Back Home Midwifery

09/02/2026

It has been two years since I started this practice. I am taking a much-needed vacation for the month of September and will be in Japan with my daughter and son.

08/30/2026

This is why “routine” growth ultrasounds can be harmful. Many times practicing evidence based care supports less intervention! This ultrasound can cause so much fear and is used as a tool for induction without any benefits for baby.

This was a large study (21,743 births) done in England, where they did routine ultrasounds for growth at 36 weeks. This ultrasound is actually not good at predicting larger babies and leads to less people attempting labor, increased induction rates, higher vacuum assisted birth, increased cesarean birth before and during labor, and increased injury to the birthing person. All of this, and there was no benefit to baby. 

Just having the “label” of a larger baby (>90%) led to a lot of negative outcomes, even when compared to babies who were actually larger. In other words, the intervention of having an ultrasound and being labeled was more a risk than having an actual big baby. 

https://www.ajog.org/article/S0002-9378%2826%2900195-X/fulltext?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUA9dhwZG9mBWZkaWQWUNfPqXxlOTrswbCs0e5ouMLrbmckCWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6VgiIkd8guwRlBaIxXtnr6yehQFpOfGeyjnrtQnVJsMXeJeDsIxi-ChE7PbQ_aem_yTYtmOTsBtU5BdPFTZMXqg

08/28/2026

The final postpartum visit is always so incredibly bittersweet. I had one of those visits today, and this beautiful family brought me the most gorgeous flowers as a thank you.

The end of postpartum care is a transition for both the family and the midwife. For months, our lives have been intertwined. We have shared something incredibly deep and meaningful together, and then suddenly, our regular visits come to an end.

Every family I care for leaves a little piece of themselves in my heart. It is one of the most special parts of being a midwife.

I am also so thankful that our relationships don’t have to end at that final postpartum visit. I love hosting playgroups and meetups throughout the year so I can continue to see these families, watch their babies grow, and celebrate all the new seasons of life alongside them.

Being your midwife is such an incredible privilege, and I never take it for granted.

08/27/2026

My social media content is changing.

08/01/2026

I can’t tell you how many people brace themselves for when I do a fundal assessment. They are waiting for an excruciatingly painful experience because that’s what it was like in the hospital. No consent, and not trauma informed. 

Fundal massage, also known as uterine massage, is often performed as a routine procedure after birth, but research shows it does little to prevent postpartum hemorrhage and can be painful for many. On today's replay episode of the EBB Podcast, nurse, community educator, and advocate Barbie Christianson joins Dr. Rebecca Dekker to talk about the myths surrounding this common postpartum procedure and how it connects to broader patterns of obstetric violence in maternity care.

Barbie explains the difference between a fundal assessment, a routine massage, and the massage used to treat active postpartum hemorrhage, and walks through what the evidence actually shows about each approach. She also shares trauma-informed scripts that nurses and providers can use to explain what they are doing and obtain informed consent, even in urgent, fast moving situations. Learn how unit culture, staffing, and fear based practice patterns can affect whether an unnecessary intervention becomes the default standard of care, and how to speak up and advocate for respectful care.

🎧 Listen now to the Evidence Based Birth® Podcast - REPLAY: EBB 267 – Debunking Myths about Fundal Massage with Barbie Christianson, RN

ebbirth.com/267

Link in our bio. 🔗

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07/29/2026

Due to the prediction of rain, we are moving this to Wednesday, August 5!

07/26/2026

Back Home Midwifery families are welcome to join us for some blueberry picking! This Wednesday from 10 to 12 at Sand Flats Orchards in Fonda.

07/12/2026

Homegrown playgroup at Cook Park in Colonie Saturday July 18 from 10 to 12. https://facebook.com/events/s/homegrown-playgroup/27168700412830604/

07/04/2026

There is no greater compliment than when one of my clients refers their own family to Back Home Midwifery.

This mama’s first birth was in the hospital and didn’t unfold the way she had hoped. It was a long labor with a malpositioned baby, followed by postpartum complications that made recovery especially difficult. The experience stayed with her, and she knew she wanted something different for this birth. After talking with her sister-in-law, who had chosen homebirth with us in December, she decided it was the right path for her.

She woke around 5:00 a.m. with early labor, and by 9:00 a.m. she called for us to come. Her son was already at his grandparents’ house, the birth pool was filled, her husband was by her side, and everything was ready. Just an hour after we arrived, she was beginning to feel pressure. Around 10:30 a.m., she asked for an exam because labor had become incredibly intense, and she wanted reassurance that she was making progress.

She was doing beautifully. Changing positions instinctively, vocalizing through contractions, and trusting her body. She also had a feeling things were moving quickly, and she was absolutely right. She had only a small rim of cervix remaining. Fifteen minutes later, she began bearing down. A few minutes after that, her water released on its own, and just before 11:00 a.m., she welcomed her baby peacefully into the world in the birth tub.

This birth was everything she had hoped it could be. She later shared that she felt present, connected, and fully part of the experience from beginning to end. Watching someone reclaim birth after a difficult first experience is incredibly special. Seeing the pride she felt in herself afterward is something I’ll never forget.

He is one lucky little boy to be welcomed into such a loving family.

06/24/2026

Thank you everyone who came to the Back Home Midwifery Annual Potluck! It was so heartwarming to see so many of you.