Family Birth Services is pleased to bring all the services of a professional birth center to your home. One of the most significant benefits of delivering your child at home is the level of comfort of the mother. The comfort of the mother is paramount in ensuring the most, problem-free labor and delivery. If you are searching for a birthing experience with more privacy, one-on-one attention, and control of the atmosphere, then home birth might be the best option for you. The relationship the family develops with the midwifery team offers trust and focused attention, thus bringing an added layer of both safety and comfort. Midwifery care blends together tradition and science to bring the least invasive care, that leads to better outcomes for both mother and baby. Although Family Birth Services now specializes in home births, we can still offer you a birth center experience if that’s what you’d like. Our team of Midwives has privileges at most of the birth centers all over Dallas-Fort Worth, allowing you choice of both midwife and birthing space.

Prenatal Care

Prenatal visits with our midwives provide individualized and thoughtful care throughout your pregnancy. We will begin your comprehensive maternity care plan, with an initial two-hour visit in our office where your midwife will go over your health history, nutrition, and lifestyle. Helping you achieve the low risk, healthy pregnancy helps us to prepare you for a healthy birth!

Monthly check-ups will take place for the first 28 weeks, with bi-weekly and weekly appointments following as you get closer to delivery. Sonograms are available at our offices as needed, as well as lab work. Our routine prenatal visits last for about 30-60 minutes but are extended as necessary. We want to make sure you have all of your questions answered and, more importantly, give you the time and space to establish a trusting relationship with us.

One Home Visit: During the course of your prenatal care, most of the appointments will be in our office, but for an appointment near your delivery, we will meet at your home. This will give us a chance to visit before the delivery and walk you through anything you may need to know regarding delivery with your home in mind. We do have it as an option to have more home visits or even all of them. Their included as an Accessory (see below).
Routine Labs: While we’re doing your prenatal care, there will be a series of lab work necessary to ensure your health as well as the baby’s. It’s a vital part of our care service to make sure things are proceeding as they should and alert us to anything out of the ordinary. We have some of the most educated and experienced midwives available on our team to help interpret lab results and make sure that everything is proceeding as it should for a healthy pregnancy.

Labor and Delivery

From the time that you feel your first contraction until you are holding your baby in your arms, we’re there for you. As you approach your due date, your midwife is still on-call 24-hours a day for you. We will handle your early labor calls and be at your home when you’re ready. We are experienced and trained to handle every contingency and will work to make your experience beautiful and sacred.

Home Birth Supplies: Every home birth needs some supplies. We’ve got everything you need. Our team has already purchased it for you and will make sure it’s available when you need it. All you have to do is get ready for your baby and gather a few household items (towels, blankets, etc).
Newborn Exam: A thorough exam of the newest member of your family is a special part of the birth. During your pregnancy, we will discuss routine procedures so that you have made the best decision for your baby. Weigh ins, measuring, and general admiration of your newborn make for great memories ( as well as ensuring your baby is healthy and strong).

Homebirth Setup & Teardown: Many new expectant parents worry about the mess of a home birth. Our team is well versed in setting up home birth equipment in many varied settings. They are equally competent in cleaning techniques to leave your space just as they found it (even starting the laundry for you)!
Midwife Assistant: we see it as an integral part of midwifery care to have two midwives available at your birth. There are a lot of details happening at birth and you’ll already have plenty to do. A member of our midwife team will accompany your midwife to assist and help ensure that everything is taken care of for you.
Waterbirth Tub: For many women, having the ability to submerge themselves in water during labor and delivery can be a great option. When your body is in heavy labor or transition, the warm water in a birthing pool or tub can provide a wonderful amount of calm and comfort to your body. Laboring and birthing in water can have tremendous benefits in easing the intensity of labor. We stock water birth tubs, new from the manufacturer, as an additional feature. After the birth, it is yours to keep. Many places offer tubs as well and you are welcome to find the best fit for you. Ours comes with the tub, pump, hose, adaptors, tarp, and everything else needed for the tub.
Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC): Laboring after a Cesarean is an emotional and rewarding event. Our midwives know that who attends you through this momentous occasion can change your journey immensely. They spend additional time during appointments with special focus on the particular issues surrounding homebirth after Cesarean during your pregnancy to lend you the greatest success possible. Many of our midwives specialize in VBAC and would love to consult on the particulars of your situation to make a plan that best suits your needs.

Postpartum Care

Following the birth of your newborn, your need for midwifery care remains. Our services extend to cover postpartum care during this crucial period. This includes checkups and an individualized personal care schedule for both mother and baby, with the first visit taking place in home within 48 hours of birth. Your postpartum care will continue with the same midwifery team you had during your prenatal care and the birth of your baby. We have found that this continuity and familiarity provides comfort and stability to the mother and the family as a whole. Postpartum care is vital to sustaining a healthy transition to parenthood and a relationship with your midwife grows all the sweeter as formal care comes to an end.

If there is a concern or need through your recovery, we will do our best to handle everything and assist the mother and family in any way possible. Family Birth Services will be there every step of the way to ensure a positive and memorable experience for everyone.

Critical Congenital Heart Disease Screening (CCHD): At your initial postpartum visit, your midwife will provide screening for your newborn. The screen uses pulse oximetry, which is a painless light that detects oxygenation levels in your newborn’s hands and feet. The testing is designed to detect heart defects to ensure timely adequate care.
Filing Birth Certificates with the State of Texas & requesting copies for parents: Part of the details of the birth is to file the birth certificate with the state of Texas. We take care of that for you. Additionally, we find it helpful to go ahead and order a copy for you. Parents are always wanting a copy of it but don’t always have the time to take care of it after the baby comes.
Initial Lactation Service: FBS is a strong proponent of breastfeeding. Knowing that the initial latch that your newborn has can set the course for your breastfeeding experience and, when a good latch, will greatly ease and facilitate the entire experience. Your midwife will work to protect and help that initial bonding to establish a great initial lactation experience. If you encounter a need for more support, we have many lactation consultants that we can recommend to ensure a healthy start!
Postpartum home visits after birth: Your initial postpartum visit takes place 24-72 hours after birth in your home. Postpartum recovery is an important part of a healthy transition to parenthood. Additionally, routine postpartum visits are performed as needed at 2 weeks and again at 6 weeks after birth but as needed in your particular situation.