Midwife Maternity Care at Tempe Birth Center
Welcome to Midwife Maternity Care
Freedom to Birth Your Way
When you choose to give birth at our birth center, you’re choosing an environment of safety and community.
Tempe Birth Center’s comprehensive birthing space offers support and autonomy to have the birth you want.
“Thank you for creating this birth center... I truly believe we were meant to cross paths, and I wouldn't have wanted my pregnancy to have gone any differently.”
When you birth with us, you birth emowered
We are with you every step
Your Labor
When you begin labor, the midwives like to be in touch. When you think labor is starting, a text or phone call is welcome.
The TBC team offers early labor support by phone and text and will help you decide when to come to our cozy Birth Center. The midwife will meet you at the Birth Center door, just a few steps from your car.
When you arrive at the Birth Center and get settled, the midwives will complete a full assessment of your body and labor progress.
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You can wear whatever you like and move your body however you like. We can get most information from any position that you’d like to be in.
During labor, changing positions regularly is a great idea and actually helps support the labor moving along normally.
We will suggest different positions and how to use our tools, including our birth sling, birth stool, and birth ball, on the bed, on the floor, hands and knees, or anywhere; the private Birth Center house is yours!
Some people like to get up and move around during the birth. We have a lovely little yard and nice neighborhood for strolling if the weather is right.
You will be supported to eat and drink as you desire or need.
Hydrotherapy is a valuable tool for labor and birth, and we have a gorgeous, sparkling-clean tub and a shower with an on-demand hot water heater for endless hot water.
We ask people to be open to what your body says is best in the moment. Sometimes, we plan a water labor, but if the six-hour shower feels better - either is fine!
We love working with doulas and recommend working with one.
The Birth
When it comes time to birth your baby, you will be encouraged to follow your body and choose your own position.
We have wonderful little mirrors if you’d like to watch. We love assisting families in “catching” their own babies, with midwife support right next to you.
Once the baby is born, we place them on your chest and watch them transition into this world.
We love to hear their little cries at just the right time.
We offer physiologic cord clamping (sometimes called delayed), which supports a great newborn transition. If a baby needs more help, we offer extensive neonatal resuscitation and always keep emergency equipment on hand, though it's rarely needed.
-
We will help you birth your placenta, check your vital signs, eat a meal, feed your new one, and just SOAK up this special time with quiet, warm and loving support.
We complete a gentle newborn exam, including weighing and measuring the baby. Most families go home about 3-4 hours after birth, but in certain circumstances, may stay up to 12 hours.
Once the family is ready, we help you to your vehicle and say, “See you soon!”
Birth Center Care
Prenatal Care
Prenatal care starts with connection and getting to know you, your family, and your birth goals.
The first visit is a 90-minute session, and together we’ll review:
Your full health history
Explore your birth goals, plans & preferences
Discuss testing options
Create an individualized plan together - one that works for YOU.
We are happy to schedule your first visit as soon as you would like, or you can wait for the ten-week mark. At ten weeks, you have a more developed pregnancy, at which point we are able to offer more testing options:
In-house dating and viability ultrasound
Referral and orders for other testing
-
After your first visit, we’ll create a care schedule that fits YOUR life.
These visits usually wrap up in about half an hour, but we schedule for 45 minutes so we’ll have more time if necessary.
Most first-time families come in every month until the third trimester, then every two weeks, and weekly toward the end.
We want to give you and your family the chance to truly connect with our team, so that everyone can be comfortable on birth day.
For busy mothers who may have had a history of uncomplicated pregnancies or who have difficulty making the trip to Tempe (we see you, rural mamas!), we can adjust the prenatal schedule.
On the other hand, some families who transfer in late may come for weekly visits to get to know us and receive extensive pregnancy and birth education.
Around 36 weeks, we make a special hour-long visit to review the whole plan for birth. We’ll review:
Complete health picture
A plan for end of pregnancy testing (GBS, ultrasound, NST)
Birth plans & backup plans;
Visit our space & show off the birth tub
Meet everyone who will be at the birth.
At the center of each visit is how YOU are feeling and how we can support you and your family in your birth goals.
We’re thinking of supporting you - in body, mind and spirit - towards the momentous transition that is birth.
Postpartum Care 24/7
Extensive postpartum care begins the day after you give birth.
First Visit
We start postpartum care with a home visit to check on you and your baby. We weigh the baby, check on nursing, and take full vital signs. We’ll check your bleeding and assess how you're both doing overall.
Follow-Up Visits
You can expect follow-up visits in the office on postpartum day 3 or 4, between 7 and 10 days, at 3 weeks, and at 6 weeks postpartum.
These visits and easy access to a midwife (24/7 by phone!) are crucial for preventing some of the most common emergencies and identifying risk factors for perinatal morbidity and mortality.
Yes, your midwife can diagnose and treat a range of common experiences like mastitis, UTI’s, postpartum mood disorders, and/or birth control, as desired.
At the last visit, we will do a final check, discuss family planning, and plan a return to regular gynecological visits.
-
At every visit, we take full vital signs, assess bleeding, feeding, and your family's overall well-being.
During those visits, we also complete the standard newborn screening, which includes:
A metabolic screen - in the first few days
And the hearing screen - usually around one week of age
We also complete and submit the birth certificate and Social Security number to the Arizona Office of Vital Records in the first week.
We find joy in serving and working with families of ALL backgrounds.
Explicitly, that means celebrating people regardless of race, ethnicity, culture, class, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, or citizenship.
We are a team of health professionals dedicated to providing you and your growing family with loving care. We trust that you will find a place among us and encourage you to make an appointment with us to start the conversation.
Schedule a Visit or Call
Get to know Tempe Birth Center
Home to the Hummingbird Midwives
“If you are looking for a midwife who will truly know you, respect your wishes, advocate for your birth experience, and bring both tremendous heart and clinical wisdom to your care, I cannot recommend Kate highly enough.
She is truly exceptional, and I feel so fortunate to have found her.”
“We have now had TWO home births with Kate, both beautiful water births, and I couldn’t imagine having anyone else by our side. Each experience was everything I had hoped for.”
Your Labor
The midwives like to be in touch with you from the beginning of your labor. A text or phone call is appreciated — whenever you think things are getting started.
The TBC team offers support by phone and by text and will help you with deciding when we should come.
When we arrive, the midwives will complete a full assessment of you and the labor progress. While we do that, we also set up our safety equipment and some comfort items.
-
You wear whatever you like and move your body however you like. We can typically get most information we need from any position. We love working with doulas and recommend working with one.
Changing positions with some regularity is a great idea for supporting ongoing labor. We will offer suggestions on different positions and how to use many tools, including a birth sling, the birth stool, a birth ball, getting on the bed, on the floor, hands and knees, or really anywhere!
You will be supported to eat and drink as you desire or need. Hydrotherapy is a valuable tool for labor and birth — we will provide you with a labor and birth tub. We ask people to listen to and to be open to what their own body says is best — in the moment.
When it comes time to birth your baby, you will be encouraged to follow your body and choose your own position.
We have wonderful little mirrors if you’d like to watch. We love assisting families in “catching” their own babies, with midwife support right next to you.
Once the baby is born, they go right on your chest, so we can all observe their transition into this world. We love to hear their little cries at just the right time.
We recommend physiologic cord clamping (sometimes called delayed), which supports a great newborn transition. If a baby needs more help, we offer extensive neonatal resuscitation and always keep emergency equipment on hand, though it's rarely needed.
-
We will help you birth your placenta, check your vital signs, eat a meal, feed your new one, and just SOAK up this special time with quiet, warm, and loving support.
We complete a gentle newborn exam, including weighing and measuring the baby. Most families go home about 3-4 hours after birth, but in certain circumstances, may stay up to 12 hours.
Once the family is ready, we help you to your vehicle and say, “See you soon!”
The Birth at Home
Home Birth Care
We Meet You Where You Are
“[At my home birth,] I was able to give birth peacefully, surrounded by a quiet, supportive team who knew exactly when to step in and when to simply hold space for me.
Even during the hardest moments, I felt respected, encouraged, and completely supported.””
Prenatal Care
Prenatal care starts with connection and getting to know you, your family, and your birth goals.
The first visit is a 90-minute session, and together we’ll review:
Your full health history
Explore your birth goals, plans & preferences
Discuss testing options
Create an individualized plan together - one that works for YOU.
We are happy to schedule your first visit as soon as you would like, or you can wait for the ten-week mark. At ten weeks, you have a more developed pregnancy at which point we are able to offer more testing options:
Full bloodwork testing, including genetic NIPT and Carrier Screening
In-house dating and viability ultrasound
Referral and orders for other testing
-
After your first visit, we’ll create a care schedule that fits YOUR life.
Most first-time families come in every month until the third trimester, then every two weeks, and weekly toward the end. We want to give you and your family the chance to truly connect with our team, so that everyone can be comfortable on birth day.
These visits usually wrap up in about half an hour, but we schedule for 45 minutes so we’ll have more time if necessary.
For busy mothers who may have had a history of uncomplicated pregnancies or who have difficulty making the trip to Tempe (we see you, rural mamas!), we can adjust the prenatal schedule. On the other hand, some families who transfer in later may come for weekly visits to get to know us and receive extensive pregnancy and birth education.
Around 36 weeks, we make a special hour-long home visit to review the whole plan for birth. We’ll review:
Complete health picture, including updates that may have occurred during pregnancy
A plan for end-of-pregnancy testing (GBS, ultrasound, NST)
Birth plans & backup plans
Visiting your space & dropping off the birth tub
Meeting everyone who will be at the birth
At the center of each visit is how YOU are feeling and how we can support you and your family in your birth goals.
We’re thinking of supporting you, in body, mind, and spirit, through the momentous transition that is birth.
Postpartum Care 24/7
Extensive postpartum care begins the day after you give birth at home.
First Visit
We start postpartum care with a home visit to check on you and your baby. We weigh the baby, check on nursing, and take full vital signs. We’ll check your bleeding and assess how you're both doing overall.
Follow-Up Visits
You can expect follow-up visits in the office on postpartum day 3 or 4, between 7 and 10 days, at 3 weeks, and at 6 weeks postpartum.
These visits and easy access to a midwife (24/7 by phone!) are crucial for preventing some of the most common emergencies and identifying risk factors for perinatal morbidity and mortality.
Yes, your midwife can diagnose and treat a range of common experiences like mastitis, UTI’s, postpartum mood disorders, and/or birth control, as desired.
At the last visit, we will do a final check, discuss family planning, and plan a return to regular gynecological visits.
-
At every visit, we take full vital signs, assess bleeding, feeding, and your family's overall well-being. During those visits, we also complete the standard newborn screening, which includes:
A metabolic screen - in the first few days
And the hearing screen - usually around one week of age
We also complete and submit the birth certificate and Social Security number to the Arizona Office of Vital Records in the first week.
Your Hospital Labor
If you are using our team for doula or Monitrice care, we like to stay in touch from the beginning of your labor. We appreciate a text or phone call when you think things are starting.
The Tempe Birth Center (TBC) team offers support by phone and by text.
We sometimes meet families in the home for labor support or sometimes meet you at the hospital for in-person support.
When it’s time to go to the hospital, triage nurses will complete a full assessment of your labor and call the on-call midwife or physician.
-
Changing positions regularly is a great idea to support ongoing labor.
We will offer suggestions on different positions and how to use our tools, including the birth sling, birth stool, and birth ball, getting on the bed, laboring on the floor, on hands and knees, or anywhere else, within the limitations of hospital guidelines.
You will be supported to eat and drink as you desire or need, again within the limitations of hospital guidelines. Hydrotherapy is a valuable tool for labor, and we can support you in that.
There are no hospitals that offer waterbirth at this time, but some allow for water labor.
We ask people to be open to what their own body says is best.
When it’s time to birth your baby, the TBC team works with you and your hospital provider to help you have the best possible birth.
Most of the time, you can assist in “catching” your own baby, with the midwife or doc right next to you. Most of the time, the baby will go right to your chest, and we'll observe their beautiful transition into this world.
We can advocate for physiologic cord clamping (sometimes called delayed), which supports a great newborn transition. If a baby needs more help, hospitals have neonatal resuscitation resources.
-
The hospital team will help you birth your placenta, keeping an eye on you and your baby by checking vital signs and monitoring blood loss.
You’ll feed your new baby and eat a meal yourself, and most importantly - soak up this special time with your baby, with gentle TBC support at your side.
The hospital team will eventually complete a newborn exam, including weighing and measuring the baby. Many families are ready for “discharge” about one day after birth, but up to several days for certain circumstances.
Once the family is ready, we tuck you into bed and say, “See you soon!”
The Hospital Birth
Hospital Birth
With Tempe Birth Center
Prenatal Care For Your Hospital Birth
Hospital birth prenatal care starts with connection and getting to know you, your family, and your birth goals.
We have the inside scoop on the best hospitals and care teams across the Valley, for different medical situations. This can make a big difference in achieving your birth goals.
As we get to know you, your family’s plans, and your clinical picture, we'll work together to decide where to birth.
The first visit, even for your planned hospital birth, is a ninety-minute session where we review your entire health record, explore your birth plans, discuss testing options, and create an individualized plan together, something that works for YOU.
We are happy to schedule with you as soon as you would like, as some women want to connect and discuss next steps early on. Others may want to schedule at ten weeks, when we can offer more testing options that require a more developed pregnancy. We do offer:
Full bloodwork testing, including genetic NIPT and Carrier Screening
In-house ultrasounds - dating and viability, position, anatomy, BPP, and more.
Routine midwifery testing, like urine, GBS, and non-stress tests
Referral and orders for other testing
-
After that first visit, we create a care schedule that makes sense for YOUR life.
Most families come in every month until the third trimester, then every two weeks, and weekly toward the end.
Around 36 weeks, we recommend a visit with your hospital-based provider so they can review your charts and make sure the plan works for everyone. We do have preferred providers, but are happy to support you wherever you wish to birth.
For busy mothers who may have had a history of uncomplicated pregnancies or who have difficulty making the trip to Tempe (we see you, rural mamas!), we can adjust the prenatal schedule accordingly.
On the other hand, some families who transfer in late may come for weekly visits to get to know us and receive extensive pregnancy and birth education.
At the center of each visit is how YOU are feeling and how we can support you and your family in your birth goals.
We’re thinking of supporting you — in body, mind, and spirit — towards the momentous transition that is birth.
Postpartum Care 24/7
Extensive postpartum care begins the day after you are discharged home from the hospital.
First Visit
We start postpartum care with a home visit to check on you and your baby. We weigh the baby, check on nursing, and take full vital signs. We’ll check your bleeding and assess how you're both doing overall.
Follow-Up Visits
You can expect follow-up visits in the office on postpartum day 3 or 4, between 7 and 10 days, at 3 weeks, and at 6 weeks postpartum.
These visits and easy access to a midwife (24/7 by phone!) are crucial for preventing some of the most common emergencies and identifying risk factors for perinatal morbidity and mortality. Yes, your midwife can diagnose and treat a range of common experiences like mastitis, UTI’s, postpartum mood disorders, and/or birth control, as desired.
At the last visit, we will do a final check, discuss family planning, and plan a return to regular gynecological visits.
-
At every visit, we take full vital signs, assess bleeding, feeding, and your family's overall well-being. During those visits, we also complete the standard newborn screening, which includes:
A metabolic screen - in the first few days
And the hearing screen - usually around one week of age
We also complete and submit the birth certificate and Social Security number to the Arizona Office of Vital Records in the first week.