midwife had a party in the park when the weather turned nice...all the "graduates" came for a potluck, and the regular doulas, birth educators, etc. that worked with the various clients. It's a lot of fun! Plus she tries to put on different educational ventures like infant massage, breastfeeding support groups, and a monthly get-together/fundraiser at Sweet Tomatoes (I hate S. Tomatoes, but they give a portion of their proceeds that evening to the midwifery clinic, so I braved it a few times when I was in town).

Those are just a few of the things they had. It was funny how many of the moms became devoted and just hung around the clinic after the babies were born...answering phones, making copies. Pretty cool actually.

 

[barbara]

Pam, we have a group here (led by my midwife) called Home Birth Option. She has been having regular monthly meetings for the past 13 years and once a year in the summer they have a potluck at a park, where everyone brings a dish and it is a relaxed day with other homebirth families. The meetings are structured kind of like LLL meetings, with a routation of 4 topics, and there are always returning couples with their babies as well as expectant moms and sometimes dads. I love being a part of this group and seeing fellow doulas, midwifes and birthing educators, as well as homebirthing couples each month.

Hope this helps you in planning your gathering. Good luck!

 

[Jster]

I haven't actually been to one yet (I'm only 18 weeks) but my midwife has weekly gatherings at her house for women past their 20th week of gestation. They happen on Monday nights, and I don't believe they are potlucks but maybe some sort of snack is provided. I'm not sure that there are topics of discussion or anything, but I do know that it's a time for her clients to meet support staff that might not be at regular prenatal visits. I'll try to fill you in on a bit more in a few weeks...but it was something that really sold me on her as a midwife because I loved the idea of her "making" a community around midwifery and homebirths...

 

[BirthTender]

& I have annual large picnics for all my past & present clients every year in late sept. I have them here on our land. It's a small part of what used to be my family's large farm. We have lots of fun, fishing, playing w/ all the animals, swinging on tire swings, jumping on trampolines, digging in sandboxes, playing ball games, etc. & i go all over hugging my 'babies' I love it! & my clients seem to as well. karen of BirthTender

 

[marymom]

What started out as childbirth prearation classes turned into 2 years of potlucks every Tuesdays,
We had topics and occasionally projects, like making herbal creams -sculpting or beads, alternating members would offer a project, mostly the midwives or myself would bring food, had children activities downstairs for a while, that got to be a pricey endeavor for us but it depends on the members and what their orientations and so forth are, ours cycled as new members cycled in and then out, many stayed thru the whole while tho-
I think mother communities are very much needed today, ours was mothers only, dads would come later, after and occasionally a new mom wanted to show off her partner to the ladies

but it was a mom and kids thing only...

 

[cottonwood]

Ooh, I would have loved that! At our birth preparation classes I always felt like what I *really* wanted to do was just socialize with the other couples. I think potlucks are a great idea, because food gives people something to do and helps them relax. Every month or every couple of months. Weekday evenings would be better for me, but maybe not for people who have children to get to school in the mornings.